HomeServicesPracticesCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Practice

Civil litigation and dispute resolution

Clear advice on prospects, cost and strategy before a dispute escalates — and firm representation when it does, in court, at mediation or in arbitration.

AustraliaNew ZealandPortugal · EUBrazil

Most disputes are resolved before a hearing, and the ones that are not are won on preparation. We advise early on the strength of a position and the cost of pursuing it, use negotiation and mediation where they will work, and litigate where they will not.

Cross-border disputes — a contract governed by Brazilian law, a judgment to enforce in Portugal, a party in New Zealand — are a particular strength, because we can read the foreign law and documents ourselves.

Who this is for

  • Businesses in a commercial dispute
  • Individuals with a contract, consumer or defamation claim
  • Parties to a dispute that crosses borders
  • Clients needing a foreign judgment recognised or enforced

What we do

  • Pre-litigation advice, letters of demand and negotiated settlements
  • Contract disputes and breach of contract claims
  • Corporate, shareholder and partnership disputes
  • Australian Consumer Law claims and defences
  • Defamation, reputation and privacy matters
  • Regulatory and public-law disputes
  • Mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution
  • Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and awards

How it works

Prospects and strategy

We assess the claim or defence, the evidence and the likely cost, and recommend a route — settle, mediate, arbitrate or litigate.

Preparation

Pleadings, evidence and expert reports are prepared; negotiation continues in parallel where it may resolve the matter.

Hearing and enforcement

We appear or brief counsel, and enforce the outcome — including abroad — when it is obtained.

Questions

Will you tell me if a case is not worth pursuing?

Yes. A frank view of prospects and cost at the start is the most valuable advice we give.

Can an Australian judgment be enforced in Brazil?

Foreign judgments must be recognised by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) before enforcement in Brazil. We handle the recognition and the enforcement.

Do you act in arbitration?

Yes — as counsel in domestic and international arbitrations and in applications to enforce or resist awards.

Talk to us about civil litigation & dispute resolution.

A short message with the countries involved is enough to start. We reply within one business day.