Justin Castelan

• Arbitrators & Mediators
• Commercial Law
• Competition
• Equity
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Intellectual Property
• Media, Entertainment & Broadcast
• Professional Negligence

Justin signed the Victorian Bar Roll in 2000. He is briefed in a large range of media, intellectual property, common law and commercial disputes. His recent noteable matters include:

• Google LLC v Defteros (2022) 403 ALR 434; [2022] HCA 27 (defamation). Justin appeared for the respondent in the High Court and in the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal [2021] VSCA 167.
• Halal Certification Authority Pty Ltd v Flujo Sanguineo Holdings Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 1399 (trademarks).  Justin apeared alone for the respondents at trial (who were successful) and again before the Full Federal Court on the appeal, where judgment is presently reserved.
• Zuchowski v Howe [2022] VCC 1604 (defamation on Facebook). Justin appeared for the plaintiff, who was awarded $205,000 damages.
• Mulhollands v Langdon [2022] VCC 1848 (defamation during Council election). Justin appeared for the plaintiffs, who were awarded $80,000 damages.
• Food and Wine Travel Pty Ltd v Express Travel Group Pty Ltd [2021] VSCA 280 (defamation on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube). Justin appeared for the respondent in the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal.
• Tawhidi v Awad [2022] VSC 669 (defamation on Twitter and Facebook). Justin appeared for the plaintiff at trial.
• Agustin-Bunch v Smith [2022] VSC 290 (defamation on Youtube videos that have been watched more than 28.6 million times). Justin appeared for the plaintiffs with Ms Evelyn Tadros on a number of applications.
• Wellington v Metcalf [2022] VCC 1759 (defamation on Facebook). Justin appeared with Ms Holly Jager for the defendant at trial.
• Dean v Puleio [2021] VCC 848 (defamation by Google review). Justin appeared for the plaintiff, who was awarded $170,000 damages;
• Justin appeared for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts in the Geoffrey Rush defamation trial;
• Justin appeared for the nine plaintiffs at trial in the Victorian Supreme Court in Moroney v Zegers, who cumulatively won $810,000, the second highest damages award for defamation in Victorian history.

Justin is presently the Deputy Chair of the Media Law Section of the Commercial Bar of Victoria.

In terms of common law, Justin has appeared for Powercor Australia Ltd and CitiPower Pty in more than a dozen matters over the last decade, including the test case in Powercor Australia Ltd v Maximum Concrete Pumping Pty Ltd [2019] VCC 63.  He has also represented other insurers in negligence claims, including Telstra Corporation Ltd v Gramac Excavations Pty Ltd [2022] VCC 944.

To view a detailed curriculum vitae pleasehere.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.