Struggling with drafting initiating documents, defences, or affidavits? This essential seminar is here to solve that problem. Learn to draft effective, bulletproof pleadings, particulars, and defences that avoid common pitfalls and stand up to scrutiny—keeping you out of costly interlocutory battles. Gain valuable tips and insights to improve your documents immediately. Master affidavit drafting and create instruction letters that set your experts up for success. This is a must-attend seminar for anyone aiming to strengthen the clarity, precision, and impact of their legal drafting.

Presenters

Philippe Doyle Gray, Barrister, 8 Wentworth Chambers
Philippe has represented clients in over 3,500 disputes, including many barristers and solicitors. He now principally practises in commercial law and equity and is frequently briefed to advise and appear in civil litigation in which allegations are made of criminality, fraud, or other serious misconduct. These disputes range from commercial disputes, professional negligence claims, charges of unethical conduct, legal costs disputes, to claims requiring scientific or technical evidence, or all of these combined. He has almost three decades' experience across many branches of law and is an experienced, strategic litigator who excels at handling complex cases requiring meticulous analysis and creative thinking. Philippe trained as an industrial chemist at the University of Sydney, before becoming a lawyer. He understands scientific method and is comfortable with science and scientists. Philippe is proficient with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and mathematics. He usually appears before the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the New South Wales Court of Appeal. Philippe has appeared several times in the High Court of Australia seeking special leave, many times before the Federal Court of Australia at first instance and on appeal, and numerous times before inferior courts and tribunals.


Stephen Owen-Conway KC, Sir Lawrence Jackson Chambers
Stephen Owen-Conway QC specialises in commercial litigation and practices in the fields of competition Law, taxation, intellectual property; corporations law; maritime law and sports law. He appears in the Federal Court of Australia and other Commonwealth Courts and Tribunals. He also appears in the Supreme Court of Western Australia and in the Court of Appeal. Stephen was first called to the English Bar in 1973, then joining the Queensland Bar in 1975 and the Western Australian Bar in 1977 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel in the states of Queensland and Western Australia in 1992. He has held a number of academic positions throughout his career including visiting lecturer at Nottingham University, senior teaching fellow at the University of Western Australia and was a lecturer at the universities of Plymouth, Queensland and Western Australia. Stephen currently holds the position of adjunct professor of law at Murdoch University in Perth. Stephen has a particular interest in professional football and most recently was a director of Cardiff City Football Club in 2012. Stephen’s List Clerks are Svenson Barristers who are located in Melbourne.


Wai Kaey Soon, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Wai Kaey was admitted as a solicitor in 2010 and called to the Bar in 2014. His practice encompasses advising and appearing in contract and commercial disputes, insolvency and bankruptcy, complex corporations litigation and insurance law disputes. Wai Kaey has represented individuals, banks, insurance companies and multi-national corporations in a broad range of jurisdictions across Australia, including in New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria. Prior to being called to the Bar, Wai Kaey gained experience at several large law firms and governmental statutory bodies, including Clayton Utz, Baker & McKenzie and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Science (Information Technology) degree from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.


Thomas Bagley, Barrister, Ninth Floor Selborne Chambers
Thomas was called to the NSW Bar in 2015 and maintains a broad commercial practice. He has extensive experience in commercial law, corporations law and insolvency disputes, and is a subject matter expert in class action litigation, having developed a strong reputation in this field. Thomas’ experience at the Bar also extends to acting in a range of other practice areas including professional conduct and regulatory enforcement matters, public law and administrative law disputes, as well as migration matters. His interests also extend to the intersection between inquiries and criminal law, and in particular, white-collar crime. Thomas has been involved in a significant number of reported decisions and is often briefed as Counsel of choice in large-scale litigation. His class actions practice has seen him briefed in shareholder claims, financial services, consumer and franchise disputes. Thomas appears at both trial and appellate level, often leading a junior barrister against Senior Counsel in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Federal Court of Australia, Full Federal Court and select tribunals. Prior to being called to the Bar in 2015, Thomas practised as a solicitor at Allens. He holds a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney.


Robert French, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers
Robert French is a barrister who practices in commercial, administrative and employment law. Robert has been at the Bar for over 10 years. He has appeared as sole or lead counsel in numerous trials in the Supreme Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court of Australia. He has also appeared as sole counsel in appeals to the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia, the Western Australian Court of Appeal and to the High Court (special leave only). Prior to joining the Bar, Robert worked at law firms in Perth, Melbourne & Hong Kong.