IN THE POLICE
Have updated my profile on my new site at:
www.FraudBarrister.com.au
Before becoming a lawyer some 14 years ago I was a police officer in the Victoria Police. During my time as a police officer I gained a valuable understanding of investigation method, evidence gathering and interviewing techniques and experience of police culture.
LIFE AS A SOLICITOR
After graduating with a law degree from Monash University I was employed by Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks, a prestigious national firm (now known as Allens Arthur Robinson), arguably Australia’s pre-eminent law firm, with “blue chip” clients including BHP, Shell and Westpac. There I completed my Articles of Clerkship under Tony Kuhn, a partner in the Litigation section.
As a litigation lawyer I mainly worked on large and long running commercial disputes usually working with several other lawyers in a team led by one or more partners. Whilst I enjoyed the experience and had first class training, I was itching to run my own cases and test my abilities. So in 1996 I moved to Madgwicks Lawyers.
Madgwicks is a medium sized firm with a strong insolvency practice. When I moved there in 1996 the firm was acting for the liquidator of the Pyramid Building Society after it collapsed with debts in excess of AUD 2 billion. Peter Kennedy was the partner to whom I reported to and he gave me plenty of freedom to run my own files – you could say I was thrown off the deep end! I am grateful to Peter because he trusted my abilities and let me run cases according to my own judgment yet was always available for sound advice when needed. I learnt a great deal very quickly.
I am also grateful to Madgwicks because in 1997 the firm approved my request to be seconded to a fraud investigation firm, Network Security Management Ltd, in London England. Peter Kennedy had previously encouraged me to develop a specialisation in fraud law as it was an area, particularly given my background, to which he said I was well suited. Whilst on secondment I worked with investigators and lawyers involved in the investigation of large scale commercial fraud cases, often involving tracing of assets through foreign jurisdictions. Upon my return from secondment, I completed a Graduate Certificate in Fraud Investigation at La Trobe University (and came top of the class).
In February 2000 I left Madgwicks, having applied to become a barrister and join the Victorian Bar. In the period before the Bar Readers’ Course was to start I was asked to represent a significant party in the Metropolitan Ambulance Service Royal Commission. I agreed to do so and commenced working as a sole practitioner. Little was I to know that the Royal Commission would continue unexpectedly for 18 months and by the end of it, I had lost my place in the Bar Readers’ course but had also found myself running a successful legal practice, which I called Tragardh Lawyers. A significant part of my work involved assisting large forensic accounting firms, such as Price Waterhouse Coopers and Deloitte with fraud cases.
After 6 years of running my own legal firm, I realised that my dream of becoming a barrister would not eventuate unless I took what some considered the drastic action of walking away from what was a successful and profitable business. In September 2006 I therefore commenced the Victorian Bar Readers’ Course, following handing over all my commercial matters to Gadens Lawyers, and my criminal matters to Matthew White & Associates. At the same time I was the proud new father of twins and was half way through a Masters in Law.
I completed the Victorian Bar Readers’ Course and was proud to sign the Roll of Counsel on 9 November 2006.
Since becoming a barrister I have had a busy and broad practice.
