Ella has a broad practice in commercial and administrative law including corporations, tax and planning.

Before coming to the bar, Ella was Associate to Justice Gordon at the High Court, Senior Associate to Justice Dixon at the Supreme Court, and a solicitor in commercial litigation at Arnold Bloch Leibler.

Ella completed her undergraduate law degree at Cambridge University on a Cambridge Commonwealth Trust scholarship, and received the Richard Akinjide Prize for exceptional academic performance.  Ella also holds an LLM from Melbourne University (first class honours GPA) and Masters from Columbia University, where she was appointed a Teaching Fellow.

Ella is a reporter for the Commonwealth Law Reports.

Recent commercial/tax matters:

• Star Entertainment Group Class Action (Supreme Court): shareholder class action, with Ryan May and Rebecca Howe, led by William Edwards (ongoing)

• Advice for significant corporate group in relation to various complex commercial issues, led by Allan Myers KC AM (ongoing)

• Jeshing Property Management Pty Ltd v Yang & Ors (Court of Appeal): [2022] VSC 306, restrictive covenants, application for modification, led by Sam Horgan KC (ongoing, application for leave to appeal)

• Ma v Qin (Supreme Court): joint venture, equitable claims, misleading or deceptive conduct claims, led by Kathleen Foley SC (ongoing)

• ETG International v Century Group (Supreme Court): shareholder dispute, led by Kathleen Foley SC (ongoing)

• Mondous v Mansfield (Supreme Court):  contractual dispute, led by Carl Moller (ongoing)

• Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence (Crown Royal Commission): briefed for the Commission

• Habrok (Dalgaranga) Pty Ltd v Gasgoyne Resources Ltd (Federal Court): [2020] FCA 1395, corporate insolvency, voluntary administration, application to terminate deed of company arrangement, conflicts, adequacy of sale process, led by Bret Walker SC, with Dr Elizabeth Boros, and Tim Boyle

• PharmX Pty Ltd (in its capacity as trustee of the PharmX Unit Trust) v Fred IT Group (Supreme Court): shareholder dispute, change of control, judicial advice; led by Carl Moller (resolved)

• Braham Investments Pty Ltd v Charles Wantrup (Supreme Court): managed investment scheme, whether creation of trust, led by Mark Costello (resolved)

Recent planning/valuation matters:

• Secretary to the Department of Transport v oOh Media Assets Pty Ltd (Supreme Court): disputed compensation claim arising from land acquisition for the West Gate Tunnel project, led by David Batt KC (ongoing)

• Bellarine Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Committee Hearings: acted for developer, led by Paul Connor KC

• Korowa Anglican Girls School v Stonnington City Council (VCAT): [2022] VCAT 962, disputed permit application, led by Emily Porter SC

• Kingston v Head, Transport for Victoria; Jomaring Pty Ltd v Head, Transport for Victoria (Supreme Court): valuation dispute under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic) led by Stuart Morris QC and Emily Porter SC

• Hermal Timber Nominees Pty Ltd v Head, Transport for Victoria (Supreme Court): valuation dispute under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic) led by Marita Foley SC (ongoing)

• Bayside Residents for Council Accountability v Bayside City Council (VCAT): [2022] VCAT 606, application for declarations in relation to development funding agreement, acting for the Council, led by Adrian Finanzio SC

• 390A Queens Pde Pty Ltd v Yarra City Council (Supreme Court): appeal, disputed amendment to planning scheme, administrative law, led by Stuart Morris KC (resolved)

• Bertalli v Stonnington City Council (VCAT): application of heritage provisions to proposed works, led by Juliet Forsyth SC (resolved)

Ella is regularly briefed to advise commercial and government clients on commercial, planning and administrative law issues.

Ella read with Kathleen Foley and her senior mentor is Dr Catherine Button KC.

* Liability limited under a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation

Areas of Practice

Cases