Ella practices in commercial and public law.

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 was a reporter for the Commonwealth Law Reports from 2019 to 2024.

A selection of matters in which Ella has been briefed include:

Commercial/class actions 

Warner v Ansell Limited (Supreme Court): shareholder class action led by Michael Rush KC and Kane Loxley

Marianne Haverkort v Qantas Airways Limited (Federal Court): consumer law class action, led by Dr Oren Bigos KC

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

Advice for significant corporate group in relation to various commercial and tax issues, led by Allan Myers KC AM

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

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

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

Jeshing Property Management Pty Ltd v Yang & Ors (Court of Appeal): [2022] VSC 306; [2023] VSCA 185 principles governing construction of registered instruments, led by Sam Horgan KC

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 KC, 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 SC (resolved)

Chen v Blockchain Global Limited & anor (Supreme Court): cryptocurrency, breach of contract dispute, led by Sam Horgan KC

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

Inquiries/Panels

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

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

Land valuation

Advice in connection with an acquisition for the Suburban Rail Loop project

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

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

Planning and environment

Nikou v Boroondara City Council [2023] VCAT 1287, disputed permit application (unled)

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

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

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

Ella read with Kathleen Foley SC and her senior mentor is Justice Catherine Button.

* Liability limited under a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation

Areas of Practice

Cases