Elizabeth Main

Liz Main has broad experience in common law and commercial law, with particular expertise in defamation, media and privacy law.

Liz regularly advises and appears on behalf of clients in defamation disputes. She acts for plaintiffs and defendants, including business owners and media organisations. She is a contributor to the defamation chapter of Fitzroy Legal Service’s Law Handbook, to be published in October 2025.

She is at the forefront of concerns notice requirements and the serious harm element of the tort of defamation. She successfully obtained orders for summary dismissal due to an invalid concerns notice, unled, in Reiter v News Corp Australia Pty Ltd & Anor[2025] VSC 54. Before being called to the Bar, she was the Senior Associate to the Judge in Charge of the Defamation List of the County Court of Victoria, her Honour Judge Clayton. She was previously a journalist at The Australian Financial Review newspaper.

She also acts for clients in cases involving the new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy as well as the common law tort for invasion of privacy. She has spoken as a guest university lecturer and presented a CPD on the significant recent developments in privacy law.

Liz also has experience in commercial litigation, including disputes over a breached settlement agreement (non-disparagement clause), franchise agreement, legal partnership, and judgment debt. She was previously Associate to her Honour Judge Samantha Marks, and his Honour Judge Douglas Trapnell, in the Commercial Division of the County Court.

She also worked for Slater and Gordon Lawyers where she garnered experience with shareholder and bushfire class actions.

Liz is a member of the Victorian Bar News Editorial Committee. She has previously served as chairperson of Victorian Women Lawyers’ Publications Committee. 

She holds Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Melbourne. 

Liz read with Sandip Mukerjea. Her senior mentor is Georgina Schoff KC. 

Recent notable cases include:
- Reiter v News Corp Australia Pty Ltd & Anor[2025] VSC 54 (proceeding summarily dismissed due to invalid concerns notice, unled)
- Laing v Bibby [2025] VCC 152 (100% of client's costs of and incidental to entire proceeding obtained for defendant in a fixed sum, unled)
- Ellis v Google LLC S ECI 2024 03415 (led by Georgina Schoff KC, resolved)