Chris Tam

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

Key experience includes:

• appearing in urgent matters covering most aspects of civil procedure in the Courts and in aid of arbitration (eg, injunctions – of all kinds, including expedited appeals from mandatory injunctions, freezing orders, jurisdiction challenges, stays, judicial advice, disclosure, subpoenas, privilege, confidentiality and suppression issues and rectifying Corporations Act contraventions during takeovers);
• appearing as sole or leading counsel in several Supreme Court trials and appeals, including stopwatch hearings and expedited final hearings; and
• pleading hundreds of cases in wide ranging commercial contexts in superior Courts in NSW, Qld and Victoria concerning all kinds of contractual, property, statutory and equitable rights.

He has specific expertise advising and appearing in civil fraud cases – gaining working knowledge of tracing, remedies, asset preservation and enforcement – involving employees, partners and other defaulting fiduciaries, company officers and rogues, for targets including listed companies, smaller entities, individuals, the Commonwealth and the revenue. He also acts for the Commonwealth DPP in criminal prosecutions with a corporate or commercial element, including for breaches of the Corporations Act and the tax legislation.

Notable 2024 appearances include:

• for the administrators of Qenos defending proceedings in the Corporations List of the Supreme Court of NSW, briefed by Corrs Chambers Westgarth, final hearing;
• for Telstra, in proceedings against a former employee in the Commercial List of the Supreme Court of NSW, briefed by King & Wood Mallesons, final hearing part heard and stay;
• for the Commonwealth DPP in two prosecutions against Clive Palmer in the Magistrates Court of Queensland; and
• for an athlete in an arbitration before the National Sports Tribunal concerning her non-selection for the Paris Olympics, determination.