Chantal has over 18 years’ experience representing clients both locally and internationally in commercial litigation, contractual dispute resolution and insolvency matters.
She advises and litigates on behalf of clients across the property, construction, waste and recycling, financial services, insurance, government, transport, manufacturing, hospitality, and health industries. Chantal has experience in the following jurisdictions: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tribunals in these states, the Federal Courts, and utilising alternative dispute resolution processes in Australia.
Chantal’s clients include large corporates (including publicly listed companies), SMEs, company directors, builders, developers, Owners Corporations; government and government agencies, real estate agents, insurers, shareholders and joint venture parties, lending institutions and private lenders, financial planners and accountants, high net worth individuals, business owners and restaurant owners. In addition to this, she has specialised expertise acting for a number of prominent insolvency practitioners in all manner of claims (including examinations, voluntary administration appointments, and working through complex Deeds of Company Arrangements), and advises directors and officers as to options ahead of formal appointments.
Chantal is a relentless litigator and works with her clients to help them pursue their commercial objectives. Operating with integrity and professionalism at all times are tenets of Chantal’s practice reflected in all she does.
In addition to her litigation practice, Chantal often works closely with her corporate and project partners to review and advise on complex transaction documents (including complex mergers and acquisitions, prospectuses) and participates in the due diligence process on a ‘red flag’ risk basis. She prides herself on providing commercial and strategic advice to clients to assist them to avert risk. Chantal also advises directors and officers as to duties and obligations, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. This includes dealing with regulators.
- Acting for a publicly listed beverage manufacturer in respect to various disputes in connection with a large asset sale / ongoing operations venture with purchaser, including alleged material non-disclosures, misrepresentations, breaches of warranty and responsibilities under ability under transaction documents; and drafting complex settlement deed (Supreme Court).
- Acting for a publicly listed company to provide red flag advice in respect to acquisition of national food manufacturer and subsequent assistance in connection with alleged misrepresentations by material omission.
- Acting for dairy processing company in respect to various disputes under suite of co-dependent lease, dairy processing, distribution and licensing agreements with large Victorian organic milk supplier; presently acting and advising in connection with rights and to manage risks connected with the administration and subsequent receivership of the milk supplier (Supreme Court).
- Acting for a dairy processing group re disputes with large milk supplier under various agreements; advising following the supplier’s administration and subsequent receivership; and working with commercial team in connection with bid for the supplier’s business.
- Acting for an international crushed tomato manufacturer in successfully defending a breach of duty and goods not fit for purpose case (Supreme Court).
- Acting for an international packaging and recycling company in respect to breaches of warranty, terms, and implied terms under an Asset Sale Agreement and business premises lease, including Australian Consumer Law issues and complex building liability and defect issues.
- Acting for Red Nose Limited in respect to seizure of charity bins, interference with contract and malicious falsehood (County Court).
- Acting for a development group in respect to a claims against entities, director and staff in respect to alleged misrepresentations in connection with investment funds, allegations as to misapplication of development funds, breaches of trust and fiduciary duty (Federal Court).
- Acting for a property developer client in connection with ownership interest in and claim to proceeds of development sale based upon oral agreement part-performed, in respect to two development ventures (Supreme Court).
- Acting for four Respondents (building manager, capital funds manager, developer and managing director) in respect to investor claims against them alleging misleading and deceptive conduct, breaches of fiduciary duty, fraud, deceit, breach of trustee duties under Quistclose Trust and misappropriation of monies (Federal Court).
- Acted for a co-owner of a large hospitality venue re the parties' duties and obligations, the performance and cost of building works, and termination of co-ownership (VCAT and Supreme Court).
- Acted for an earthmoving company pursuing claims against a builder developer for breach of joint venture agreement and alleged misleading and deceptive conduct (Supreme Court).
- Advising Committee Members of the Australian Animal Protection Society, incorporated association in respect to duties and exposure under the Associated Incorporations Act as compared to Corporations Act directors’ duties; advising on former member’s application for mandatory injunctive relief prohibiting the Association from completing a property purchase.
- Acting for a developer who rescinded a development site sale contract alleging misleading and deceptive conduct, claiming damages including loss of profit (Supreme Court and Court of Appeal).
- Acting for Council in respect to estimated 13.5M defect claim in respect to a large commercial sporting facility (Supreme Court).
- Acted for a company in relation to significant property damage, regarding negligence and breaches of statutory duty, vendors' disclosure obligations and seeking damages including loss of sale value (VCAT).
- Acting for a large international solar energy plant contractor in respect to multiple disputes pertaining to various solar plant contracts across Australia, traversing breach of contract claims, defective works claims and insurance disputes (various contractual dispute process across 3 years, proceedings not yet commenced).
- Acting for an accounting practice in claims in connection with purchase of business – in respect to purchase price payable and breaches of contract, fidelity and loyalty, and breaches of fiduciary duty during transition period (Federal Court).
- Acting for an accounting practice in respect to a negligence / breach of contract claim against a data migration service provider in respect to its failed effort to successfully migrate their systems to a fully cloud based system (County Court).
- Acting for a large corporation in relation to a dispute under a sale of business contract for a significant financial services business concerning the parties’ rights and obligations dealing with claims under the contract and in equity, including the application of the implied duty of good faith in commercial contracts (Federal Court).
- Acting for a national development financier and joint venture partner in respect to claims against borrower (joint venture partner) and director guarantor to advise and procure recovery of total indebtedness, by taking control of assets and working with guarantor through the borrower’s administration and subsequent liquidation.
- Advising convertible noteholders as to claims against companies in liquidation, directors and financial advisers (Supreme Court).
- Acting for Receivers and Managers of Redstar Transport Group entities in connection with various claims following their appointment by Scottish Pacific post Administration.
- Acting for the Directors of Environinvest in respect to Liquidators’ claims against them in connection with the managed investment scheme collapse (Supreme Court and Federal Court).
- Acting for Javelin Asset Management in respect to 16 Great Southern Group proceedings in respect to investors’ claim against the companies, directors, and assignees alleging misleading and deceptive conduct and other disclosure offences under the Corporations Act and ASIC Act (Supreme Court).
- Acting for the adult children Executors of a large Deceased Estate traversing issues including validity of the Will; issuing and responding to various urgent applications, objections to executors fitness; allegations of breach of duty; threats to safety; Part IV Testator’s Family Maintenance Claim); appointment of Administrator; and negotiation of complex settlement (Supreme Court).
- Successfully challenging the validity of the Will in respect to a large Deceased Estate and procuring a 50% interest in the Estate pursuant to a family arrangement (Supreme Court).
- Acting for an individual in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in a claim against his father and 23 family entities alleging breaches of a series of oral agreements.