What We Do

Our team’s experience can be divided into these broad fields:

  • Drafted and reviewed policies and procedures for many entities

  • Advice regarding sensitive or suspicious situations and reporting requirements

  • Review and audit compliance with existing policies and procedures, under risk assessments

AML/CTF

  • Defending action commenced by ASIC in the NSW Supreme Court regarding an industry super fund

  • Acting for client pursuing accounting firm in relation to fraud

  • Multiple negotiations with ASIC relating to multiple enforceable undertakings, over many years

  • Acting for a client alleging negligence in relation to a self managed superannuation fund

  • Advising client regarding class action relating to alleged misconduct by former representative

  • Acting for AFSLs regarding multiple individual client claims. Dealing with regulatory issues, consumer claims and media management issues

  • Acting for AFSL in relation to misconduct by representative (Ponzi scheme – claims $40 million), including dealing with ASIC, the NSW and AFP police services and representation in relation to client class action

  • Recover indemnified amounts from representatives in relation to claims arising from adviser acting outside licensee approved standards, procedures and product lists

  • Replacement of the responsible entity of a group of managed investment schemes

  • Acting for client involving financial services marketing software in Federal Court action brought by ASIC alleging misleading and deceptive conduct

  • Advising AFSL and directors in a matter relating to injurious falsehood and defamation

  • Multiple cases enforcing restraints of trade over many years. Urgent injunctive relief and litigation in the Supreme Court of WA

  • Acting for client in relation to alleged Ponzi scheme conducted by representative (claims $9.5m). Liaising with ASIC, AFP and WA police services. Dealing with media related issues and consumer compensation matters

  • Defending allegations of breach of copyright and passing off in financial services matters

  • Acting for the directors, responsible managers and representatives against liquidator regarding various matters including entitlement to client registers

  • Producing independent expert's reports used in ASIC administrative hearings and AAT appeals

  • Defending civil action by clients commenced in NSW Supreme Court

  • Acting for AFSL and its representative in action by an industry superannuation fund for defamation and injurious falsehood in relation to publications by representative

  • Acting for clients involved in unregistered managed investment schemes (MIS)

  • Representing many financial planners in relation to ASIC notices issued under the Corporations Act (section 912C) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (often section 19, 30 and 33)

  • Acting in multiple cases in Victorian Country Court defending advisers where indemnities have been given by ARs to AFSLs

  • Acting in multiple cases in Victorian Country Court for AFSLs enforcing indemnities by ARs to AFSLs

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Investment & Financial Complaints

  • Acted in hundreds of complaints by investors in internal dispute resolution processes, AFCA (and previously the Financial Ombudsman Service, Credit and Investments Ombudsman, and the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal)

  • Representing investors in relation to complaints about public offer and industry superannuation funds

  • Representing investors against their financial planner relating to inappropriate investments to both personal portfolios and SMSF portfolios

  • Acting for clients pursuing non-payment of death benefit insurance, and income protection insurance

  • Acting for investors in relation to fraud complaints against financial planners

  • Acting in complaints regarding replacement superannuation products to a lower performing fund

  • Proven outcomes with many monetary settlements and other successful resolutions

Industry Advocacy & Representation

  • Negotiating the client transfer privacy protocol on behalf of a major life office with the Federal Privacy Commissioner (now the Australian Information Commissioner). The protocol granted relief for an "opt-out" method of client consent, rather than opt-in obligation, which permitted a form of "bulk-transfer" approach, and is now accepted as an industry standard for privacy purposes.

  • Advice and representation regarding many section 912C Corporations Act notices

  • Advice and representation regarding many section 19, 30 and 33 ASIC Act notices

  • Membership of Commonwealth Treasury's Financial Services Consumer Compensation Roundtable

  • Participant – Financial Planning Advisory Committee – Financial Ombudsman Service

  • Participant - ASIC Licensing Liaison Meetings

  • Participant - ASIC Annual Forums

  • Advice and representation in over 200 sales of financial planning businesses

  • Advice and representation relating to merger of two entities of two APRA regulated groups

  • Advice and representation in relation to acquisition of one of the largest privately-owned accounting practices in Victoria

  • Advice in relation to the licensing, establishment and operation of managed discretionary accounts by separate AFSLs

  • Advice relating to proposed merger of 2 national businesses

  • Advice relating to acquisition of boutique fund manager

  • Advice relating to structuring and licensing for major public sector superannuation fund in establishing a wealth management entity to service its members

  • Obtaining an AFS licence for national stock broking/ corporate finance group as part of an MBO

  • Advice to accounting firm relating to spin-off of associated entity

  • Advice relating to Buyer of Last Resort Program

  • Advice relating to set up of white-label fund with major national bank group

  • Advice relating to structuring entity spun-off from international ASX listed engineering and property development group.

  • Advice relating to transfer of distribution channel entities between two AFS licensees including wind-up of white-label product, administration arrangements and client transfer

  • Ongoing commercial and legal advice for aggregator regarding structuring purchases of accounting and financial planning practices

  • Advice as part of the merger of two ASX Participants

  • Advice relating to transfer of a corporate authorised representative  and client register from one ASX Participant to another ASX Participant

  • Advice on sale of business disputes

  • Negotiate settlement of sale of business disputes

Commercial

  • Acting for group of individuals in relation to ASIC investigation of alleged insider trading

  • Acting for Stockbroking firm in relation to ASIC's investigation of alleged market manipulation and breach of Market Integrity Rules

  • Notifying, negotiating with ASIC and conducting remedial action involving deficient disclosure documents (1,700 clients)

  • Acting in relation to multiple product failures. Acting for 8 unrelated licensees in matters before ASIC. Acting for individuals the subject of Notices issued by ASIC under section 19 of the ASIC Act 2001. Acting for individuals in relation to ASIC hearings relating to proposed banning orders. Acting for individuals in appeals before the AAT relating to banning orders

  • Acting for AFSL involved in marketing software and client seminars in negotiating enforceable undertaking regarding ongoing servicing of 11,000 clients

  • Negotiating enforceable undertaking with ASIC regarding product replacement conduct involving over 400 retail clients

  • Obtaining relief from ASIC regarding obligations relating to consumer compensation provisions for the Australian entity of a UK-based group operating in the derivatives market

  • Investigation of the alleged misconduct of personnel of APRA regulated group

  • Project management of compliance response to ASIC Notices regarding agricultural scheme collapses

  • Acting in relation to alleged contravention of the Takeovers: prohibited acquisitions of relevant interests provisions of the Corporations Act 2001

  • Acting for major national licensee ($5 billion in FUA) in negotiating an enforceable undertaking and management restructure with ASIC

  • Compliance review and due diligence of major bank owned funds management and financial planning group

Compliance

  • Acting in multiple restraint of trade cases, defence and enforcement

  • Preparation and review of employment contracts for all levels of staff and directors in financial services businesses

Employment Law