Simon Tolhurst
Simon Tolhurst specialises in dispute resolution, competition and consumer law and brings with him over 20 years of legal experience.
Simon assists Government (both State and Federal) as well as commercial clients in the mining, oil and gas, franchising and other industries. Simon prides himself on developing a high performance culture within his team with an emphasis on client service and practical commercial resolutions to difficult commercial issues.
Simon is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and High Court of Australia. He holds a Masters of Laws from the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Queensland Petroleum Exploration Association.
Simon has been named in Best Lawyers™ Australia for Litigation. Simon has also been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyers.
Experience
Simon’s experience includes advising:
- Australian Taxation Office by acting for the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation in a range of defended debt matters including trial, summary judgment, settlement and security reviews;
- National Heavy Vehicle Regulator by providing both specific and broad based advice regarding liability, quantum and release of information issues associated with a new legislative scheme;
- Hatamoto in relation to the provision of competition law and structuring advice in respect of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games for reporting to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (GOLDOC) so as to meet their operational requirements and address their operational concerns;
- Large Australian companies (confidential) in the steel fabrication industry, leading the crisis management team in respect of fraud and extortion activities. The work included the development of the crisis management plan and co-ordination of internal and external members and stakeholders including legal, accounting, insurance, investigative, human resource and public relations providers;
- Chinese resource investment group (confidential) in the NSW Supreme Court (and court of appeal), undertaking urgent litigation to obtain preservation and tracing orders following the unauthorised dissipation of investment funds held for resource based projects in various bank/trust accounts. Subsequent trial resulted in favourable judgment and recoveries against assets preserved by interim action; and
- Carnival Cruises (Operators of P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises) in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Brisbane Register, successfully defending claims that their booking terms and conditions constituted ‘unfair terms’ within the meaning of the Unfair Contract Terms Law of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth).