Meet our experts

Ben Phi

Odette McDonald

Tim Finney

James Hyden

Andreas Costi

Roop Sandhu

Brett Spiegel

Paul Zawa

Jeremy Zimet

Helen Leaf

Rhea Dhillon

Cameron Myers

Blake O’Connor

Olivia McMillan

Mardie Landvogt

Grahame Best

Gavin Wendt

Jack Gracie

Kate Vanrenen

Marcus Coleman

Owen Nanlohy

Viraaj Akuthota

Muhammad Arayne

Madeleine Tricarico

Madeline White

Camilla Woods

Jenna Alexander

Kelly Basset

Natasha Clarke

Sheridan Ah Colt

Managing Director

Ben Phi is one of Australia’s leading plaintiff class action lawyers, having achieved almost half a billion dollars in settlements.

While he has specialised in shareholder class actions, Ben’s expertise extends across all areas of complex, high value and multi-party litigation. This includes financial advice and product claims, shareholder and director disputes, executive employment litigation, and common law personal injury claims.

In his previous role, Ben oversaw the growth and management of one of Australia’s most successful class action teams. As Managing Director, Ben is ultimately responsible for the firm’s strategy, policies and procedures.

His aim is to ensure that Phi Finney McDonald becomes synonymous with strong claims brought with skill and efficiency, and is recognised for its impeccable client service. By creating a dynamic, flexible and fun workplace culture, he intends to make Phi Finney McDonald the employer of choice for talented lawyers and support staff that want to make the world a better place.

As a Principal lawyer, Ben will play an active role in the firm’s litigation practice, and in the supervision and professional development of its junior lawyers.

Accolades and Awards

  • Doyles Guides 2018, Lawyer (Leading), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • Doyles Guide 2017, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • Doyles Guide 2016, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • Chambers Guide 2016, Notable Practitioner (Slater and Gordon), Plaintiff Litigation
  • Maurice Blackburn Award for Class Actions (2013), University of Melbourne Law Masters
  • Holding Redlich Prize for Labour Law (2002), Australian National University

Legal Publications

  • Noah Wortman, Ben Phi and Cameron Myers, ‘Competing class actions: will certification stymie the competition?’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 34
  • Ben Phi and Odette Phi, ‘Arming the the courts in collective redress – a move to “Australian-style” class actions in the UK?’ (2017), Civil Justice Quarterly 197, Oxford University.
  • Ben Phi and Tim Finney, ‘Establishing causation in Australian shareholder class actions’ (2015), Precedent (Sydney, NSW), No. 129, Jul/Aug 2015

Education

  • BA, LLB (Hons), Australian National University
  • GradDip Legal Studies, University of Melbourne

Director

Odette McDonald is an experienced senior class actions specialist, who has litigated complex and high-profile claims in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Odette has represented thousands of people in a number of successful class actions, which have collectively delivered settlements in excess of $350 million. Her class action, group litigation and multi-party litigation expertise is broad, and includes shareholder class actions, financial advice and product claims, personal injuries, consumer actions, environmental and natural disaster litigation, and debenture trustee class actions. She also has a wealth of general commercial litigation and pro bono experience.

Prior to co-founding Phi Finney McDonald, Odette was a Practice Group Leader in the London Group Litigation and Melbourne Class Actions departments of a large plaintiff law firm.

Odette’s focus at Phi Finney McDonald is on identifying cases, managing litigation projects, progressing the professional development of lawyers and support staff, and contributing to the creation of a dynamic and supportive workplace.

Accolades and Awards

  • Doyles Guides 2018, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • APS Prize (2005), Australian Psychological Society
  • RG Wilson Scholarship (2005), University of Melbourne
  • Dwight Final Assessment Prize (2005), University of Melbourne

Legal Publications

  • Odette McDonald and Roop Sandhu, ‘Adverse costs: insurance as security for costs in class actions’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 9
  • Odette McDonald and Eliot Olivier, ‘Recent developments in common fund applications: Pearson v State of Queensland Blairgowrie v Allco Finance Group (No 3)’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 37
  • Ben Phi and Odette Phi, ‘Arming the courts in collective redress – a move to “Australian-style” class actions in the UK?’ (2017),Civil Justice Quarterly 197, Oxford University.
  • Odette McDonald, ‘Corporate trustee duties under the Corporations Act – the Fincorp Class Action’ (2011) 14(2) REP

Education

  • BA (Psych) (Hons), LLB, University of Melbourne (first place in Honours program)
  • LLM (in progress), University of Melbourne

Director

Tim Finney is an experienced senior plaintiff class action lawyer who has supervised legal teams on several large commercial class actions.

Tim specialises in shareholder class actions, having worked on a dozen such cases including claims against insurers and company auditors. He also has substantial experience in complex financial services and financial product litigation, including claims against banks, large trustee companies, financial advisors and brokers. Prior to co-founding Phi Finney McDonald, Tim managed the commercial class actions group in one of Australia’s largest plaintiff law firms.

At Phi Finney McDonald, Tim’s supervises complex litigation with an approach that combines high quality legal work with efficient case management and an emphasis on strategy. As a manager of litigation teams, he is focused on encouraging junior and mid-level lawyers to develop their skills and confidence in a challenging but supportive team-based environment.

Accolades and Awards

  • Doyles Guides 2018, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • Doyles Guide 2017, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
  • Slater and Gordon Lawyers Chair Award Winner 2016, ‘Take the Lead’ Category
  • Monash University Law Prize for Law, Gender and Feminism, 2006

Legal Publications

  • Tim Finney, ‘Pleading defendant knowledge in securities class actions: are allegations premised on inferences sufficient?’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 21
  • Ben Phi and Tim Finney, ‘Establishing causation in Australian shareholder class actions’ (2015), Precedent (Sydney, NSW), No. 129, Jul/Aug 2015

Education

  • LLB (Hons), BA (Hons), MA, Monash University
  • GDLP, College of Law

Forensic Accountant and Finance Manager

James Hyden is an experienced accounting professional who has provided consulting expert services on several large commercial class actions.

James has accumulated more than 12 years of forensic and investigative accounting experience in the United States and Australia, and has worked on several class actions including claims against insurers, directors and trustees.

James started his career at Grant Thornton, before moving to KordaMentha where he provided accounting and expert services to high profile law firms and their clients. James then worked as an investigating accountant in the class actions group of one of Australia’s largest plaintiff law firms.

At Phi Finney McDonald, James draws on his accounting and forensics background to investigate claims and to assist lawyers in understanding complex accounting issues. James also supports the management of the firm’s business in his role as Finance Manager.

Education

  • BBus(Acc), RMIT
  • Grad Dip (ICAA)

General Manager, Operations and Client Administration

Andreas brings over 21 years of Operational and Client Services experience to PFM.

Over this period, he has worked at some of the world’s largest Custodial Banks and Fund Managers including Macquarie, Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Canada and Schroders. Most of his career has been spent in the Global Securities Class Action Aggregator sector. More recently, in 2013 he relocated from London to Melbourne to head up the Asia Pacific Operations for Goal Group Australia and was responsible for the Business Development and Operational functions in the region.

As General Manager, Operations and Client administration, Andreas will be using all of his experience to develop our Operations and Clients Services area into the best of breed in our industry. We are focused on our relationships with our partners and clients, from our largest to our smallest.

Principal Lawyer

Roop Sandhu is an experienced litigation lawyer, who has worked on many hard-fought and complex class actions.

Roop has experience in a wide variety of class actions, including claims involving financial advice, institutional abuse, debenture trusts, securities, property developments, and consumer issues. He has been involved in class actions in the Federal Court, the NSW Supreme Court, and the Victorian Supreme Court.

Roop also has broad general litigation experience. He has acted for hundreds of victims of asbestos diseases, helping them to recover damages from the companies that exposed them to asbestos. He has also run professional negligence claims, employment disputes, and superannuation disputes.

Over his career, Roop has worked on matters that have collectively delivered settlements in excess of $100 million.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Roop was a principal lawyer in the class action department of a large plaintiff law firm. Roop works on Phi Finney McDonald’s existing suite of cases, as well as identifying and investigating new matters. He is based in Sydney.

Accolades and awards

  • Slater and Gordon Lawyers Chair Award Winner (2016)
  • Lexis Nexis Prize for Litigation 1 (2002), UNSW
  • Lexis Nexis Prize for Taxation Law (2003), UNSW

Education

  • LLB and BCom, UNSW
  • GDLP, College of Law

Publications

Principal Lawyer

Brett Spiegel is a senior class action litigator with 20 years of legal experience, and a commitment to bringing justice to those hurt by corporate malfeasance.

A qualified lawyer in Australia and the United States, Brett has prosecuted complex and challenging cases in the fields of public health, mass tort, institutional abuse, the environment, and shareholder claims, achieving over $400m in judgments and settlements. His Australian class action experience includes claims in respect of Thalidomide, Vioxx, Manus Island, Brookland Greens, and Fairbridge Farm School, and a number of shareholder class actions.

In addition to his experience at a large Australian plaintiff law firm and a U.S. commercial law firm, Brett served as a Trial Lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked on the landmark case of U.S. v Philip Morris, and as a Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

As a Principal Lawyer at Phi Finney McDonald, Brett applies his passion and expertise to achieve the best possible results for our clients.

Accolades and Awards

  • U.S. Department of Justice, Junk Yard Dog Award for tenacity in litigation
  • U.S. Department of Justice, 2-time winner of the Civil Division Merit Award

Education

  • JD, Duke University
  • BA, University of Pennsylvania

Principal Lawyer

Paul Zawa is a senior lawyer with over 25 years of litigation experience. Having practised in a wide variety of areas, he applies his depth of knowledge to achieving highly effective and creative solutions for clients.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Paul most recently headed up the Victorian/Tasmanian Enforcement Branch of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, where he was responsible for investigations into and court cases involving anti-competitive conduct and consumer protection. He led a number of landmark cases making new law and delivering record penalties and compensation to victims, including in the High Court of Australia. Paul has also been a litigation partner at a number of major Australian law firms where he specialised in Intellectual Property. While practising in that area, he was recognised by Chambers Global, Doyle’s Guide and Best Lawyers for his work.

Education

  • LLB, University of New South Wales
  • BA, Northwestern University
  • MA, Northwestern University

Special Counsel

Jeremy Zimet is an experienced litigator, with significant track record in commercial litigation and class actions.

Jeremy specialises in shareholder and consumer law class actions and has acted for thousands of claimants in complex, multi-party disputes.

Jeremy is also a media and communications law expert, who has advised and acted for high profile individuals, government ministers, directors and companies throughout Australia, on matters relating to defamation/libel, reputational risk management, pre-publication advice and privacy law.

Jeremy is a frequent media commentator on issues relating to media and communications law.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Jeremy was a Senior Associate in the commercial and class actions department of a large plaintiff law firm where he specialised in class actions and defamation law.

Education

  • BA (Intl Studies), LLB, University of Melbourne
  • GDLP, College of Law

Senior Associate

Helen Leaf is an experienced major projects litigator, working in both commercial litigation and class actions.

Helen Leaf has acted in a range of high profile matters, including some of the largest document-intensive cases in Victoria. Having project managed all aspects of some significant multi-party commercial litigation actions, Helen is adept at working through the nuances of civil procedure.

Helen has a particular interest in connecting with the needs of claimants to facilitate and improve access to justice. In this regard Helen has undertaken a Masters of Social Work (Qualifying), and advocated as a social worker and lawyer for support of individuals who have experienced major trauma, and plaintiffs pursuing claims through various courts of law.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Helen worked on the administration of a major class action settlement distribution scheme at Maurice Blackburn. Helen commenced her legal career in the commercial litigation department of Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst), and has proven herself as a versatile operator.

As a Senior Associate at Phi Finney McDonald, Helen is working on various class actions, mentoring more junior team members, and assisting with practice needs.

Education

  • LLB (Hons), University of Melbourne
  • BA, University of Melbourne
  • MSW(Q), Monash University

Senior Associate

Rhea Dhillon is a commercial and civil litigator with experience in class action litigation in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Rhea has worked across shareholder class actions, follow-on cartel claims and mass tort litigation in various jurisdictions. Most recently, Rhea was responsible for co-ordinating one of the biggest and most complex public interest immunity disputes involving the release of high level policy documents relating to the government’s offshore immigration detention program. In the UK, Rhea was recruited by a boutique law firm to work on novel litigation on behalf of small and medium enterprises seeking compensation from cartelists involved in price-fixing arrangements in respect of the supply of goods and services. Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Rhea was a Senior Associate in the class action department of a large plaintiff law firm working on mass tort litigation and pro-bono matters on behalf of asylum seekers. Rhea takes pride in excellent client service and finding innovative approaches to addressing legal barriers to redress for wrongdoing.

Education

  • LLB, BA, Monash University

Associate

Cameron Myers is a versatile litigator who has worked on high-profile, large-scale matters in Australia and the United Kingdom.

His group litigation experience includes bushfire litigation, financial advice and product claims, employment disputes and industrial disease cases. He also has a wealth of common law personal injury litigation experience most recently having acted for UK survivors of the drug thalidomide.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Cameron was an Associate in the London Group Litigation and Melbourne Class Actions departments of a large plaintiff law firm.

As an Associate, Cameron focuses on progressing the firm’s litigation projects through the production of high quality legal work, while also playing an active role in the supervision and professional development of the firm’s junior lawyers and paralegal teams.

Education

  • LLB, BA, Monash University
  • GDLP, College of Law

Legal Publications

  • Noah Wortman, Ben Phi and Cameron Myers, ‘Competing class actions: will certification stymie the competition?’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 34

Associate

Blake O’Connor is a determined litigator focused on protecting his client’s interests.

Blake is a lawyer in Phi Finney McDonald’s Sydney office and works with the team to secure the best possible outcome for clients in large, complex commercial litigation. He has acted on bet-the-company cases and is experienced in commercial litigation, equity and insurance.

Blake’s goal is to ensure that client’s interests are forcefully promoted, regardless of the opposition. He is particularly interested in using the law as a tool to right wrongs.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Blake worked as a lawyer in an Australian commercial litigation firm on some of Australia’s largest corporate disputes. He was previously tipstaff to Justice Ball of the NSW Supreme Court and worked on complex insurance cases at a Lloyds of London Syndicate.

ACCOLADES AND AWARDS

  • 1st Place, Commercial Law, University of Sydney
  • LexisNexis Prize for Academic Excellence (2012) University of Sydney

LEGAL PUBLICATIONS

  • Damages in Securities Class Actions, 2017, ExpertsDirect Class Action Series.
  • Determining the Cause of Conduct in Class Actions, 2017, ExpertsDirect Class Action Series.
  • Common Fund Orders and Access to Justice, 2017, ExpertsDirect Class Action Series.
  • Competing Class Actions: Judicial Remedies for Overlapping Classes, 2017, ExpertsDirect Class Action Series.
  • The Risk of Exclusion: Pitfalls of Irrelevant or Prejudicial Expert Evidence, 2016, ExpertsDirect Webinar Series.
  • Understanding Privilege in Difficult Jurisdictions, 2016, ExpertsDirect Webinar Series.
  • Expert Evidence – Lessons Learnt from Adverse Cases, 2016, ExpertsDirect Webinar Series.
  • The Changing Role of the Expert in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, 2016, ExpertsDirect Webinar Series.
  • Subjective vs Objective Expert Evidence and the use of “Junk Science”, 2016, ExpertsDirect Webinar Series.
  • The Role of Hospital Administrators in Medical Indemnity Programs, 2012, College of Medical Administrators.

EDUCATION

  • Dip Law, University of Sydney, Legal Profession Admission Board.
  • LLM (in progress), University of Sydney

Associate

Olivia McMillan is an agile litigator who is dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for her clients.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Olivia worked at a mid-tier firm specialising in administrative and public law litigation. Olivia has experience representing Victorian Government departments in negligence claims, and in judicial and merits review of administrative decisions. Olivia also has a wealth of experience representing asylum seekers and refugees at all stages of the migration process, including strategic litigation in the Federal and High Courts.

Through her volunteer work with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Darebin Community Legal Centre and various Law Institute of Victoria committees, Olivia knows that protecting the rule of law is crucial to a well-functioning legal system. Olivia is a member of the Legacy Caseload Working Group which won the Law Institute of Victoria’s Access to Justice Award in 2017. As an Associate, Olivia focuses on progressing the firm’s litigation projects and takes pride in mentoring the firm’s junior lawyers and paralegal teams.

Olivia is responsible for coordinating pro bono work at Phi Finney McDonald.

Registered Migration Agent:1679818

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts (International Studies)

  • Master of Laws (Juris Doctor)

Associate

Mardie has worked on high-profile, complex litigation in Australia and the United Kingdom. Throughout her career she has been dedicated to achieving redress for victims of corporate and government wrongdoing. 

Mardie has significant experience in a variety of large-scale and complex cases, including class actions involving bushfires, mass personal injuries, mass property damage, debenture trustees and shareholders; commercial litigation against major banks arising from LIBOR manipulation; and public interest litigation. 

Before joining Phi Finney McDonald, Mardie worked for a leading international class actions firm in their Human Rights and Environmental Litigation and Commercial Litigation departments in London. As a lead associate on a high-profile AU$1.18 billion bank swaps mis-selling and LIBOR manipulation claim which settled shortly before a three-month trial, she assumed a significant driving and supervisory role in trial preparation, disclosure and related interlocutory disputes. 

Mardie has also worked in the class actions departments of Australia’s two largest plaintiff law firms. She was part of the core legal team on the hard-fought Kilmore Bushfires trial arising from the “Black Saturday” fires that killed 119 people and destroyed 1,242 homes. The trial resulted in a record class action settlement of approximately AU$500 million. Mardie has also worked on human rights, environmental and pro bono matters in multiple jurisdictions.

Mardie completed an LLM with Distinction at the London School of Economics and was awarded the top mark in her cohort for her paper on the use of class actions in relation to emerging technologies and human rights abuses.

Education

  • LLM (Dist.), London School of Economics  
  • LLM subject, Class Actions (First Class Honours), University of Melbourne
  • LLM subject, International Human Rights (First Class Honours), University of Melbourne
  • LLB (Hons), University of Melbourne
  • Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours av.), University of Melbourne

Associate

Grahame is an experienced lawyer with a broad career history. He takes pride in working with the team to secure the best possible outcome for clients and to find innovative solutions to barriers to justice.

Grahame is an associate in the Melbourne office and works on large, complex litigation.  He is a passionate advocate for the victims of corporate and government misconduct. He has particular interest in corporate accountability, environmental litigation, and litigation focusing on the rights of workers.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Grahame was associate to his Honour Justice Murphy in the Federal Court of Australia, where he worked on a number of class action proceedings including the landmark Money Max common fund decision, as well as a range of public law and regulatory matters. Before that, Grahame was a solicitor at a government law firm where he provided strategic legal advice on complex and sensitive legal issues to senior members of Victoria Police. He is experienced in making public interest immunity claims and in dealing with confidential and high profile material. Grahame has also worked as a criminal and environmental law researcher and has volunteered at a community legal centre, and at human rights and environmental organisations.

 

Education

Juris Doctor, Melbourne Law School

Advanced Diploma in Political Science, l’Institut d’Etudes Politique (Sciences Po), France

Bachelor of International Studies (Dist), University of New South Wales

Associate

Gavin Wendt is focused on protecting his client’s interests.

Gavin works with the team to guide clients through large and complex commercial litigation, with a keen focus on securing his clients’ position and pursuing the best possible outcome for his clients. Gavin has acted on behalf of BHP shareholders in their claims related to the tragic collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Brazil in 2015.

Gavin’s aim is to ensure that clients who are affected by the actions of others achieve redress and justice. He is interested in ensuring that the law is applied and developed as a tool to achieve social justice.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Gavin worked as the Associate to the Hon Justice Lee in the Federal Court of Australia, assisting the Judge on a range of different matters including the resolution of carriage disputes in recent class actions. He previously worked as a lawyer in an Australian insurance litigation firm, representing insurers in a range of personal injury and recovery disputes.

 

Education

LLB, BA, Australian National University

LLM, Australian National University (in progress)

Lawyer

As a plaintiff class action lawyer, Jack Gracie is keen to ensure that all individuals are afforded access to justice.

Jack is a recent graduate who has pursued a special interest in class action litigation through his studies and since his entry into private practice.

In his previous role at Maurice Blackburn, Jack was responsible for managing individual claims against banks and financial advisers arising from negligent and inappropriate financial advice. He has worked on shareholder class actions against financial institutions, insurers, vocational education providers and construction companies.

Jack’s experience has shown him that strong advocacy is required if the legal system is to work for everyone – not just for those who can afford it. To this end, class actions are an essential mechanism through which individuals who suffer damage can seek justice and recover compensation. His abiding interest in the role of litigation funders in facilitating access to justice is informed by his university studies.

At Phi Finney McDonald, Jack investigates new class actions, assists in the efficient conduct of ongoing matters, and vigorously pursues social and economic justice for his clients.

Education

  • LLB (Hons), Australian National University
  • GDLP, College of Law

Publications

  • Dissertation – Command and Control: Judicial Paternalism and Liberalism with regards to the Exercise of Control in Third Party Funded Proceedings (First Class Honours, 2016)

Lawyer

Kate is a dedicated advocate for her clients and draws from a breadth of experience in commercial and public interest litigation.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Kate worked in the commercial litigation and dispute resolution team of a mid-tier firm.  Kate has conducted and defended complex litigation proceedings in the Victorian and the Federal jurisdictions on behalf of private individuals and companies.  Kate has advised and represented clients involved in contractual disputes, oppression proceedings and property disputes. 

Through her pro bono work, Kate has represented people seeking asylum and refugees in Australia, Pakistan and Nauru to file administrative appeals against the Minister for Home Affairs and the Republic of Nauru and common law proceedings against the Commonwealth of Australia. 

ACCOLADES AND AWARDS

  • Finalist – Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30, Pro Bono

EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Studies), Monash University
  • Master of Laws (Juris Doctor), Monash University

Lawyer

Marcus Coleman is an experienced legal professional who has wide ranging experience working within large financial institutions in both Australia and the United States.

Marcus has accumulated extensive experience in the legal teams of investment banks and fund managers in both the United States and Australia. Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Marcus worked for a large global funds management firm and was deeply involved across all aspects of its business, taking a particular interest in managing its involvement in shareholder class action litigation. Understanding the viewpointof institutional shareholders onthe very real impact uponinvestors caused by corporate misconduct imbued Marcus with a passion to ensure listed companies are held to account and properly compensate their investors when the company’s misleading conduct causes them loss.

As a Lawyer at Phi Finney McDonald, Marcus applies his expertise across a range of ongoing matters, investigates new class actions and supports his colleagues where needed to ensure the best possible outcome for clients.

 

Education

Masters of Laws (LLM) (Corporate and Commercial Law), University of New South Wales

Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP), Australian National University

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) , Australian National University

Bachelor of Arts (History and English), Australian National University

 

 

Lawyer

As a class action lawyer, Owen is a dedicated advocate for his clients. He brings his experience as a commercial and public interest litigator, as well as his experience in politics and the private sector to the objective of achieving justice for his clients.

Before joining Phi Finney McDonald, Owen worked in the commercial litigation and dispute resolution team at Allens Linklaters.  Owen has conducted and defended complex commercial and public interest litigation in state supreme courts and the Federal Court on behalf of private individuals and companies.  He has advised and represented clients involved in contractual, tortious, equitable and statutory disputes and has provided advice in constitutional litigation.

Through his pro bono work, Owen has represented people seeking asylum as refugees in Australia, and has obtained injunctive relief for clients detained on Nauru.

Prior to this he was an advisor to the Federal Shadow Attorney General, The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP. Owen started his legal career in the litigation practice of a national mid-tier firm in Sydney. He has also been a sessional academic at the University of Sydney Law Faculty, where he taught Torts and Contracts.

Through these roles Owen has gained experience working in politics, with litigation funders, in Federal and state supreme courts and with highly respected litigators.

Owen also prior experience as a public affairs and public relations consultant, as well as an advisor to various state and federal politicians. He hopes to utilise all of these skills in seeking justice for his clients.

Education

  • BA Jurisprudence (Hons), University of Oxford
  • Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours), University of Sydney

Lawyer

As a plaintiffs class action lawyer, Viraaj is dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for his clients.

Viraaj has pursued a keen interest in seeking justice for vulnerable populations. In his previous roles he has worked in remote communities of Australia, in conflict situations of Myanmar and as a refugee lawyer in Melbourne. Through these roles Viraaj has gained experience working with Governments, the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations, and strategic litigators.

 

Viraaj also has commercial sector experience, with prior work experience in investment funds and consulting firms. He hopes to utilise his private and public experience in bringing social and economic justice to his clients.

 

On a personal level, Viraaj is utilising technology to promote social change. He has a strong foundational knowledge of several programming languages and has a specific focus on ‘smart contracts’.

 

Education

LLM (First Class Honours), University of Melbourne

Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce, University of Auckland

Graduate

Muhammad Arayne is a Graduate with a wealth of experience across a number of class actions and general litigation disputes.

Muhammad’s class action experience includes securities claims, bushfire litigation and debenture claims.

Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Muhammad spent eight years working at one of Australia’s largest plaintiff law firms, initially in its finance department before commencing work as a class actions paralegal.

Muhammad has completed degrees in economics and law. In additional to his multidisciplinary academic background, Muhammad brings to Phi Finney McDonald invaluable legal research, claim investigation, financial accounting skills, quantum assessment, client service and legal administration.

At Phi Finney McDonald, Muhammad investigates new class actions, assists in the conduct of ongoing matters and plays an active role in the supervision and development of the firm’s paralegal teams.

EDUCATION

  • BA (Econ), University of Melbourne
  • LLB, La Trobe University
  • GDLP, College of Law (in progress)

Lawyer

Maddie initially joined Phi Finney McDonald’s Melbourne office as a paralegal in 2017 and is now working as a lawyer securing the best possible outcomes for clients in large, complex commercial litigation.

In addition to producing high quality work, Maddie also strives to deliver efficient and cost-effective services to clients in order to increase access to justice for all. She developed this understanding and passion through her previous legal experience at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. The roles performed by Maddie at Phi Finney McDonald include investigating new class actions and assisting in the efficient conduct of ongoing matters. Her exceptional legal research and client service ensures that these roles are performed to a high standard.

Education

  • LLB, BA, Monash University
  • GDLP, College of Law

Graduate

Madeline is a graduate with experience supporting lawyers engaged in complex trial and appellate litigation.

Madeline joined Phi Finney McDonald in 2017 and works across a range of matters. She is a skilled researcher who works hard to secure the best possible result for clients. Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Madeline worked at Fitzroy Legal Service, assisting with law reform work and public interest litigation. Madeline was part of the #KidsOutOfBarwon legal team which won the 2017 Tim McCoy award.

Madeline’s academic background in finance underpins her work at Phi Finney McDonald. She is a skilled researcher who works hard to secure the best possible result for clients.

Education

  • LLB and BCom (Finance), Monash University
  • GDLP (in progress), College of Law

Graduate

Camilla is a graduate working on large, complex commercial litigation. She initially joined Phi Finney McDonald’s Melbourne office as a paralegal in 2017.

Camilla’s interest in social justice and public interest litigation developed from her legal studies and her experiences working as a volunteer at the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission and community legal centres. Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Camilla worked in the art and design industry, based in Australia, Hong Kong and China and worked on large-scale projects throughout the world. At Phi Finney McDonald, Camilla’s work involves investigating new class actions, assisting in the efficient conduct of ongoing matters and working on pro bono matters. She aims to deliver a high standard of work and achieve the best possible outcomes for clients.

Accolades and Awards

  • The Raynes Dickson Exhibition for Criminal Law and Procedure

Education

  • Juris Doctor (Melb)
  • Bachelor of Design (Hons) (UNSW)

Practice Support Manager

Jenna Alexander is a Practice Support Manager, with almost 10 years of experience in a client-facing environment.

Jenna has exceptional organisational skills and a proven track record of nurturing high performing teams. Working in the tertiary education sector, Jenna provided leadership and support to staff and championed the personal development of members of her teams. A natural problem solver with a keen eye for detail, Jenna also lead the implementation of new systems and processes, tracked and analysed data points and statistics, and ensured up-to-date internal documentation.

As Practice Support Manager at Phi Finney McDonald, Jenna works closely with the Principals, ensuring impeccable practice standards and managing procurement and supplier relationships. Jenna also maintains the precedent library and practice database, and performs a range of HR functions within the business.

Finance and Operations Officer

Kelly is a highly diligent and outcomes-focussed legal professional, with nearly 20 years’ experience working at some of the country’s largest law firms, including King & Wood Mallesons and Minter Ellison. Prior to joining Phi Finney McDonald, Kelly was an Operations Advisor at Slater and Gordon. 

Kelly has worked across a broad range of commercial litigation matters, and on several high profile and complex class actions. She is experienced in managing the financial aspects of class actions, including briefing expert cost consultants and distributing settlement monies. 

As Finance and Operations Officer at Phi Finney McDonald, Kelly assists with the firm’s financial management, and works with the Directors and Finance Manager to ensure that the firm operates and provides services efficiently and cost-effectively. Kelly also contributes to our collaborative workplace culture by imparting her legal and financial knowledge to support staff and lawyers.  

Legal assistant

Natasha Clarke is a legal assistant with nearly 15 years’ experience across personal injury, common law and commercial litigation.

Natasha started her career at a boutique law firm and has since worked for a number of larger plaintiff law firms across New South Wales and Victoria. Most recently, Natasha spent close to ten years providing assistance in the commercial litigation and class action departments of a large plaintiff law firm where her experience enabled her to assist with the creation and implementation of numerous procedures aimed to increase efficiency for the benefit of the clients. At Phi Finney McDonald, Natasha provides general assistance across a range of files, as well as assisting with day to day financial management.

Legal assistant

Sheridan Ah Colt is a legal assistant with over a decade of experience across commercial litigation, class actions and criminal law practice.

Sheridan began her career at a large plaintiff law firm assisting the commercial litigation and class action departments for nearly 12 years, and also assisted that firm’s criminal law department for five years. Most recently, Sheridan has provided mentor, training and operational support as a support team leader for nearly four years. Her experience in a broad range of matters has enabled her to maintain high quality matter management and provide valuable client assistance.

Based in Phi Finney McDonald’s Sydney office, Sheridan provides general assistance across a range of files, as well as assisting with client enquiries including institutional and retail investor enquiries regarding shareholder class actions.