Dispute Resolution & Litigation: 2024 Year in Review
11/12/2024
As we approach the conclusion of yet another busy year, our national Dispute Resolution & Litigation team reflects on 2024’s accomplishments, developments, and industry trends, and predicts what the coming year ahead may have in store.
“2024 was a massive year for the Piper Alderman Disputes team. With no less than 27 weeks of hotly contested and complex trials, the team was in Court for over half the year, reflecting our market-leading position as battle-hardened trial lawyers. Alongside that, we continued to advise and service clients across all sectors and have seen strategically valuable growth in our ranks. We are grateful to all members of the team for their sustained efforts and dedication in producing work that earns the trust and confidence of our clients, and we thank our clients for that trust and confidence. We look forward to continuing this success in 2025.”
Martin del Gallego – Practice Team leader
Industry insights
The Australian Dispute Resolution & Litigation landscape saw significant evolution in 2024, as technological advancements, regulatory changes, and societal demands shifted how legal processes are conducted.
The Australian legal sector in 2024 saw increased emphasis on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to reduce court congestion and support amicable resolutions. Mediation, arbitration, and conciliation were promoted earlier in disputes. New South Wales and Victoria introduced mandatory mediation laws, highlighting ADR’s cost-effective and efficient dispute resolution capabilities.
New regulations in finance, data privacy, and consumer goods led to an increase in consumer rights class actions in 2024. High-profile cases emerged over privacy breaches, misleading advertising, and product liability. Automotive defect cases continue to occupy considerable time for both plaintiffs and defendants, as do financial services and product mis-selling claims. The ACCC remained proactive in investigating these class actions to uphold consumer rights and promote corporate accountability, with many competition class actions following in its wake. Trade credit claims emanating from the collapse of the trade credit insurance market following Covid continue to work their way through the courts, with billions of coverage written by Australian underwriters up for grabs.
Crypto claims, greenwashing and other ESG-related claims continue to gather steam, and remain a likely focus as we head into 2025. Plaintiffs and defendants alike will be well advised to consider all areas of exposure, or opportunity, to leverage increased regulatory and investigative action, as predictive measures to prevent or leverage their own private civil claims.
Team movements
We congratulate Beau Weigand on his promotion to Partner in January 2024. The team was also pleased to announce in 2024 the promotions of Christine Lim (Special Counsel), Piyush Bohara, Sean Felthouse, Lewis Ringwaldt & Tom Woolford (Senior Associate) and Georgia Minson (Associate).
We welcomed numerous new starters to the firm this year:
- Paul Venus (Partner)
- Luke Bone (Special Counsel)
- Claire Campbell (Special Counsel)
- Paris Galea (Senior Associate)
- Oendri Neogi (Senior Associate)
- Debbie Pun (Senior Associate)
- Sophie Barnao (Associate)
- Joshua Muljohardjo (Associate)
- Madison Walsh (Associate)
- Samuel Whitelaw (Associate)
- Milica Lazarevic (Lawyer)
- Ya’el Linzer (Lawyer)
- Kirsty McGinlay (Lawyer)
- Iwona Skladanowska (Lawyer)
- Joaquin Smith (Lawyer)
- Annaleise Vulin (Lawyer)
Significant matters
AAFC1 v Tokio Marine
Piper Alderman acts for a Singapore head-quartered alternative asset manager in claims against insurer Tokio Marine, seeking indemnity under trade credit insurance policies for defaults on 37 different contracts concerning the sale of commodities in over ten different jurisdictions. This claim one of numerous trade credit related insurance claims making their way through the Supreme Court of NSW and the Federal Court of Australia arising following the onset of Covid-19.
eToro ASIC Litigation
Piper Alderman is acting for eToro in the Federal Court of Australia regarding alleged breaches of its product design and distribution obligations for Contracts for Difference (CFDs). The proceedings concern eToro AUS Capital Limited and Australia Securities and Investments Commission.
Batchfire Resources Shareholder Litigation
Piper Alderman acts in a multi-plaintiff oppression claim suit brought by minority shareholders in connection with coal mine in Queensland.
Piper Alderman, together with Shine Lawyers, acts for the applicants in a class action (funded by Woodsford) against AMP Financial Planning Limited, Charter Financial Planning Limited, Hillross Financial Services Limited, AMP Limited and Resolution Life Australasia Limited (formerly AMP Life Limited).
Piper Alderman acts for the plaintiff in a class action against Queensland Motorways Management (a Transurban entity), the State of Queensland and Brisbane City Council in relation to administration charges which have been paid by toll road users who did not pay tolls, which the plaintiff alleges have been imposed unlawfully.
Koper v Zurich Plc
Following a unanimous decision in August 2023 of a 7-judge bench of the High Court of Australia, dismissing Zurich’s appeal against the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of NSW to determine a class action brought pursuant to the Third Party Claims Act 2017, Piper Alderman continues to act for the lead plaintiff seeking payment of a judgment sum obtained in the New Zealand High Court on behalf of claimants for whose benefit the judgment was made.
Mercedes-Benz Australia Class Action
Piper Alderman acts for the plaintiff in a class action (funded by Woodsford Litigation Funding) against Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd, and its German parent companies, which manufactured and supplied certain affected Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles fitted with ‘defeat devices’.
Piper Alderman acts for the applicants in a class action (funded by Woodsford Litigation Funding) against Isuzu Motors Limited (Japan), which manufactured certain affected Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X diesel vehicles fitted with ‘defeat devices’.
Piper Alderman acts for the plaintiff against IG Markets Ltd on behalf of investors who traded contracts for difference (CFDs) with IG Markets. The Class Action alleges that IG Markets failed to adequately assess investors’ objectives and financial situations, and inadequately disclosed the risks of CFDs until the Australian Securities and Investments Commission introduced strict new conditions on CFDs to protect inexperienced investors in March 2021.
Recognition
This year, we have had some outstanding recognition – both for the team and our individuals – across our national dispute resolution & litigation practice team. We are grateful for our clients and colleagues and are looking forward to another successful year in 2025.
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific
In the 2024 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Piper Alderman was recognised across 14 areas of law including Dispute Resolution: Class Actions. A number of our team members were highlighted as recommended, key or rising star lawyers for this category, including Martin del Gallego, Anne Freeman, Kate Sambrook and Greg Whyte.
Furthermore, Piper Alderman was also recognised for Dispute Resolution: Litigation. A number of our team members were highlighted as recommended or key lawyers for this category, including Martin del Gallego, Gordon Grieve, Kate Sambrook and Meriel Steadman.
Doyle’s Guide
In the 2024 edition of Doyle’s Guide, Martin del Gallego and Kate Sambrook were recognised as Leading Australian Class Actions Lawyers.
Chambers and Partners, Asia-Pacific
In the 2024 edition of Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific, Martin del Gallego was recognised as a notable practitioner. Our clients and contacts throughout the research process provided the following testimonials.
A client states:
“The litigation team was able to cope with a lengthy, high-pressure trial with multiple research issues being conducted at the one time, while simultaneously dealing with contested litigation.”
Another client goes on to say:
“Our questions are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.“
The Best Lawyers in Australia
In the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia, 54 of Piper Alderman’s lawyers are recognised across 43 legal areas including the following partners in our Dispute Resolution & Litigation team:
- Tony Abbott – Litigation, Trade Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Nick Burkett – Insurance Law, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Practice, Legal Malpractice Litigation, Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Anne Freeman – Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Louise Gehrig – Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Tom Griffith – Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Sian Ede – Alternative Dispute Resolution – One to Watch, Litigation – One to Watch
- Kate Sambrook – Alternative Dispute Resolution – One to Watch
- Meriel Steadman – Litigation
- Hannah Veldre – Alternative Dispute Resolution & Litigation – One to Watch, Litigation – One to Watch
- Simon Ward – Defamation and Media Law, Litigation
- Timothy Ward – Alternative Dispute Resolution – One to Watch
- Beau Weigand – Alternative Dispute Resolution & Litigation – One to Watch, Litigation – One to Watch
- Greg Whyte – Insurance Law, Legal Malpractice Litigation, Litigation
Client Feedback
We were also delighted to receive some very kind feedback from clients and contacts during the research process for the legal directories, including the following testimonials from The Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Australia, 2024 edition:
“Piper Alderman has grown into a mature litigation practice in Sydney, now running high-profile and high-value cases across various industries.”
“Both Martin del Gallego and Kate Sambrook are strategic and able to change tack quite quickly, which is invaluable in fast-paced litigation. ‘They are all extremely well organised, efficient, engaged, strategic and reliable. Their work is a very high quality, and they are a pleasure to work with.”
“Martin del Gallego is practical, easy to work with and has first-rate legal and commercial acumen. Lillian Rizio is super efficient and totally in control of her files; nothing is left to chance.”
“The Piper Alderman Class Actions practice is a stand-out team of heavy-hitting litigators. With their exceptional level of experience and skill in representative proceedings, they are top-notch legal minds, strategists, advisors, negotiators and advocates.”
“Greg Whyte is undoubtedly one of Australia’s top class actions practitioners. His technical ability and legal thinking is second to none, and he is genuinely passionate about his clients’ claims, working tirelessly to progress them in the most efficient and effective way. A true top-notch operator.”
“Anne Freeman is an exceptional practitioner. With her wealth of class actions experience, she is a savvy litigator and strategist, a genuinely engaged advisor and a “safe pair of hands” for her clients. I would not hesitate to recommend Anne – both on the plaintiff and defendant side of the ledger.”
“Kate Sambrook and Martin del Gallego are both star performers and Millie Byrnes Howe is an excellent senior associate.”
“Martin del Gallego is commercially minded, an excellent communicator and very approachable.”
“Kate Sambrook is a highly experienced, efficient and driven practitioner, who is an absolute pleasure to work with.”
“Gordon Grieve has exceptional technical and tactical skills, as well as range and depth of litigation experience not available in other firms I have dealt with. Greg Whyte is also an outstanding litigator with great commercial awareness. More recent partners McKenzie Moore and Caterina Meduri are already outstanding practitioners with a maturity of approach beyond their years of practice.”
“McKenzie Moore is client focused, has good legal judgment, and is not a pushover.”
“Anne Freeman is a great partner, all over the complexities of the case and the detail while keeping perspective and strategy in mind at all times. A very safe pair of hands.”
Thought leadership
The Dispute Resolution & Litigation team actively produced and published a number of timely insights while partaking in a multitude of client and industry-facing events, sponsorships, and partnerships. Our team was also involved in producing some memorable content for clients and have a fantastic line-up of content for 2025 in the works.