Priscilla Blackadder

Priscilla was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 2009 and was inititally called to the NSW Bar in May 2011. She has over 15 years’ experience in complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with specialist knowledge and expertise in intellectual property law, particularly in the areas of copyright, trade marks, designs and confidential information. Her broader commercial practice includes media law (defamation, broadcast regulatory matters, contempt, privacy), competition and consumer law (including regulatory matters), white collar crime and employment. 

She has extensive experience both appearing as counsel and as a solicitor leading complex commercial litigation matters both at trial and appellate level in the superior State Courts (NSW and Victoria), the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

At the NSW Bar, She enjoyed a busy general commercial practice specialising in IP and media matters. In 2016, she returned to private practice, for the most part working as Senior Associate and Special Counsel for HWL Ebsworth’s commercial litigation team in Sydney/Norwest. Upon relocating to Victoria in 2022, Priscilla made the decision to return to practice at the Bar. She signed the Bar Roll in March 2023.

Notable matters which Priscilla has acted in include:

• acting for the copyright owner of Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree in the long running copyright infringement dispute against the writers and publishers of Men at Work’s Down Under;
• acting for a large multinational pharmaceutical company in various matters including  obtaining urgent injunctions restraining competitors from broadcasting national advertising campaigns which involved alleged misleading and comparative claims in the Federal Court (including two appeals to the Full Court and a HCA special leave application); 
• acting for a large Australian media organisation in complex multi-party proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW involving a nationally recognised law firm and international bank in associated claims arising out of a multi-million-dollar fraud committed by an employed solicitor; and
• acting the former CEO of a large international company in his defence of white-collar criminal prosecution in the District Court of NSW involving a number of charges relating to financial misconduct (bribery/corruption/corporate kickbacks

Priscilla holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music and Media) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours). She has reccently completed her Master of Laws (IP) at the University of Melbourne in which she achieved First Class Honours results. She is part of the casual sessional teaching staff at Monash University.

Upon joining the Victorian Bar, Priscilla undertook a period of informal reading, mentored by Kate Beattie.

Whilst Priscilla predominantly practices in intellectual property and consumer law/trade practices matters, she also has extensive broad experience in complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution, specifically in the areas of media law (defamation and regulatory matters arising under the provisions of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth)), fraud and white-collar crime, corporate and regulatory matters (ASIC, ACCC, ACMA), class actions, government, immigration and employment matters.

She has acted both as counsel and as a solicitor for a broad range of clients spanning across many industries. She has acted in several high-profile cases (including acting for the copyright owner of Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree in the long running copyright infringement dispute against the writers and publishers of Men at Work’s Down Under; acting for a large multinational pharmaceutical company in various matters including  obtaining urgent injunctions restraining competitors from broadcasting national advertising campaigns which involved alleged misleading and comparative claims in the Federal Court (including two appeals to the F

ull Court and a HCA special leave application);  acting for a large Australian media organisation in complex multi-party proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW involving a nationally recognised law firm and international bank in associated claims arising out of a multi-million-dollar fraud committed by an employed solicitor; and acting the  former CEO of a large international company in his defence of white collar criminal prosecution in the District Court of NSW involving a number of charges relating to financial misconduct (bribery/corruption/corporate kickbacks).

Admitted in 2009, Priscilla commenced her career with Simpsons, a specialist IP firm in Sydney. She was first called to the Bar in NSW in May 2011, reading with Neil Murray SC and Christian Dimitriades SC. From 2011-2016, Priscilla was a licensee at Nigel Bowen Chambers specialising in IP and media as well as some general commercial and environment and planning work. She returned to private practice in 2016, where she expanded upon her litigation experience as a Senior Associate and Special Counsel with HWL Ebsworth. Upon recently relocating to Victoria and longing to return to practice at the Bar, Priscilla signed the Bar Roll in March 2023. She is undertaking a period of informal reading. Kate Beattie is her mentor.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Music and Media). She has recently completed her Master of Laws  (LLM) at the University of Melbourne, achieving First Class Honours results. She is part of the casual sessional teaching staff at Monash University.

Priscilla has appeared in the superior courts of Victoria and NSW (both at trial and appellate level), the Federal Court (including appeals to the Full Court) and the High Court. She is available to accept briefs in all courts and tribunals within the state and federal jurisidiction.

CV provided on request