Robert is a dispute resolution lawyer specialising in competition, international trade and anti-corruption law.
Robert has advised many national and international clients, including individuals, public and private companies and statutory authorities in the banking and securities, aviation, construction, power and energy industries on all aspects of dispute resolution issues and arbitration. His work has a particular focus on competition, commercial crime and fraud, anti-corruption and bribery investigations and prosecutions, trade sanctions and extradition work, and taxation related disputes and class actions in Australia and overseas.
Robert has delivered papers at many conferences in Australia and overseas on managing risks in international trade and Australia’s anti-corruption and bribery regulation. He was the Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s Anti-Corruption Committee for 2015 and 2016. He appears regularly across the Australian media on bribery and corruption issues. Robert was recognised in the 2018 Who’s Who Legal: Thought leaders – Investigations and is a 2019 Who’s Who Legal Investigations leading individual, the only person in Australia to receive either accolade.
KEY EXPERTISE
– Dispute resolution
KEY SECTORS
– Aviation & transport
– Electricity
– Financial services
– Insurance
– Oil & gas
Career & qualifications
Qualifications
– Master of Law, Monash University
– Bachelor of Arts & Laws (Hons), University of Tasmania
– Graduate Diploma of Law, Monash University
Memberships
– Law Society of New South Wales
– International Bar Association
– Law Council of Australia
Experience
Current client matters
Groote Eylandt Aboriginal Trust (GEAT)
Advising GEAT (a Northern Territory Government appointed Statutory Manager and subsequently, the new Trustees) on extensive claims of fraud and breach of trust by former trustees and the Trust’s public officer, and conducting proceedings against the Trust’s former accountants’ auditors and lawyers for recovery of substantial losses.
AWB Ltd
Acted for former employees of AWB Ltd before the Cole Royal Commission investigating the legality of AWB’s wheat sales and the payment of monies for trucking and other fees under the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program and the subsequent ASIC and AFP Taskforce.
Sheahan Lock Partners
Acted in Victorian Supreme Court proceedings for Sheahan Lock Partners in relation to whether funds held by liquidators were the proceeds of crime and subject to restraint and forfeiture to the Commonwealth of Australia under the POCA over contested claims by third party creditors including a US Trustee in Bankruptcy and an Australian trading bank.
Sanction and extradition matters
Advising international and Australian companies on Australia’s sanctions regime and individuals on Australia’s extradition regime.
Fraud and corruption investigations
Conducted fraud and corruption investigations in the construction and energy sectors across the Asia Pacific Region, the Middle East, North and South America and South East Asia.
Bribery and corruption investigations
Advised individual directors and officers on their potential liability in relation to internal and external investigations where bribery and corruption issues arise.
