Background

Stuart is an Associate in KBH’s Dispute Resolution team, with over six years’ post-admission experience advising on complex, high-value commercial litigation, regulatory investigations and public inquiries.

His practice spans a broad range of contentious matters, including contractual disputes, directors’ duties, shareholder disputes, negligence and regulatory investigations and enforcement. He has extensive experience managing complex, document-intensive proceedings and investigations, advising on litigation strategy and risk, and working closely with clients, counsel and other stakeholders on sensitive, high-profile matters.

Prior to joining KBH, Stuart was a Senior Associate in the Disputes & Investigations team at Allens in Sydney, having previously practised at Clayton Utz. During this time, he represented major corporations, financial institutions, government bodies and private clients in significant disputes and investigations before Australian courts and regulatory authorities.

Stuart’s experience includes substantial commercial disputes, shareholder litigation, claims involving alleged breaches of directors’ duties, and high-profile investigations conducted by various regulatory bodies. He has also acted in major public inquiries.

Stuart brings a commercially focused and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution, combining technical litigation expertise with an understanding of the commercial and regulatory considerations affecting clients.

SERVICES

SECTORS

Selected experience

  • Acting for the owners of a major Australian shopping centre in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings concerning alleged design and construction defects, with rectification works exceeding AUD 200 million.
  • Acting for a shareholder in an Australian airline company in Supreme Court of New South Wales proceedings involving shareholder oppression claims and related interlocutory disputes.
  • Acting for a major Australian retail company and related parties in Federal Court of Australia proceedings involving whistleblower protections, employment-related claims and allegations of misleading or deceptive conduct.
  • Acting for a big four accounting firm in high-profile regulatory investigations and parliamentary inquiries concerning whistleblower allegations and the misuse and mishandling of confidential client information, including compulsory notices issued by various regulators and parliamentary committees.
  • Acting for a major Australian retail company in a significant Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) investigation concerning suspected breaches of directors’ duties, continuous disclosure obligations and whistleblower protections. Managed complex regulatory responses, including document productions and sensitive information requests under a significant number of compulsory notices.
  • Acting for an Australian Government department in the 2022–2023 Royal Commission into the unlawful Robodebt Scheme, assisting with the preparation of key witness statements and coordinating extensive document review and production exercises.
  • Acting for the former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of a major retail company in Federal Court proceedings brought by receivers concerning alleged breaches of directors’ duties.
  • Advising a high-net-worth client in relation to alleged fraudulent dealings involving property settlement proceeds of approximately AUD 8.6 million, including forensic analysis of financial records and coordination of document production requests.
  • Acting for the Australian Department of Home Affairs in approximately 200 judicial review applications and appeals before the Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court, including appearing as solicitor advocate.

Qualifications