Lachlan practices in revenue and commercial law. He specialises in taxation, complex commercial matters and the foreign investment regime.
He frequently acts for the Commonwealth as well as private clients.
Lachlan has appeared in a wide range of disputes in the High Court, Full Federal Court, Federal Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as the Banking Royal Commission and the Police Informants Royal Commission. He also appears in international commercial arbitrations.
He advises on commercial and corporations law matters, including equity and trust law, contract, oppression, ASIC regulatory disputes and foreign investment (FIRB) matters.
He advises on direct and indirect tax disputes, and focuses on transfer pricing, the general anti-avoidance regime, tax treaty disputes and other international tax matters.
Before coming to the Bar, Lachlan was in the Commonwealth Treasury Portfolio, covering taxation, foreign investment (FIRB) and corporations law. He was involved with the development of important Commonwealth legislative reforms, including the development of the Multinational Anti-avoidance Law and Diverted Profits Tax to counter avoidance schemes.
Prior to that he was a solicitor at an international firm advising on large commercial and taxation disputes in Australia.
He graduated with a Masters with Distinction from the University of Oxford, and Bachelors in Laws and Engineering from the University of Melbourne.
He is an executive board director of the Law Council of Australia and has been a member of the Victorian Bar Council.
He is Chair of the National Trusts of Australia, Deputy Chair of the National Trust of Victoria, and a Director of Ys Housing, three not-for-profit community organisations.
He is a Senior Fellow of the Melbourne Law School of the University of Melbourne, teaching corporations and taxation subjects in the Masters of Law and Juris Doctorate programs, including the Tax Avoidance masters subject taught jointly with former justices Hon Tony Pagone AM KC and Hon Jennifer Davies KC. He also takes the tax subject in the Bar Readers' course.
Lachlan is a member of Lincoln's Inn, London.
He is presently undertaking a dissertation at the University of Oxford law faculty.
Lachlan read with Eugene Wheelahan QC and Allan Myers AC QC.
Recently published cases in which Lachlan has appeared:
Commercial and equity/trust matters
Keybridge Capital Limited v WAM Active Limited [2023] FCAFC 194
Parker v Auswild; Bergmuller v Auswild [2022] VSCA 8; (2022) 403 ALR 111
Cant v Mad Brothers Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2020] VSCA 198; (2020) 63 VR 222
Keybridge Capital Limited v WAM Active Limited [2023] FCA 339
Watkins v Tatana [2023] FCA 248
Australian Money Exchange Pty Ltd (in liq) v Llewellyn [2024] VSC 511
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 6) [2024] VSC 171
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors (No 5) [2024] VSC 6
Re Legal Super Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 545
Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd v Cole & Anor [2023] VSC 700
Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises Pty Ltd (No 10) [2023] VSC 524
Bignaches Pty Ltd v Access Strata Management Pty Ltd (Costs) [2022] VSC 793
In the matter of Access Strata Management Pty Ltd & Ors [2022] VSC 639
Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 3) [2022] VSC 499
Timeless Sunrise Pty Ltd v BigJ Enterprises (No 7) [2022] VSC 549
Ian Morris v Victorian Farmers Federation [2022] VSC 407
Rita Troiano v Ross Voci & Ors [2021] VSC 851
Porter & Anor v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 572
JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild [2021] VSC 275; (2021) 152 ACSR 618
JAB Nominees (Aust) Pty Ltd v Auswild & Ors [2020] VSC 731
Porter v Mulcahy & Co Accounting Services Pty Ltd [2020] VSC 430
Ran Bi v Yingde Investments Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 324
Troiano v Voci [2019] VSC 859
In the matter of Erfanian Developments Pty Ltd [2018] VSC 342
Wildorm Pty Ltd v Greg Hocking Altona Pty Ltd & Ors [2024] VCC 96
Carlig v M H Heath & M P Jones (t/as Allmand Jones & Partners) [2019] VCC 1175
Taxation and regulatory matters
Commissioner of Taxation v Sharpcan Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 36; (2019) 269 CLR 370
Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] HCASL 224
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCAFC 197; (2021) 114 ATR 1
Victoria Power Networks Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 169; (2020) 281 FCR 318
Watson v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 92; (2020) 277 FCR 253
Hart v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCAFC 179; (2020) 272 FCR 612
Clifford v Tax Practitioners Board (No 2) [2024] FCA 557
Hilton International Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2023] FCA 1504
Makrylos v Commissioner of Taxation [2023] FCA 971
Commissioner of Taxation v Balasubramaniyan [2022] FCA 374
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCA 108; (2021) 112 ATR 752
Clough Limited v Commissioner of Taxation (No 2) [2021] FCA 267
Watson as trustee for the Murrindindi Bushfire Class Action Settlement Fund v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 228; (2019) 109 ATR 794
Paule v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 394
Ammouche v Chief Commissioner of Police [2018] FCA 1703; (2018) 266 FCR 430
Premier Bay Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue [2024] VSC 447
Clifford and Tax Practitioners Board [2023] AATA 2068
Bolton and Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2021] AATA 5293