Rena is a dispute resolution lawyer specialising in large scale commercial litigation, corporate insolvency and class actions.
Rena advises insolvency practitioners in prosecuting claims from national insolvencies including for breaches of auditors’ and directors’ duties, as well as issues relating to the external administration of companies including proof of debt claims, insolvent trading claims and enforcing security interests.
Rena also prosecutes and defends class actions involving financial institutions, auditors, lawyers, a resources multinational and companies in liquidation in the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of New South Wales and Supreme Court of Victoria.
Rena’s experience in commercial litigation includes contractual disputes, misleading and deceptive conduct claims, directors and professional liability claims, commercial leasing disputes and disputes in the engineering industry and resources sector.
Acting against Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd and Allianz Australia Life Insurance Ltd in the Supreme Court of Victoria. The proceeding relates to the sale of “add-on” motor vehicle insurance involving claims of misleading and deceptive conduct, unconscionable conduct and mistake. It was the first proceeding in Australia to apply for a group costs order (currently adjourned) for JWS to be paid a contingency fee on any settlement or judgment.
Acted for the liquidators of one of Australia’s largest pre-paid phone card and bill payment facility collapses in claims against former auditors, Pitcher Partners and KPMG, for professional negligence and misleading and deceptive conduct for claims in excess of $200 million, as well as against former directors of the company for insolvent trading.
Acted for the liquidators in claims with a combined value of approximately $250 million arising from the collapse of one of Australia’s largest timber and forestry management companies. Claims were against former auditors, KPMG, for professional negligence and breach of contract, and against former directors in respect of misstatements in the annual reports. Also defended a class action for alleged losses from managed investment schemes regarding the establishment of timber plantations across Australia.
Acted in a Supreme Court of Victoria proceeding to appoint special purpose liquidators over Aus Streaming Ltd (In Liq) to investigate spurious investments of the company valued at $145M – the company was established to provide metal streaming services and revolutionise the Australian and international critical metals/resources markets.
Acted for an engineering company specialising in induction heating and other processed electronic engineering methods in international litigation against NZ Steel Ltd involving a complex contractual dispute.
Bogan v The Estate of Peter John Smedley (Deceased) [2022] VSC 201 On 26 April 2022, John Dixon J delivered judgment in the Arrium class action holding that a group costs order (GCO) at 40...
Allen v G8 Education Ltd [2022] VSC 32. The group costs order (GCO) regime allows law firms in class actions to recover legal fees and expenses as a percentage of any award or settlement. The...
The first ‘group costs order’ (GCO) has been made in the Supreme Court of Victoria, one year and five months after the regime came into effect. It was granted by the Honourable Justice Nichols in...