MCCULLOUGH ROBERTSON - Key Persons
Aaron has extensive advisory and transactional experience in a broad range of corporate and commercial matters.
Aaron's experience includes mergers and acquisitions, recapitalisations, public and private capital raising and general commercial advisory in the resources and renewables, health, pharmaceutical technology and not for profit sectors.
He is often engaged by clients to provide guidance on corporate governance issues and advice regarding directors' duties.
In providing advice, Aaron draws on the knowledge of his clients' industries to ensure he offers commercial and practical solutions.
He is well versed and has a particular interest in structuring and advising on employee incentive arrangements and acts for a number of large offshore companies in relation to their Australian incentive programs.
Adam is a versatile corporate and commercial lawyer specialising in energy and resources transactions, capital raisings and corporate compliance.
Adam has acted for a broad range of clients in regulated and unregulated mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital raising and intellectual property transactions. Adam also advises on general corporate advisory, governance and commercial matters.
His experience includes advising on regulated and unregulated mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the energy and resources and technology markets, and the provision and implementation of complex deal structuring advice. Adam has worked closely with clients at all stages of their growth, from entrepreneurs and sole traders to ASX-listed clients.
Adam also has experience in due diligence, foreign investment, critical infrastructure, intellectual property arrangements and complex legislative and advisory work.
Adria is a Senior Associate in our Tax team with a number of years experience acting for clients with respect to ATO compliance activity, and providing technical advice.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Member of the Australian Lawyers' Cricket Association
Alan is a Senior Associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, specialising in contractual disputes, commercial claims and regulatory matters.
Alan has experience acting for a diverse range of clients, including individuals, listed companies, not-for-profit entities and government bodies.
Alan provides practical, strategic and commercial advice to his clients. Alan is a dedicated advocate and acts in all Australian State and Federal Courts and tribunals as well as in regulatory investigations, such as those commenced by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Alan has also acted in commissions of inquiry and parliamentary inquiries.
Prior to joining McCullough Robertson, Alan served as the judicial associate to a District Court of Queensland judge. During this time, Alan gained experience in a number of jurisdictions, including criminal law, planning law and personal injury law.
Alan is a member of the Australian Lawyers' Cricket Association and was a member of the successful Australian team at the 2019 Lawyers' Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.
Alex is head of the firm's Technology, Media and Telecommunications group, and practices in telecommunications, IT, e-commerce, consumer protection and data protection law. He is a leading lawyer in emerging areas such as cloud computing, machine to machine (M2M)/IOT technology and big data projects. He also has significant experience in market competition and consumer protection issues, licensing and regulatory access, procurement and data protection and privacy law.
Alex acts on large transactions, such as major IT procurements and telecommunications services agreements, and also provides ongoing advisory services. His clients include a broad range of listed and unlisted entities, including telecommunications providers, software and IT vendors, financial services organisations, airlines and resource and utility companies, as well as clients in the public sector.
Alex has spent a number of years working in-house with various clients, including two-years as in-house lawyer for a national telecommunications carrier, advising on consumer product launches, commercial supply agreements, competition and consumer protection law compliance and privacy issues, and as IT counsel for a listed airline.
Alex is a Senior Associate in the Estates team and has practiced exclusively in succession law since his admission as a solicitor. He began his career at a boutique succession law practice, where he was exposed to and gained experience in a broad range of estate litigation, administration, and planning matters.
Alex primarily advises clients in litigation matters arising from deceased estates, clients who contest wills seeking an inheritance, executors defending an estate from a claim, and in disputes relating to the validity of a will on the grounds of testamentary capacity. He has extensive experience in the administration of estates, acting for executors in complex matters requiring court applications, or those with significant assets and companies or trusts forming part of the estate assets. Alex assists his clients across the full spectrum of estate planning needs and can advise on simple as well as complex matters, including those involving corporate and trust structures.
Alex is also an integral member of the McR Private team, supporting our family office and private clients.
Alex adopts a no-nonsense approach to dispute resolution, where achieving the best commercial outcome for his clients is paramount. He finds creative and commercial solutions to disputes and has significant experience protecting his clients' interests in court.
Alex has been guiding construction and infrastructure clients in the areas of litigation and dispute resolution for over 17 years. He is known for his attention to detail, technical ability and advocacy which deliver strong outcomes in contentious matters.
Clients seek Alex's guidance in relation to disputes under construction contracts, during the administration of the contract or if court proceedings or adjudication applications are commenced.
Amber has over 20 years' experience as a workplace relations lawyer, with deep industry experience working the NSW Government complemented by acting for household brands. Her practice covers the litigious and advisory workplace spectrum, with particular expertise in workplace litigation including discrimination, termination and industrial disputes, restraint of trade and breach of contract proceedings, and disciplinary proceedings on behalf of professional associations.
The advisory arm of her practice covers the entire employment life cycle including onboarding, managing injured and ill employees, advising on complex workplace investigations, strategies for managing and exiting difficult employees, and risk minimisation in performance and conduct management and terminations.
Amber also has extensive administrative law expertise including advice and representation in relation to claims under the GIPA Act, PPIP Act and HRIP Act, and acting in judicial review proceedings under section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth). Amber is also recognised as an expert in discrimination in the provision of goods and services and by qualifying authorities.
She is praised by clients for her down to earth, straight talking and solutions-oriented approach. Amber provides technically accurate legal advice, but at the same time is commercially and industrially pragmatic.
Amber is regularly invited to speak at industry seminars and enjoys delivering workplace training.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Firm
As a commercial and corporate lawyer who has worked in-house for a major international trading company, Andrew Bukowski specialises in business transactions, foreign investment, sales and acquisitions and joint ventures . Andrew has a strong focus on resources, renewable and low emissions energy projects.
He has acted for a range of clients from listed and large private companies involved in exploration and operational projects in coal, gas, minerals and metals through to junior explorers and service providers.
His work has covered multiple jurisdictions, including Australia, North America, Myanmar, Mongolia, Russia and Indonesia.
Andrew has firsthand experience in the development, sale and acquisition of small to large scale renewable energy projects in Australia. Including engagement with Government agencies and authorities, local landowners and foreign developers and investors.
Andrew is also a member of the firm's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) team, assisting clients across all sectors with obtaining approvals and engaging with FIRB.
Ann-Janette has over 20 years' experience in property law. As a Special Counsel in our Real Estate practice, she specialises in providing concise, commercial and accessible property advice across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
Ann-Janette has a depth of experience across a wide range of real estate transactions including capital acquisitions and disposals (commercial, industrial and rural), leasing - acting for both landlords and tenant, flat land and high-rise development (residential, mixed use, community title scheme and commercial), and property advisory work.
She acts for a wide variety of clients, ranging from government (all levels) and statutory bodies to public and private developers, ASX listed companies and financial institutions. Ann-Janette is also an integral member of the McR Private team, supporting our family office and private clients.
Belinda specialises in intellectual property law and heads up our Intellectual Property practice. She advises clients in a wide range of industries on intellectual property protection and management, the development of new brands, franchising and compliance, opposition and infringement disputes, privacy and compliance and trade mark matters in Australia and internationally.
Operating a full-service trade marks practice, with over 4,000 trade marks under management, Belinda has a wealth of knowledge based on her dealings with IP Australia and facilitating the filing and management of trade marks on a world-wide basis.
Ben is a local government and planning and environment lawyer, focusing on planning and environment litigation including appeals, declaratory proceedings, enforcement proceedings, as well as infrastructure and governance advisory.
Ben acts for a variety of public and private sector clients including distributor retailers, local governments, government owned entities, town planning consultants, property developers and members of the community. Ben has a good foundation of knowledge when acting for both private clients and local government clients.
Ben has expertise working as an in-house lawyer for a local government and as a practitioner in private practice. He is recognised for his balanced and tempered approach to providing advice to his clients regardless of if they are a local government or a developer, which is critical to achieving successful and cost-effective outcomes.
Ben specialises in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic commercial arrangements, divestments, corporate restructures and complex service and supply arrangements.
He has extensive expertise in the financial services sector including advising leading financial institutions and the ‘Big Four' banks.
Ben's broad sector experience and knowledge spans financial services, government, infrastructure and health. He has acted for both domestic and international clients and has worked closely with a number of New South Wales government agencies.
Ben is a mining and resources lawyer with a particular focus on tenement approvals and project development issues.
Ben has experience advising clients in relation to some of Queensland's largest mining, petroleum and infrastructure projects, and has also advised on projects in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Ben supports clients with all aspects of regulatory approvals requirements, strategy and regulatory compliance, to obtain mining, production and exploration tenement approvals and to manage key stakeholder issues.
Ben has a broad range of experience in assisting clients with issues relating to corporations and securities law, with a particular focus on public and private capital raisings, mergers and acquisitions and restructures.
Ben has assisted clients across a range of sectors including financial services, life sciences, technology, food and agribusiness, health and resources including ASX listed and large unlisted public companies, small to large proprietary companies and owner managed businesses.
Ben is also an integral member of the McR Private team, supporting our family office and private clients.
His expertise includes assisting clients with capital raisings (both IPOs and secondary raisings - including placements, rights issues and share purchase plans), unregulated mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence and deal implementation, and corporate reconstructions, including via court approved schemes of arrangement. Additionally he advises on directors' duties and general corporate governance issues.
Originally from the UK, Ben is also admitted as a lawyer in England and Wales.
When it comes to insurance and risk management, industry knowledge is as important as technical ability. Brad is known for bringing both to clients in a diverse range of industries including marine, aviation, resources, technology, construction and infrastructure.
Brad heads the Insurance & Corporate Risk Group and is also Chair of Allegiant IRS. He focuses on risk management, insurance, corporate governance and due diligence, contractual risk management methodologies, insurance indemnity and the development and delivery of tailored insurance programs and policy advice.
Brad has advised all parts of the resources sector, including global and local mining companies, mining equipment suppliers, mining services companies and coal loading facility companies. He has drafted specialised insurances specifically for the resources sector such as Mining ISR, Statutory Liability Plus and Environmental Rehabilitation Insurance Sureties.
His innovative insurance advice has also assisted the likes of road authorities and airport owners with the establishment of their dedicated contract works and liability insurance programs (Principal Arranged Insurance) which relates to all road construction in their states and property and infrastructure development at their airports.
Reviewing both government and corporate insurance programs, Brad ensures their adequacy and appropriateness and where not, redesigns those programs. In this regard, his insurance expertise is sought by companies participating in the mining, infrastructure, construction and energy sectors.
Brad also advises on risk management issues associated with corporate governance compliance. This has assisted companies to manage not only operating and contractual risks but also statutory and regulatory compliance.
Before Brad was an insurance lawyer he was a maritime lawyer. With expertise in the transport sector, known both nationally and internationally, Brad continues to act for shipowners, charters, cargo owners, marine insurers and regulatory authorities.
Brad is recognised as having developed some very innovative risk and insurance methods including the likes of contracting pillars, insurance broker tender modelling and statutory liability insurance.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Army Legal Officer
With national reach, Brett leads a bespoke Defence & National Security practice group with a sharp focus on supporting ADF capability and a flourishing sovereign defence industry through the provision of timely, pragmatic advice that is centred on national outcomes.
Drawing on more than 23 years' experience in government and private enterprise, Brett has carved out a career as a thought leader and business strategist in the Defence & National Security sector. His deep interest in advancing Australian sovereignty is founded in his 14 year service as an Army officer, graduating from Duntroon in 1999.
During his military service as an Army Legal Officer, Brett participated in numerous offshore deployments in the advancement of strategic military objectives, both war-like and humanitarian. For his efforts, he was awarded an ADF commendation in 2011.
Brett brings a unique appreciation for the requirements of the contemporary war-fighter in the modern, digitised operating environment.
Building upon his military experience, Brett's enterprise skills have been developed from performing leadership functions across multiple industries, including defence & government, energy (Oil & Gas), engineering & construction, and resources.
Prior to joining the partnership of McCullough Robertson, Brett was the leader of the Defence facing business unit of an ASX-100 listed company, with full executive responsibility including general management, strategy planning and execution, people and culture management, and financial performance.
Brooke specialises in workplace and industrial law across the public and private sector. She has experience acting for a variety of clients across multiple industries including government, resources, aged care, disability services and not-for-profit.
Brooke maintains a full service employment and industrial relations practice. She works closely with local governments, state government departments, and hospital and health services in a range of front-end and litigated matters. Brooke has a particular interest in workplace investigations and disciplinary matters and she regularly assists organisations as both an adviser and workplace investigator.
In addition to advising employers of all sizes in relation to employment contracts, workplace policies and industrial instruments, she regularly appears in the Fair Work Commission, Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Queensland Human Rights Commission and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Brooke has hands on experience working with internal stakeholders having completed secondments with two state government departments. During her time in state government she advised various business units about employee entitlements under industrial instruments, workplace policies and matters concerning employee conduct.
Cameron leads the firm's Workplace Health and Safety team. Reflecting his significant experience in workplace relations matters, he is recognised as one of Queensland's leading practitioners in the employment and industrial relations field.
Cameron regularly provides specialist advice and representation to clients about workplace health and safety compliance, and is for many clients the ‘go to' lawyer when responding to workplace incidents, including for prosecutions and coronial matters.
His broader employment relations experience includes dealing with industrial disputes, employment terminations, contract drafting, restraints of trade, harassment and discrimination issues.
Cameron has worked with clients across sectors including resources, transport, banking, agribusiness, construction, education, health and local government. Due to ongoing changes, Cameron regularly provides continuing education and updates to ensure clients stay informed of issues affecting their business.
Cameron's clients appreciate his technical ability, his commercial approach, and his friendly and dedicated service. He is aware of the need for practical solutions rather than a strict legalistic approach, and has a strong litigation background and is familiar with the legal processes in the courts, commissions and tribunals.
Celia works in the Construction and Infrastructure team, specialising in the back end construction sector. Celia provides advice to, and represents clients in relation to project disputes and project delivery, in particular claims administration and management, and project support. Celia also advises clients in relation to payment disputes and adjudication under the Security of Payments scheme.
Job Titles:
- Master of Laws, Bachelor of Laws ( Hons )
- Special Counsel
Charlie is a Special Counsel in our Corporate Advisory practice and has more than 11 years of local and cross-border transactional experience advising on all aspects of M&A transactions, with a specific focus on private M&A.
Charlie acts for a diverse portfolio of clients including government entities, both domestic and international companies, as well as those involved in real estate, technology, media and telecommunications, food and agribusiness, mining and renewables, e-commerce, project sponsors, banks, and other financial institutions.
He has extensive experience in a broad range of legal matters, including providing general transactional advice for private M&A transactions (often cross-border), as well as corporate finance and banking transactions, global corporate restructurings, post-acquisition integrations, legal project management, and general corporate and commercial advice.
Charlie plays a lead role in transactions and is involved at every stage of the life cycle, from due diligence and obtaining regulatory approvals to implementation, closing and completion.
Chris Barr is a Partner in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. With his extensive expertise, Chris is well-versed in both domestic and international matters involving corporate restructuring and insolvency.
He offers guidance to a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including debtors, creditors, sponsors, and insolvency practitioners.
Chris has actively participated in significant corporate insolvency cases and restructuring transactions in Australia and the United Kingdom. Additionally, he has accumulated substantial experience handling large and complex cross-border transactions that encompass the United States, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands.
Chris is also an integral member of the McR Private team, supporting our family office and private clients.
Before joining McCullough Robertson, Chris dedicated several years to working in London during which he practiced at a prominent Magic Circle firm and a leading U.S. law firm.
Chris is an experienced litigator who acts for clients in a diverse range of disputes and litigation, including complex contract disputes and regulatory enforcements, with a specialisation in construction and infrastructure disputes.
Chris' focus is on providing innovative and commercially focused solutions for clients in all aspects of disputes and litigation. He is known in the industry to work alongside his clients to achieve cost-effective and commercial outcomes when faced with litigation.
Chris has represented clients including the Commonwealth of Australia, UGL, Downer and Transport for NSW in significant litigation across the country.
Over the years he has gained valuable experience from working within project teams as project-counsel for significant NSW infrastructure projects, including the $3.2b Sydney Metro Northwest, $12.5b City & South West Project, $1.2bn EnergyConnect Project and the $1b Central Station Metro Upgrade. These opportunities have allowed him to advise on claims management and provide strategic direction to project-related delivery issues before they escalate to disputes.
Chris also regularly acts for clients in adjudications under the Security of Payment legislation in all states and territories, and has been responsible for the carriage of some of the largest Security of Payment litigation in NSW.
Claire has specialised in the area of commercial property for over 19 years. She has extensive capabilities in all aspects of property and commercial transactions, with a specialisation in retail, industrial and commercial leasing.
Claire is also experienced in the acquisition and disposal of businesses, and commercial and industrial assets.
She has acted for a wide range of clients, including government owned corporations, local governments, large institutional landlords and tenants (including shopping centre owners, supermarkets and anchor tenants), large listed property trusts and retail tenant chains.
Claire can assist in high end commercial leasing transactions, from both a landlord and tenant perspective. She takes a practical approach in drafting and negotiating on behalf of her clients, and enjoys being involved from the initial stages of a transaction, allowing her to take a holistic approach and anticipate issues which may arise in the negotiation and documentation stage.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Accredited Specialist ( Business Law ) Queensland
- Specialist Corporate
Damien is a specialist corporate and M&A lawyer in the mining and resources sector, known for having designed and implemented many of the more sophisticated structures for asset development, ownership and infrastructure sharing within the resources industry.
He advises on:
Unregulated M&A
Joint Ventures
Infrastructure Agreements
Partnerships
Taxation and Stamp Duty
Revenue Advice
Foreign Investment Regulation, and
Complex business and Commercial structuring.
Damien has led McCullough Robertson's Resources and Renewables Industry Group since 2001, and also leads the Corporate & Tax practice.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate in McCullough Robertson 's Litigation
Dan is a Senior Associate in McCullough Robertson's Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. He has represented clients in the Supreme Courts of NSW and VIC, as well as the NSW and QLD District and Local Courts, with experience in the commercial, real property and equity lists of the Supreme Court of NSW.
Practising primarily in commercial disputes, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, Dan acts on behalf of a wide range of clients, including multi-national and listed companies, government departments as well as smaller businesses and individuals.
Dan practices across a diverse range of disputes and litigation in all forums and jurisdictions including: contract disputes, equitable actions, misleading and deceptive conduct claims and regulatory enforcements and provides advice in relation to parties' contractual rights, statutory rights, common law rights and contractual administration processes.
In large-scale litigation, data breach investigations and regulatory matters, Dan assists his clients to utilise technology driven document management and review solutions, including Early Case Assessment (‘ECA') tools and Technology Assisted Review strategies (including, Continuous Active Learning (‘CAL') AI models). Over time, Dan has built relationships with trusted eDiscovery providers, utilising the latest in AI-powered eDiscovery platforms that are at the forefront of data analytics and review capabilities.
Darren is a Senior Associate in the Construction group, specialising in the management and resolution of disputes in the construction industry.
He acts for a range of clients including principals, contractors and subcontractors in the private sector, as well as state and local government bodies, for civil, commercial, residential and engineering projects.
He also assists clients to manage or avoid disputes through contract administration and risk-management.
If a formal dispute arises, he acts for clients in a range of dispute resolution forums, including litigation, expert determination, mediation and in adjudication proceedings under the Security of Payment regimes across Australia.
With over 20 years international experience providing specialist advice to financiers and borrowers, David brings his clients a wealth of experience in a wide range of syndicated and bilateral finance transactions including real estate and development financings, leveraged and acquisition financings, general corporate lending and debt restructurings.
Drawing on experience from private practice, as well as his time on secondment to the London office of a major European bank and with the in-house legal teams of ANZ and NAB, David regularly acts for a broad range of participants in financing transactions. His clients include international banks, the major Australian banks, a number of regional banks, mezzanine and junior financiers and large corporate borrowers, developers and property funds.
His sought-after expertise include structuring transactions, drafting, negotiating and settling terms of finance documents (including complex intercreditor and priority arrangements and tripartite agreements), advising in relation to security issues (including in connection with the PPSA) and managing the efficient progress and successful completion of a wide range of transactions across a broad range of industry groups.
David's ability to provide clients with the quality services required to achieve the most commercial outcomes has received industry recognition, most recently in the form of a Band 3 ranking for Banking & Finance: Property Finance - Australia by Chambers & Partners.
David is an Accredited Tax Law Specialist. He has over 25 years' experience acting for taxpayers of all types including individuals, SMEs, and listed and unlisted public companies across all aspects of tax law.
David's direct intervention with the Australian Tax Office has often resulted in a quick and inexpensive resolution of what could otherwise be a lengthy and expensive court case. He is a robust litigator as demonstrated by many successful outcomes won both in the AAT and courts. His philosophy is that litigation should be the last not the first resort.
David is also an integral member of the McR Private team, supporting our family office and private clients.
David has been recognised in Doyle's Guide since 2015 as a leading tax lawyer. He has also been named in Best Lawyers Australia and Legal 500 for tax law, and in Chambers High Net Worth for private wealth law.
David is a Senior Associate in the Construction group specialising in procurement, contract management, contract drafting and negotiations for major projects.
David works with clients on construction projects across a range of sectors from government, project developers and mining companies to contractors and not-for-profit organisations.
David has drafted and negotiated a range of contracts from consultancy, hire and services contracts to EPC, D&C and construct only contracts (including entire contract suites for some clients). His contracts have been used on a wide variety of projects from public infrastructure and long-term asset maintenance projects for local governments to large residential projects for developers across multiple jurisdictions.
David is a commercial litigator with experience acting for clients across both private and public sectors on complex and high-profile disputes.
He has extensive experience working with government clients, regularly assisting in complex litigation, and delivering swift and commercially-sound results.
David's areas of expertise include contract disputes, equitable actions, misleading and deceptive conduct claims, public law matters and judicial reviews.
His clients range from multi-national companies to government departments to smaller businesses and individuals.
David has represented Commonwealth and NSW Government departments and agencies, publically listed and proprietary companies and high net worth individuals in significant litigation, investigations and disputes.
With particular interest in litigation involving government, David has previously worked in London for the UK Government's specialist legal department.
Dominic is a resources expert with more than 30 years of experience as a general commercial lawyer. An element of his practice is native title and cultural heritage matters, on which Dominic is an acknowledged authority.
He joined McCullough Robertson in 1996 after holding prominent positions with the Queensland Government for seven years and is one of a few lawyers in Queensland with a combination of significant senior government as well as private practice experience.
His positions with the Queensland Government included Program Director of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Land Interests Program with the then Department of Lands.
When it comes to native title and cultural heritage, he is across all aspects of this area of law. As well as advising resource and infrastructure companies, he advises local Aboriginal Shire Councils, particularly around social infrastructure issues in the communities, which are generally in remote parts of Australia. He participates in the Yarning Up initiative, which is helping to close the gap for the remote Indigenous community of Lockhart River by identifying a number of potential business opportunities designed to generate jobs and income.
Dominic is also a qualified Mediator and specialises in native title, cultural heritage and landholder issues.
Don has extensive experience in commercial, residential and resort property development. His expertise covers planning and environment and corporate law with a specialty focus on property.
Don provides high-level and strategic advice with much of his work in the past 20 years in the area of special projects.