Daniel is an experienced disputes litigator specialising in commercial litigation, native title compensation and class actions. He advises organisations, groups and individuals on how to resolve disputes, whether that means negotiating from a position of strength or pursuing rights through litigation. His focus is strategic: understanding what a client is trying to achieve, working out whether negotiation or litigation is the better path to get there, and putting the client in the strongest position to succeed either way.
General commercial litigation
Daniel acts for corporations, organisations and individuals in complex commercial disputes across contract, corporations and equity, consumer law, regulatory and investigations work, trusts and estates, and property and land law. He brings rigorous case analysis to every matter, identifies the issues that will decide the outcome, and advises clients candidly on the commercial risk, cost and likely result of each path open to them.
Native title compensation
Daniel acts for First Nations corporations and Traditional Owners in native title compensation claims. He assesses the strength and value of a claim, builds the connection and tenure evidence needed to support it, and drives it towards a negotiated settlement or, where required, a determination by the court. A key aspect of Daniel's native title work is bringing significant resources to bear on behalf of Traditional Owners, so that they are properly positioned to negotiate or litigate an outcome.
Mining disputes
Daniel represents First Nations corporations in disputes with resource companies, including royalty and compensation claims and disputes over conduct affecting country and cultural heritage. This includes disputes in relation to trust structures with respect to royalties. He combines commercial litigation discipline with a deep understanding of the sector to put clients in a strong position to recover what they are owed.
Class actions
Daniel is a key member of the class actions department and regularly advises on and facilitates the commencement of class action proceedings. To date, Daniel has been a member of several class actions, including Slater and Gordon's WA Remote Housing Class Action, the CCI Consumer Class Actions and CFS2.
Professional Qualifications and Admissions
- Admitted, Supreme Court of Victoria
- Juris Doctor, University of Melbourne
- Bachelor of Arts - University of Melbourne
Memberships and Associations
- Law Institute of Victoria
Achievements
Daniel has successfully pursued and resolved numerous matters across the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court, both at trial and on appeal. Whether through litigation or negotiation, he has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients, drawing on a strategic approach that identifies the strongest path to a result and positions each client to achieve it.