George Pasas
Clayton Utz
George is one of the hardest working and most strategic litigators I have ever worked with. At each step of the way, we felt we were in safe hands.
– General Counsel at a major global investment house
George has a broad commercial disputes and litigation practice, focusing on corporate and shareholder issues, contract disputes (particularly in property and construction), and fraud and misleading or deceptive conduct cases.
He has considerable experience in obtaining urgent injunctive relief in a range of commercial settings (including restraint of trade claims, fraud issues, property disputes, confidentiality breaches and other matters).
George is also a trusted adviser to numerous private equity boards, major investment houses and senior government officials in respect of strategy. He is regularly asked to assist with proposed transactions and has acted in multiple sensitive internal investigations.
George also works closely with Zac Chami in our international trade and anti-dumping practice.
Focus Financial Partners: Successfully acted for Focus in a 'bet-the-company' fraud dispute concerning one of its Australian subsidiaries, as well as obtaining urgent injunctive relief restraining former directors from operating a competing business.
Sleeping Duck: Successfully acted for the majority shareholders in Sleeping Duck in their defence of high-value oppression proceedings in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Major private equity firms and investment houses: Acting in multiple ongoing investment management disputes, oppression claims and contracts issues in various courts across Australia.
Clubs and sporting bodies: Advising multiple well-known registered clubs and sporting bodies on sensitive and highly-publicised constitutional and governance issues.
Major property funds: Successfully acted in many urgent and high-value property disputes (including injunctive relief, mortgagee and priority disputes, settlement issues, make good obligations and other lease and property sale disputes).
Siemens: Successfully 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.
NSW Government: Advised the NSW Government and the NSW Building Commissioner on all aspects of the Government's high-profile response to Mascot Towers.
Major wealth management corporation: Advised a major wealth management corporation and its employees on an ASIC investigation relating to potential insider trading.
Major defence and aerospace contractors: Advised multiple international defence and aerospace contractors on their engagement with Australian regulatory authorities concerning potential enforcement action.
Guardian Glass: Acted for Guardian Glass in multiple anti-dumping investigations conducted by the Australian Dumping Commission.