Current practice
Peter is Freehills’ former Head of Litigation, and has practiced as a litigator in Sydney, Melbourne, London and New York. He is vastly experienced in the conduct of corporate disputes, corporate defence litigation and regulatory disputes. He has regularly advised Australia’s largest companies on Corporations Law matters, contractual disputes, class actions and regulatory issues. He regularly lectures on a variety of litigation topics including directors’ obligations, privilege and the conduct of litigation in the Supreme and Federal courts.
Peter has been regularly acknowledged as one of Australia’s strongest litigators (Best Lawyers 2010; Australian Financial Review “Best Lawyers” in ADR and Litigation 2011; APLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook 2009 etc).
Experience
Peter has advised the Commonwealth, New South Wales and Victorian governments on a range of issues. He has regularly advised corporations in Australia and overseas, and also the boards of corporations.
Major clients he has acted for include ANZ, NAB, CBA, Macquarie Bank, Westpac, Telstra, BHP, CSR, Lend Lease, Shell, Coles Myer, Santos, Reuters Plc (he was seconded to London for two years to look after disputes involving that company) and many others. He has advised investment banks and other financial institutions in relation to securities market investigations by ASIC and APRA.
Peter has a strong background of advising insurers on a variety of coverage issues including D&O Insurance (he acted for Lloyds following the collapse of HIH).
Professional background
Peter became a partner of the Melbourne office at Freehills at 29 years of age after graduating from the University of Melbourne. He was seconded to Sydney office at Freehills in the early 1990s, and assisted the firm in a number of management roles before accepting a secondment to London to work as Special Counsel for the Board and as Head of Compliance of Reuters Plc. He became Freehills’ first Head of Litigation in 2000. Since then he has maintained a litigation practice and has returned full time to his practice following his resignation as Managing Partner in February 2010.
Peter is the Chair of the Freehills Foundation, Chair of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Board Member of the Jepson Foundation and Board Member of the Cure for Life Foundation, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Law Facility of the University of NSW.
