Zac Chami
Clayton Utz
Partner
Sydney
Zac's commitment to the cases has always been top-notch.
– Chambers Asia-Pacific
Overview
Widely recognised for his expertise in complex commercial litigation, private law, public law, and insolvency. His extensive and varied experience allows him to assist clients in resolving commercial disputes, through leveraging his understanding of commercial dynamics. He is also a trusted strategic advisor to various government agencies.
Notable Work
- Acted for multiple Siemens-related entities (including Siemens Ltd and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy) in numerous high-value disputes concerning wind farms in Victoria and South Australia, including litigation and arbitrations relating to bank guarantees, defects, contractual claims and termination rights.
- Acted for and advised Trilogy Funds Management Limited, a responsible entity of a large fund holding over $1B in land assets, in litigation, recovery and insolvency proceedings and its statutory and common law legal duties.
- Acting for the majority shareholders in Sleeping Duck in their defence of high-value shareholder oppression proceedings brought by a minority shareholder in the Victorian Supreme Court.
- Advised multiple international defence and aerospace contractors in respect of highly sensitive voluntary disclosures. The depth and sophistication of those disclosures ultimately satisfied the government in each instance that it should not proceed to prosecution.
- Acted for DHL Global in obtaining exoneration orders for DHL, from any criminal liability in the first prosecution of a logistics company in Australia under the Customs Act 1901 (Cth).
- Advised and assisted a major wealth management corporation and its employees in respect of an ASIC investigation relating to potential insider trading. The process ended with ASIC determining not to commence proceedings.
- Acted for ASIC in its high-profile civil penalty proceedings against former directors and officers of companies in the James Hardie Group, ABN60 Pty Limited and James Hardie Industries NV.
- Advised the liquidators of the HIH Insurance Group in relation to various recovery actions against auditors, actuaries, directors and reinsurance companies.
- Acts for Ahpra in disciplinary proceedings in numerous and various Tribunal proceedings nationally seeking sanctions be imposed on registered medical practitioners under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) for professional misconduct.
- Regularly conducts merits and judicial review on behalf of the Commonwealth in all relevant tribunals, the federal courts and the High Court of Australia.
Insights
Delay as a bar to interlocutory injunctive relief: The need to act quickly to protect your rights
27 Mar 2024 | Article
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Judicial review for irrationality or illogicality: Full Federal Court clarifies the law
20 Oct 2023 | Article
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Australia and Germany: Closer than ever following work on our strategic alliance
19 Jul 2023 | Article
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Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement in force – now to make it work for you
13 Jun 2023 | Article
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A matter of expert opinion: how lawyers should engage with expert witnesses
26 May 2023 | Article
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A mixed bag for liquidators in High Court decisions on claims of unfair preference or other voidable transactions
9 Feb 2023 | Article
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Australia’s Free Trade Agreements: The 2022 round-up, and the opportunities in 2023
12 Dec 2022 | Article
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Australia’s corporate insolvency laws to undergo a comprehensive review
4 Oct 2022 | Article
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Free trade agreement between Australia and the European Union back on the table – with some caveats
7 Jul 2022 | Article
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The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement: A possible step towards a full Free Trade Agreement
14 Apr 2022 | Article
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Australia's "rolling wave" of Russian sanctions requires ongoing corporate diligence
1 Apr 2022 | Article
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Australia's extensive sanctions response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: consequences for Australian entities
25 Feb 2022 | Article
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RCEP: World's largest free trade deal to enter into force on 1 January 2022
25 Nov 2021 | Article
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Australia and the UK reach an Agreement in Principle for the long-awaited Australia-UK FTA
24 Jun 2021 | Article
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Passing like ships in the night? Making sure your expert witnesses truly confer
15 Oct 2020 | Article
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The (Blue) Sky is the limit! Guidance for determining whether a decision is a nullity
28 May 2020 | Article
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Victorian Supreme Court guidance on “True Rule” of contractual construction and restrains access to performance security
16 Apr 2020 | Article
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Directors to get insolvent trading relief, but debt recovery toughened, under temporary COVID-19 measures
24 Mar 2020 | Article
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Indonesia-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed: A win for agricultural exporters
21 Mar 2019 | Article
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More streamlined process, wider pool of buyers, for administrators in restructuring following Mesa Minerals decision
3 Dec 2018 | Article
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Opening access to new marketplaces for primary exports via the Indonesia-Australia Free Trade Agreement
13 Sep 2018 | Article
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Australian restructuring gets a boost as High Court supports the holding DOCA concept
12 Sep 2018 | Article
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New ipso facto regime clearer with final Regulations, but uncertainty for business and insolvency sector remains
26 Jun 2018 | Article
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Exemptions to the stay on ipso facto clauses released for comment
20 Apr 2018 | Article
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Liquidators of insolvent corporate trustees, the law on distribution of assets has now been settled
23 Mar 2018 | Article
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Australia's evolving agribusiness landscape: How changing trade deals could impact primary industry exports
7 Dec 2017 | Article
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A simpler, more streamlined framework for agricultural exports on the way
28 Sep 2017 | Article
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Safe harbour reforms passed, and anti-phoenixing reforms on the way
12 Sep 2017 | Article
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Agricultural export legislation – the Federal Government is seeking your views
4 Sep 2017 | Article
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Major decision on set-off and security interests in insolvency may lead to significant contractual change
7 Jun 2017 | Article
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