Ed has a broad commercial practice, including financial services, arbitration, professional negligence, civil fraud, class actions, corporations, insolvency, and regulatory matters. He also acts in media / defamation matters and disciplinary and sports proceedings.
Ed has been recognised in Doyle's Guide as a leading commercial litigation and dispute resolution barrister in 2020 to 2023. He has also been called to the Bar of England and Wales, and is a member of Essex Court Chambers, a leading international law and arbitration set.
For a list of recent matters in which Ed has appeared please see the "extended biography" tab above.
Before coming to the Bar, Ed practised as a solicitor in the dispute resolution group at international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in London. Ed commenced his career with Ashurst in Melbourne in 2009.
Ed graduated with first class honours in law from Melbourne University and completed the BCL (Distinction) at the University of Oxford in 2011 as a recipient of an Allan Myers Melbourne University Scholarship.
Recent matters in which Ed has acted include:
General commercial law
Canaccord Genuity (Australia) Ltd v Allen [2022] VSC 631 (unled) - acted for the plaintiff in successfully recovering the proceeds of a fraud
ACN 115 918 959 Pty Ltd v Hoeys Lawyers Pty Ltd [2021] VSC 79 (with D Collins QC) - professional negligence proceedings against senior counsel.
MWL Finance Group v Focus Australia Holdings LLC [2020] FCA 548 (with J Peters QC) – acting for an American financial services firm resisting an application to restrain a general meeting of members.
Spotlight Pty Ltd v Mehta & Ors [2019] FCA 1796 (with M Osborne QC) - obtained worldwide freezing orders arising from an allegedly fraudulent scheme perpetrated by employees (with M Osborne QC).
Finance & Guarantee Pty Ltd v Auswild [2019] VSC 664 (with A Strahan QC) - acting for the first defendant in defending historic claims of breaches of fiduciary duties
Masters Home Improvement v Aventus Cranbourne Thompsons Road (2019) VR 80 (with J Karkar QC) and on appeal [2020] VSCA 199 (with W A Harris QC) - whether a commercial landlord acted reasonably in withholding consent to a sublease
Harplex Pty Ltd v Konstandellos [2018] VSCA 67 (unled) - appeal concerning the liability of joint and several debtors.
White (Trustee) v MWL Financial Group Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 2018 (with P Crutchfield QC) - leave to commence derivative proceeding alleging breach of fiduciary duties.
Westpoint Corporation Pty Ltd (in liq) v Yeo [2018] VSC 705 (with P Crutchfield QC / P Corbett QC) - acting for liquidators in connection with an application for an inquiry under s 536 of the Corporations Act.
Commercial arbitration proceedings involving the racing industry (with J Gleeson QC and A Dinelli).
Bodycorp Repairers Pty Ltd v Holding Redlich [2017] VSC 215 (unled) and [2018] VSCA 17 (with P Solomon QC) - professional negligence and limitation of actions.
In the matter of Donkey Wheel Ltd [2017] VSC 634 and [2017] VSC 462 (appeal) (with S Anderson QC) - acted for a charitable trustee in a governance dispute.
ASIC v Ostrava Equities Pty Ltd & Ors [2016] FCA 1064 - acting for ASIC in enforcement proceedings against financial advisory firm and its directors (with J Moore QC and C van Proctor).
Inquiries / royal commissions
Acting for Crown Resorts Ltd in the Bergin inquiry into suitability under the Casino Control Act 1992 (NSW) (led by N Young QC, R Orr QC and R Craig QC).
Acting for NAB in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (with W A Harris QC, R Craig and K Foley).
Acting for a witness in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
Media and sports law
Lee v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2023] FCAFC 22 (unled) – acted for The Age in obtaining access to material filed in support of freezing order.
Zhang v The Age Company [2023] ACTCA 10 (unled) - acted for The Age in obtaining access to Australian Federal Police affidavits used in confiscation of criminal assets proceedings.
Robby Gordon Entertainment v Confederation of Australian Motor Sport [2018] VSC 600 (with J Gleeson QC) - acting for the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in an interlocutory injunction.
Bauer Media Pty Ltd v Wilson [2018] VSCA 68 (with D Collins QC) - acting for six Australian media organisations seeking leave to intervene in an appeal.
Conducting an independent investigation for Racing Victoria Ltd (unled).
Appearing on behalf of the Stewards in the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.
Google Inc v Trkulja [2016] VSCA 333 (with P Heywood-Smith QC) – liability of search engine provider for publication on the internet.
Class actions
Bogan v Estate of Peter John Smedley [2022] VSC 645 (discovery dispute) (with WAD Edwards SC) - acting for plaintiff group members in a securities class action against the former directors and auditor of Arrium Ltd.
Lay v Nuix & Ors [2022] VSC 479 (with WAD Edwards SC) - acted for plaintiff group members in a carriage dispute in securities class action.
Earglow Pty Ltd v Newcrest Mining Ltd (with W Harris QC and R Craig) - acted for Newcrest in a securities class action in the Federal Court relating to gold production (settled prior to trial).
Major tort litigation
Uren v Bald Hills Wind Farm [2022] VSC 145 (with A Dinelli) - defending a wind farm operator in a claim of nuisance
Riverman Orchards Pty Ltd v Hayden [2017] VSC 379 (with D Klempfner) - acted for the plaintiff in a negligence / nuisance claim involving spray drift damage to a vineyard.
Acting for the manufacturer of allegedly defective farming equipment in the Scotsburn bushfire class action (with L Armstrong QC) (settled prior to trial).
Contempt of court / disciplinary matters
Khoury v Kirwan (No 4) [2021] VSC 333 (with S Chrysanthou SC).
Acting for building practitioners in disciplinary proceedings before the Building Practitioners Board.