Michael Wyles KC

I signed the Bar Roll in 1990 and have had the good fortune to become one of Australia’s leading advocates, both at the trial and appellate levels.

My practice covers a broad spectrum across all areas of commercial law, and in recent years has involved the application of the criminal law to corporations themselves, not as a matter of vicarious liability.

I have now been dealing with complex cases for some thirty-three years, commencing with the failure of Farrow Finance, the building society in which many residents of Geelong and surrounds lost their life savings. Soon after there was the failure of the Brashs group of companies where administrators were appointed using Pt 5.3A of the Corporations Act for the first time. That case effectively set the parameters for the use of Part 5.3A.

I conducted Cadbury’s battle with Darrel Lea over the use of the colour purple to sell chocolate. This was a most sophisticated intellectual property case. As was Telstra’s effort to protect its intellectual property in the colour yellow in telephone directories, where I ran the case for Telstra.

I defended John Elliot against ASIC’s pursuit of civil penalties for insolvent trading and breach of his duties as a
director of Water Wheel.

I acted for Lion Nathan in its takeover battle with Coopers Brewery.

I acted to protect Ericsson’s interests in its intellectual property in the switches which facilitate our use of the internet
daily.

I successfully piloted Telstra’s defence to John Ilhan’s (Crazy Johns) claims in excess of $50m.

I defended John Holland against charges of an unsafe work environment and am defending another client corporation on criminal charges for breach of the Queensland Environment Protection Act.

I designed and prosecuted Cadbury’s civil damages claim against Amcor for its illegal cartel conduct with Visy.

I was retained to act for the CityLink consortium to secure its contracts with the Victorian State Government just prior to the 2015 election, and to act for Coles in its beef supply dispute with ACC.

During COVID-19 I was retained to pursue in the High Court of Australia the right, implied by the Constitution, of all Australians to freedom of movement within the State where they reside. I am retained to act for the Liquidator of the Hastie Group of companies to recover more than $100m of receivables and performance bond proceeds.

I have also been retained to investigate issues and make recommendations to improve systems and processes to better facilitate both compliance with the law and enforcement of the law. The compliance retainers are confidential.

Together with the then Deputy Chairman of ASIC I conducted the review of ASIC’s enforcement procedures for suspected substantial breaches of the Corporations Act.

In addition to my broad commercial practice, I have studied accounting, economics, marketing and organisational behaviour units at an MBA level, which I have found of great assistance in the presentation of commercial cases.

My experience of presenting cases at both trial and appellate level has left me with a thorough knowledge of the law, and more than equipped me to provide, not only the highest standard of written and oral advocacy, but also the formulation of exceptional and successful strategy for resolving conflict.

In addition, I have a ready facility for timely and incisive advisory opinions, written in a readily digestible manner, across a broad range of areas.

I chaired Barristers’ Chambers Limited for 5 years to November 2017. BCL was a $200m company with a turnover which grew under my leadership from $19m to some $35m per annum while net assets increased to $140m. BCL’s core business was the provision of quality CBD accommodation and ancillary services to more than 1800 barristers practicing at the Vict