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Liam Prescott

Partner
About

Liam Prescott is a commercial litigation and arbitration specialist.

Known for his legal and business acumen, Liam is trusted by clients to navigate complex and high stakes disputes and has more than 20 years’ experience advising and acting across a range of sectors, in particular mining and resources, energy, transport, and technology. Liam’s practice regularly involves him working seamlessly in large scale multi-partner matters and leading teams across offices to provide the expertise, depth and resourcing required and customised for the matter.

Whether the engagement is short-lived or long-running, Liam enjoys working side by side with his team and clients, and his ability to deliver highly technical expertise in a practical and commercial manner is regularly commended by his clients. Recent acknowledgement includes, ‘Liam considers all angles, both our offensive options as well as our weaknesses. He is willing to make the tough calls and is also able to take a step back and frame the case in simple terms with a clear and accurate narrative’ Beaton Debrief Top 150 Client Survey (2022) and ‘Liam Prescott is experienced, clever, and will always identify a solution that nobody else has managed to think of. Truly adds value and is an effective leader.’ Legal 500 (2021).

Liam is a dual qualified practitioner in Australia and the United Kingdom and is the Brisbane location head of the firm's Litigation & Regulatory Group.

Liam is also the Queensland Advisor of LexisNexis’s Practical Guidance Dispute Resolution.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of AustraliaSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and WalesSolicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland

EXPERIENCE

  • Defending Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited in a novel (test case) class action before the Federal Court of Australia concerning the Australian Consumer Law and wages of franchisee employees.
  • Advising a Japanese multi-national energy company in a high value contractor dispute.
  • Acting for a French multi-national construction and engineering company in NSW Supreme Court proceedings relating to the share purchase agreement for an Australian subsidiary of a Finnish company.
  • Advising an Australian renewable energy development and storage investment company in a shareholder dispute concerning a solar farm.
  • Advising a national insurer in relation to warranty and indemnity claims arising from its sale of a significant interest in a national automotive repairs business.
  • Acting in a multi-jurisdictional team of DLA Piper Partners for an international joint venture in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore arising from an EPC contract for the Ichthys Onshore LNG Project (Northern Territory) which is Australia's largest LNG project.
  • Acting for Timor-Leste in the successful landmark ICSID arbitration concerning a disputed fuel supply contract (Link to ICSID Award). This was the first ICSID case heard in Australia and provides guidance on Timor-Leste's foreign investment laws and procedures.
  • Acting for Timor-Leste in subsequent related but separate proceedings before the Australian Federal Court and the Victorian Supreme Court.
  • Acting for the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in Australian Federal Court proceedings relating to the Pearls Ponzi scheme involving more than USD8 billion and USD58.5 million Indian investors. The proceeding involved tracing more than AUD$140 million in funds misappropriated from India and used to buy property in Australia, including the Gold Coast Sheraton Mirage.
  • Acting for Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited in Federal Court litigation relating to the Domino's/Navman Wireless GPS Driver Tracker technology platform. This litigation was one of the most complex intellectual property disputes concerning ownership of GPS data tracking technology in Australian history. The litigation settled on terms that allowed Domino's to continue to use the technology both in Australia and in all of its overseas operations.
Education
  • University of Queensland, BSc, 1997
  • University of Queensland, LLB, Hons I, 1999

Awards

  • “Liam Prescott is a true thought leader.” Client testimonial in Legal 500 (Australia), Dispute Resolution: Litigation 2023
  • “Liam Prescott has unrivalled commercial acumen and excellent legal skills.” Client testimonial, Legal 500 (Australia), Dispute Resolution 2022
  • “Liam Prescott is experienced, clever, and will always identify a solution that nobody else has managed to think of. Truly adds value and is an effective leader.” Client testimonial, Legal 500 (Australia), Dispute Resolution 2021
  • The Legal500 (Australia) 2019 edition observed "recommended for international arbitration". The 2018 referred to Liam as 'outstanding' in international arbitration .
  • Best Lawyers for International Arbitration, Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution 2019
  • Finalist for Lawyers Weekly - Dispute Partner of the Year - 2018

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Queensland Law Society
  • The Law Society (UK)
  • Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)

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