Pravin Aathreya Partner

Pravin has more than 15 years’ experience in complex large-scale commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with a particular focus on corporate insolvency and reconstruction.

Pravin has represented numerous corporate clients across a range of industries, including automotive and transport, infrastructure, energy and resources and financial services.

Pravin has significant expertise in complex commercial disputes, including contract disputes, disputes between participants in the energy and resources industries (including with regulators), negligence claims, misleading and deceptive conduct claims, directors and professional liability claims, commercial leasing disputes, shareholder disputes , product liability issues, corporate insolvency and reconstruction, government litigation and disputes involving the Personal Property Securities Act.

In the corporate insolvency context, Pravin has advised insolvency practitioners, banks, secured creditors and unsecured creditors on issues surrounding external administrations of companies and managed investment schemes, proof of debt claims, insolvent trading claims, enforcing security interests and post-liquidation sales of businesses. He also has considerable experience in bringing and defending voidable transaction claims (including unfair preferences, uncommercial transactions and unreasonable director-related transactions) and prosecuting claims for breaches of directors’ and auditors’ duties.

Experience

Litigation

PPB Advisory - Gunns Group

Acting for the liquidators of the Gunns Group of Companies in pursuing voidable transaction claims and claims against former directors and auditors of the Gunns Group.

PPB Advisory - RiverCity Group

Acted for the liquidators of the RiverCity Group of Companies in relation to class-action litigation in the Federal Court of Australia arising out of the collapse of the RiverCity Group.

State of Victoria

Acted for the State in litigation against the State by Tatts Group and Tabcorp Holdings alleging various statutory and contractual claims totalling approximately A$1.3 billion, arising from the Victorian Government’s gaming industry reforms introduced in 2008 and 2009.

Macquarie Bank

Acted for Macquarie in proceedings commenced by the liquidators and receivers of Gunns Finance and its related entities in relation to the insolvencies of various Gunns managed investment schemes.

ASIC

Acted for ASIC in litigation in the Federal Court of Australia and Supreme Court of Victoria arising out of the collapse of the Westpoint Group of Companies.

Paltar Petroleum Limited

Acting for a significant creditor and shareholder in bringing Federal Court proceedings which culminated in the winding up in insolvency of an ASX-listed public company, Paltar Petroleum Limited.

Mossgreen

Advising the landlord of premises leased by Mossgreen regarding the landlord’s rights in the voluntary administration of Mossgreen.

Recognition

Career & qualifications

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of Queensland
  • Graduate Diploma (Professional Legal Education and Training), University of Queensland
  • Bachelor of Business (Management), University of Queensland
  • Master of Commercial Law, University of Melbourne
  • Legal Practice Management Course (The College of Law), 2018
  • ARITA Advanced Certificate in Insolvency, 2021

Memberships

  • Law Society of South Australia
  • Law Council of Australia, Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee
  • Turnaround Management Association Australia
  • Professional Member - Australian Restructuring, Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA)

Insights Read more insight

Launching our 2023 Insolvency & Restructuring Case Summaries publication

We are delighted to share with you the next edition of our Insolvency & Restructuring Case Summaries. With over 45 case summaries highlighting the key takeaways and the practical implications for...

More
National airline granted foreign state immunity against a winding up application

The New South Wales Court of Appeal has confirmed that foreign state immunity extends to a national airline subject to a winding up application.

More
Gunns: peak indebtedness is shot

On 8 February 2023, the High Court of Australia delivered judgment in Bryant v Badenoch Integrated Logging Pty Ltd [2023] HCA 2. JWS acted for PwC, the appellant liquidators of the Gunns group, and...

More