Three made partner while one becomes a principal lawyer
Thomson Geer has promoted Joanna Ling, Liam McIllhatton, Fiona Stapleton and Scott Newlan to senior roles.
Ling, McIllhatton and Stapleton make partner at the firm while Newlan becomes a principal lawyer. Ling works with the firm’s planning and environment team in Sydney, McIllhatton with the property and development group in Sydney, and Stapleton with the tax team in Adelaide.
Newlan practises with Thomson Geer sister firm TG Legal + Technology’s workplace and insurance services team in Melbourne.
Thomson Geer and TG Legal + Technology also welcomed the following as special counsel:
In total, the firm promoted 51 lawyers, including 12 senior associates and 13 associates.
A team from Thomson Geer also helped Nine Entertainment Co. (owner of the Australian Financial Review) and Joe Aston, former AFR journalist and author, to a victory in the Supreme Court of Queensland.Nine Entertainment and Aston were 2 of 11 defendants in a $445m securities class action filed by investment fund Blue Dog Pty Ltd on behalf of shareholders in ASX-listed investment and asset management company Blue Sky Alternative Investment Fun. Blue Sky had crumpled after a supposed coordinated "short-selling attack" by Glaucus in April 2018.
The suit claimed tortious conspiracy, insider-trading, misleading or deceptive conduct and a range of statutory contraventions. After a number of strike out and interlocutory applications, the allegations were entirely discontinued, with Nine and Aston being favoured in the costs orders. Court approval was given on 17 June.
Disputes partner Scott Castledine led the Thomson Geer team with support from partner Justin Quill, senior associate Ben Hutchins, associate Ella Walters and lawyer Noah-James Lambert.
