About Andrew Maher
For more than two decades, Andrew has conducted some of Australia's largest and most complex commercial disputes and regulatory enforcement matters for clients, primarily, in the financial services, energy and industrials sectors. In recent years, his practice has focused most significantly in resolving disputes with a wide range of Australian and international regulators, including ASIC, APRA, ATO, ACCC and AER. Andrew also conducts a market-leading contentious and advisory insurance practice, handling some of Australia's highest-value property and liability insurance claims and advising clients on their risk management and insurance programs. Andrew has been consistently ranked as a leading individual in Chambers Global and other legal industry guides.
Andrew's relevant experience includes:
- Commissions of Inquiry: leading Crown Resorts' response to the Victorian Royal Commission into Casino Operator and Licence, acting for Aware Super in the Financial Services Royal Commission and representing the Insurance Council of Australia in the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission;
- Class actions: representing PTTEP Australasia in the Montara Oil Spill Class Action, one of the largest environmental class actions in Australia's history, and acting for ExxonMobil in multiple class actions arising from a significant landslide at a project site overseas;
- Superannuation sector investigations and disputes: acting for various superannuation funds in responding to APRA and ASIC investigations and civil penalty proceedings, including in connection with 'fees for no service' and greenwashing issues;
- Energy sector disputes: acting for Shell in its successful High Court proceedings against the ATO's denial of a multi-billion dollar tax deduction for the cost of acquiring a share in the Browse Basin natural gas joint venture, acting for Hornsdale Wind Farm in defending the AER's civil penalty proceedings concerning the 2016 South Australian blackouts and acting for Stockyard Hill Wind Farm in defending tortious nuisance claims brought by multiple local landowners;
- Arbitrations: representing oil and gas producers in price reviews and arbitrations under long term gas supply contracts and in joint venture disputes in connection with Australian and international projects; and
- Insurance claims: acting for blue-chip clients across multiple sectors in resolving high-value directors and officers, professional indemnity, general liability, industrial special risks and cyber insurance claims, including in superior court litigation and arbitrations across Australia.
Key to Andrew's success as a commercial litigator has been his ability to develop longstanding 'trusted advisor' relationships with his clients through his deep understanding of their businesses and commercial objectives and his strategic approach to the delivery of successful and cost effective matter outcomes.