Chris Tam

Chris’ practice covers all areas of commercial law and advocacy. He appears in Courts at all levels and in arbitrations and mediations.

He has considerable experience acting in cases from inception, including advising corporate counsel pre-proceedings, and appearing in urgent matters (eg, injunctions – anti-suit, in restraint of trade, of lawyers, freezing orders, jurisdiction challenges, stays and rectifying Corporations Act contraventions during takeovers). He has appeared as sole or leading counsel in several Supreme Court trials and appeals.

Notable recent appearances include:

• For plaintiffs, group members, defendants, funders and a law firm in the S&P, Forge, Getswift, OzTech and Blue Sky class actions in the Federal Court, the Surfstich class action in the Supreme Court of NSW and the Banksia class action in the Victorian Court of Appeal and the High Court;
• Kupang – for a company bringing a Barnes v Addy claim against the Commonwealth in the Supreme Court of NSW;
• NewSat – for companies suing their former financiers in the Supreme Court of Victoria;
• Forge – for a director in proceedings brought by liquidators against the company and its officers in the Supreme Court of NSW; and
• Rinehart – for John Hancock and Bianca Rinehart seeking to stay an arbitration in the Supreme Court of WA.

Past cases include appearing for Queensland resisting a High Court constitutional challenge to anti-bikie legislation, appearing in a trial in the High Court of New Zealand concerning kiwifruit IP and acting for the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation seeking to enforce a $50m tax debt in the National Court of PNG.