Polat Siva
Polat specialises in commercial disputes, regulatory investigations/disputes and insolvency. He has over 20 years’ experience in helping clients understand and manage risk and navigate complex disputes and crises. He works with clients in the early stages of disputes to provide strategic and pragmatic advice and find solutions.
Polat assists clients with a broad range of corporate/commercial disputes, including contractual disputes, M&A disputes, misleading or deceptive conduct claims and shareholder disputes.
In the regulatory area, Polat has advised regulated entities and regulators and acted in lengthy and complex regulatory investigations and disputes (and related matters) in numerous industries including financial services.
Polat is a key member of our government services team. He is the lead disputes lawyer in our Victorian government team and has worked with a number of Commonwealth government departments and agencies.
Polat also works with a range of stakeholders including banks/lenders, insolvency practitioners and directors in insolvency-related matters. His expertise includes both acting in formal insolvencies (liquidation, voluntary administration and receiverships) and advising in relation to distressed situations and informal restructuring.
Polat has been recognised by his peers with listings in Best LawyersTM Australia in 2019-2021 in the areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Insolvency/Reorganisation.
Experience
Polat’s experience includes advising:
- A number of entities the subject of investigations by AUSTRAC in relation to compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Act and related disputes and issues;
- The ultimate owner of Australia’s largest dairy farming operation in an M&A dispute relating to the $280 million sale of the operation;
- Various clients across industries including a major bank and listed financial services providers in relation to regulatory investigations by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (banking, financial planning, superannuation and directors’ duties), the Australian Federal Police (foreign bribery) and other regulators and related disputes arising from those investigations;
- A major retailer in relation to a contractual dispute regarding the implementation of a significant IT project;
- Victorian government departments and agencies in relation to the exercise of powers and functions, contractual disputes, the Human Rights Charter and disputes in VCAT and the Supreme Court of Victoria;
- A professional services partnership in a $17 million claim against a former partner for breach of fiduciary duties;
- An engineering firm in relation to an $18 million claim regarding the provision of professional services in the design of a hospital;
- A private equity fund in a $7 million claim against the founders of a business for breaches of warranties in a share sale transaction; and
- A food manufacturer in a dispute with a packaging supplier in relation to a $20 million per annum supply contract.