Huw C Whitwell

Huw practises in commercial and public law.

Huw has had particular experience in class actions, regulatory proceedings, and Royal Commissions and other public inquiries. Prior to coming to the Bar, Huw was a solicitor at Minter Ellison and an associate to the Hon. Justice Moshinsky of the Federal Court.

Huw's experience includes the following:

Class actions

• Horsky v Mesoblast Ltd — Federal Court of Australia — securities class action — counsel for Mesoblast led by Robert Craig QC and Kane Loxley.
• Nuix class actions — Supreme Court of Victoria — securities class actions — counsel for Macquarie led by Robert Craig QC and Jennifer Findlay.
• Allen v G8 Education Ltd — Supreme Court of Victoria — securities class action — counsel for G8 Education led by Robert Craig QC and Jennifer Findlay.
  • Allen v G8 Education Ltd [2021] VSC 173 — interlocutory dispute concerning redaction of a costs agreement.
• 5 Boroughs Pty Ltd v State of Victoria — Supreme Court of Victoria — common law negligence class action — counsel for the plaintiff led by Wendy Harris QC and Adam Hochroth.
  • 5 Boroughs NY Pty Ltd v State of Victoria [2021] VSC 78 — summary judgment and strike-out applications.
• Lieberman v Crown Resorts Ltd — Supreme Court of Victoria — securities class action — counsel for Crown Resorts led by Wendy Harris QC and Kane Loxley.
• Zantran Pty Ltd v Crown Resorts Ltd — Federal Court of Australia — securities class action — counsel for Crown Resorts led by Neil Young QC, Nick Hopkins QC, Robert Craig QC, Kane Loxley, and Fleur Shand.
  • Crown Resorts Ltd v Zantran Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 1 — appeal to the Full Court in relation to the power of the Court to interfere with contractual confidentiality obligations.
  • Zantran Pty Ltd v Crown Resorts Ltd (No 2) [2020] FCA 1024 — interlocutory dispute concerning legal professional privilege.
  • Zantran Pty Ltd v Crown Resorts Ltd (No 3) [2021] FCA 659 — interlocutory dispute concerning the interaction between statutory confidentiality provisions and discovery obligations.

  • Zantran Pty Ltd v Crown Resorts Ltd (No 4) [2022] FCA 500 — settlement approval.

Regulatory proceedings

• AUSTRAC v Crown Melbourne Ltd — Federal Court of Australia — counsel for Crown led by Wendy Harris QC and Kane Loxley.
• ACCC v Australasian Food Group Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 308— Federal Court of Australia — exclusive dealing — counsel for Australasian Food Group led by Dr Ruth Higgins SC and Andrew Barraclough.
• ACCC v Techtronic Industries Australia Pty Ltd — Federal Court of Australia — resale price maintenance — counsel for Techtronic led by Dr Ruth Higgins SC and Peter Strickland.
• ASIC v Helou (No 2) [2020] FCA 1650 — Federal Court of Australia — accessorial liability in respect of continuous disclosure contraventions — counsel for former CFO of Murray Goulburn led by Robert Craig QC.
  • ASIC v Helou [2019] FCA 1634 — Federal Court of Australia — application for permanent stay of proceeding as an abuse of process.

General commercial

• El Zain v Vitrafy Life Sciences — Supreme Court of Victoria — contract dispute — claim seeking specific performance, injunctive relief, and damages — counsel for Vitrafy led by David Batt QC.
• Cromwell Corporation Ltd v ARA Real Estate Investors XXI Pte Ltd [2020] FCA 1492 — Federal Court of Australia — preliminary discovery application in relation to possible contraventions of s 606 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) — counsel for Cromwell led by David Batt QC and Kathleen Foley.
• Re United Almonds Ltd — Supreme Court of Victoria — application by a trustee for judicial advice — counsel for United Almonds Ltd led by Robert Craig QC.

Royal Commissions and other inquiries

• Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence — counsel for Crown Melbourne Ltd and Crown Resorts Ltd led by Michael Borksy QC and Dr Catherine Button QC.
• NSW Casino Inquiry — counsel for Crown Sydney Gaming Pty Ltd and Crown Resorts Ltd led by Neil Young QC and Rowena Orr QC (also appeared unled).