Presenters

Edward Martin, Partner, Gadens
Edward Martin is a Partner in the Disputes and Investigations Group at Gadens. He specialises in major, complex commercial disputes both for and against corporates and contentious regulatory matters. Edward has extensive experience acting for clients ranging from multinationals and ASX listed companies, to not-for-profits as well as government entities. He also acts for directors and officers. He works across a variety sectors including financial services, private equity, healthcare, professional services, government and resources. Edward is known for his strategic and thoughtful result-focused approach to the issues facing his clients. In litigation, he is primarily engaged in proceedings before the Federal and Supreme Courts, typically involving contractual interpretation, claims for equitable remedies, professional negligence, allegations of misleading or deceptive conduct and administrative law issues. He also acts in arbitration proceedings. The effective use of alternate dispute resolution (ADR), particularly mediation, to achieve commercial objectives is an essential part of Edward’s approach to disputes. He has acted in numerous mediations ranging from small-scale two party mediations to large, high-value multiparty mediations.


Trevor Withane, Partner, Ironbridge Legal
Trevor is a highly regarded lawyer you want on your side. He is the founder and principal of Ironbridge Legal and is a specialist commercial litigator and insolvency lawyer with deep experience in his areas of practice. Prior to founding Ironbridge Legal, Trevor was a partner of a successful Sydney based boutique law firm. Clients have described Trevor as extremely insightful, friendly, practical and pragmatic. Trevor founded Ironbridge Legal to provide in-depth specialist and conflict free advice in the disputes space – starting a law firm with true specialism in just two key areas: Commercial Litigation and Insolvency and Bankruptcy. Trevor started his legal career at global top three firm, Allen & Overy LLP, where he trained and spent several years advising a multitude of corporates and high-net-worth individuals in connection with complex disputes and regulatory matters often straddling more than one jurisdiction Before moving to Australia from the UK for family reasons, Trevor was a barrister in London, acting for corporates and high-net-worth individuals in complex commercial litigation and insolvency matters in the High Court. This experience, coupled with Trevor’s accountancy studies and his earlier practice as an accountant, gives him a rare depth and breadth of experience to apply to his clients’ matters.


Rebecca Dawes, Senior Associate,
Rebecca is an experienced general commercial litigator specialising in complex disputes and regulatory investigations. She has particular experience in advising corporate clients in relation to contentious regulatory investigations and inquiries, including matters involving Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC). Rebecca is also experienced in general commercial disputes involving complex issues of contractual interpretation, allegations of misleading or deceptive conduct, disputes between shareholders and disputes in highly regulated industries including healthcare, franchising and financial services.