Megan Styles

Megan appears and advises in a broad range of matters, in particular:

• Proceeds of crime and asset confiscation;
• White-collar crime, corruption, integrity and AML/CTF;
• Corporate and commercial litigation (including bankruptcy and insolvency and banking and finance disputes);
• Public and administrative law; and
• Civil penalties, investigations and regulatory enforcement.

Megan is regularly briefed in matters (both led and unled) involving state and federal agencies, corporations, law enforcement bodies and financial institutions, in a variety of courts and tribunals. She is a member of chambers in Victoria and Tasmania.

Megan has appeared in coercive/compulsory examinations both as a solicitor and since coming to the bar.

Background and Experience

Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours in Law from the University of Tasmania, where she received the subject prize for Corporations Law and was on the Dean’s Roll of Excellence. She commenced her legal career in private practice, at Hunt & Hunt Lawyers and later at Macpherson Kelley (as it then was), Dobson, Mitchell Allport Lawyers, in commercial, employment and insurance law. 

Megan worked at the Victorian Court of Appeal including as a Court of Appeal Researcher and as Associate to Justices Priest, Beach and McLeish. On secondment from the Court of Appeal, she worked on an Attorney-General’s reference on restitution and compensation orders. 

Immediately prior to being called to the Bar, Megan was a Principal Litigation Lawyer and Team Leader with the Australian Federal Police Criminal Assets Litigation team of the Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce where she worked with AFP, ATO, ABF, AUSTRAC and ACIC members in asset confiscation litigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) and the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1987 (Cth). She is currently undertaking her PhD at Monash University, on asset confiscation laws. 

In 2023, Megan was invited to present on anti-corruption issues at the International Symposium on Economic Crime at Cambridge University and in 2024, attended the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Summer School on Transnational Organised Crime. She has recently published a book chapter on de-banking by financial institutions due to money laundering risks. In 2026, Megan travelled to the Philippines to train the judiciary on anti-corruption, financial crime, money laundering and forensic accounting issues.

Megan is a current International Editor of the Cambridge Law Review.

Megan read with Astrid Haban-Beer and her senior mentor is Justin Hannebery KC.

Recent cases 

Commercial 

- Greenbanks Distilling Co. Pty Ltd & Anor v Idealair Group Pty Ltd, (17 June 2026), Application for security for costs, Federal Court of Australia, with Amanda Carruthers

- BNY Trust Company of Australia Limited v Rainford [2025] VSC 236 (7 May 2025) - Application for summary judgment concerning bankrupt individual, unled.

Asset confiscation, proceeds of crime
Megan regularly appears in the County Court of Victoria and Supreme Court proceeds of crime and confiscation lists, both for and against Commonwealth and State agencies. Megan has particular expertise in such matters. 

White Collar Crime and Regulatory Matters

CDPP v Arandez [2026] VCC 715 – Prosecution relating to Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) offences, ss 1041G and s 911A, with Simone Tatas.

CDPP v Miller [2025] VCC 1828 (8 December 2025) - Prosecution relating to false BAS lodgements and disaster recovery payments, unled.

CDPP v Harries [2025] MCV and [2026] VCC (on Appeal) - National Anti-Corruption Commission prosecution of an ATO employee, unled.

Department of Consumer Affairs Victoria v Mark Reuben (2026), Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, prosecution of unlicensed real estate agent, unled.

Chambers

Victoria: Owen Dixon West

Tasmania: Malthouse Chambers