Guy French
ConsultantThe essence of working with clients from my experience is to understand and achieve their commercial goals in the most cost-effective manner.
Guy French has 40 years' experience in civil litigation in federal and state jurisdictions. He has experience in many areas of dispute resolution, including corporate prosecutions, property disputes and intellectual property, along with general commercial matters.
Guy has also been involved in providing advice in all aspects of occupational health and safety, which includes advising on safety issues, development of manuals, advising on legislation including investigatory powers, advice and representation on serious injury and fatality incidents and appearing at Coroners' Inquests.
As a senior practitioner, Guy is an experienced advocate and appears in a variety of jurisdictions, including as junior counsel.
For the past 7 years, Guy has been included in the Best Lawyers Australia in the category of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Guy's experience as a journalist has also assisted in advising clients on how to best deal with issues where the press has been interested and could possibly react adversely to his client.
EXPERIENCE
- Acting in a multi-billion dollar arbitration dispute advising on one part of the dispute. The matter settled prior to arbitration.
- Acting in large-scale Federal Court litigation involving (former) Trade Practices Act issues arising from a multi-million dollar foreign currency loan. Successfully resisted claim against finance broker.
- Acting in matters involving ASIC and other regulatory body investigations including the successful defence of insider trading charges and the successful defence of a director charged with material non-disclosure in a prospectus offer to the public.
- Acting for the Fremantle Football Club in relation to the successful challenge to the outcome of an AFL match where a goal was kicked by the opposing side after the final siren which was not heard by the umpire. The initial result was a tie but the challenge saw the result overturned and recorded as a win for Fremantle.
- Acting for Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga in a disciplinary hearing after he took his team from the field in Adelaide after one of his bowlers was called for throwing, Negotiated a suspended penalty outcome which seen as extremely favourable for the client.
- Acting as solicitor on the matter of the challenge in the Court of Disputed Returns (being the High Court of Australia) concerning the Senate election in Western Australia at the last election.
- Acting for a contractor in relation to monies owing and alleged to be owed which gave rise to several claims under the Construction Contracts Act. This involved millions of dollars and our client was successful throughout in making and resisting claims.
- Acting for a tenant in dispute in regard to rent for one of Perth's most successful and high profile restaurants. (Negotiated successful outcome).
- Acting for a large property developer in an action for prerogative relief taken by the Water Corporation in Western Australia. (Settled favourably).
- Acting in an arbitration which involved not only a two week arbitration hearing but also numerous Supreme Court actions arising from the same subject matters in relation to compensation payable under the Town Planning legislation to a property developer. (Settled on confidential terms)
- Acting for Comcare as the federal safety regulator on a number of Federal Court actions involving breaches of Commonwealth safety legislation.
- Investigation and advising on a fatality at the Kalgoorlie Super Pit for Kalgoorlie Consolidated Goldmines.
- Representing and advising clients on obligations as a declared Major Hazard Facility under the Dangerous Goods Act legislation in Western Australia.
- Undertaking investigation of deaths at accommodation camp for FMG in the wake of Cyclone George in 2007.
- Advising Newmont Asia Pacific (and the previous owner of its Australian holdings Normandy Mining) on all serious incidents that have occurred since 1997. These include the triple fatality at the Bronzewing goldmine which occurred in 2000 after a wall collapse and a mud rush at the mine. This matter involved an investigation which was complicated by the fact that it took five weeks to recover the bodies of the deceased. It also involved a two week coronial inquest and a criminal prosecution. It also involved significant and complex insurance issues which were only finalised in 2011.
- University of Western Australia, Bachelor of Laws, 1982
- University of Western Australia, Bachelor of Jurisprudence, 1981
- Qualified journalist, Completed cadetship, 1976
