Simon was admitted to practice in 1990 and spent 6 years working with Herbert Smith Freehills (as it is now known) in the early part of his career. He joined a small commercial CBD firm thereafter and was a founding partner of Horton Rhodes in 1996.

Simon’s experience allows him to bring a strategic approach to matters to ensure that his client’s commercial outcomes remain paramount. In addition to commercial matters Simon has also acted for clients in a variety of regulatory inquiries, Royal Commissions and white collar crime matters and investigations.

Simon has been recognised and listed in Doyles Leading Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyers – NSW 2018 and 2019.

Practice Areas

Simon’s principal areas of practice are –

• Commercial litigation;
• Regulatory inquiries and investigations; and
• Senior level employment contract advice.

Recent experience

• Acted for Hancock Prospecting Pty Limited in a royalty dispute against a Rio Tinto Limited subsidiary, succeeding at trial and in the High Court, achieving a judgment in excess of $130 million with ongoing royalties to be paid
• Acting for former Country Head of Citigroup Australia in proceedings brought by the ACCC in respect of a $2.5 billion capital raising by ANZ Group Limited, alleging criminal cartel conduct
• Acted for former CEO of ASX Limited and Tabcorp Limited in relation to a foreign bribery investigation – no charges will be laid
• Acted for senior coal industry executive and public company director in ICAC Operations Jasper and Acacia with no adverse findings made
• Acted for former CEO of Rexel in Australia in ACCC cartel proceedings concerning the electrical cable industry. Proceedings dismissed and ACCC ordered to pay costs
• Acted for a former director of Rio Tinto Limited in relation to a joint SEC and ASIC investigation concerning the Riversdale Mining acquisition in Mozambique
• Acted for one of the former founding shareholders of Pengana Limited in Commercial List proceedings concerning alleged breach of a shareholder sagreement related to the merger of Pengana with Hunter Hall Limited
• Acted for Senior Executive of Hanlong Mining Limited in relation to an ASIC insider trading investigation
• Acted for Rugby Australia (formerly known as Australian Rugby Union) in Supreme Court Commercial List proceedings
• Acting for senior Colonial First State executive in relation to matters arsing from the Banking Royal Commission
• Act for Crescent Capital Partners in relation to issues that arise from time to time associated with portfolio companies
• Acted for multiple individuals in ASIC investigations, including in relation to alleged insider trading and unconscionable conduct
• Acting for an executive employed by AMP Limited in relation to issues arising in the Banking Royal Commission
• Acted for BGC Partners Pty Limited in Federal Court proceedings against ICAP Pty Limited concerning alleged broker poaching
• Acting for substantial irrigation operator in relation to prosecutions alleging breach of Water Licence conditions
• Acted for witnesses called before the Royal Commission into Trade Unions and Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse