Matthew Tennant

• Commercial Law
• Competition
• Equity
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Professional Negligence

Matthew practices in a broad range of commercial law disputes, with a focus on insolvency, banking and finance, professional negligence, building and construction, insurance and the Australian Consumer Law. He is also a current committee member of the Building Dispute Practitioners’ Society.

He has appeared in a variety of matters, both led and unled, in the Federal Court, Supreme Court, County Court, Magistrates’ Court, Federal Circuit and Family Court and in VCAT. 

Matthew appeared for the successful Plaintiff in Cargill Australia Ltd v Viterra Malt Pty Ltd & Ors (No 28) [2022] VSC 13 led by Paul Anastassiou KC, Lisa Nichols QC (as Her Honour then was),  Catherine Button QC (as Her Honour then was) and Philip Solomon KC, with Kate Burke, Charles Parkinson, Helen Tiplady, Kathleen Foley, Chris Tran, Premala Thiagarajan and Tom Barry. The trial ran for 111 days in the Supreme Court. The Plaintiff’s claim was for misleading or deceptive conduct, deceit and breach of contractual warranties in respect of the purchase of a large malting business. 

Other matters in which Matthew has appeared include:

• Song & Hu v Brady Lonsdale Pty Ltd – [2023] VCC 239. Acting for successful Defendant property developer in 17 day trial defending claim for alleged misleading and deceptive conduct and breaches of Sale of Land Act and/or Property Law Act and counterclaim for breach of contract in respect of sale of off-the-plan apartment. 
• Jess & Burness as Trustees of the Bankrupt Estates of C & J Lostitch v R Lostitch [2022] FedCFam2CG 342. Acting for Bankruptcy Trustees in claim pursuant to section 120, 121, 139D and 139DA of the Bankruptcy Act seeking orders for vesting of real property purchased by bankrupts for their daughter. 
• Hodge v Asteron Life & Superannuation Ltd, Foley and Financial Services Partners Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of NSW – Acting for Plaintiff in claim against life insurer for indemnity under policy and financial adviser for negligent advice and breaches of Corporations Act.  Matter ongoing.
• In the matter of Minken Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of Victoria (unreported). Successful application by liquidators for directions pursuant to section 479(3) of the Corporations Act. Led by Jonathan Evans QC.
• Re Mystique Print Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] VSC 280 – Application by liquidators seeking appointment as receiver and manager of trust assets.
• Re J Build Developments Pty Ltd [2022] VSC 434 – Successful application to set aside statutory demand.
• Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board v Architectus Group Pty Ltd & Ors – Supreme Court of Victoria.  Application for production of documents over which Plaintiff had made a claim for legal professional privilege.  Led by Cam Truong QC.
• Ewin v Siemering (Building and Property) [2021] VCAT 1080.  Acting for Plaintiff owner in successful assessment of damages against Defendant builder.
• A.R.T. Builders Pty Ltd v Wire It Electrics Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of Victoria (unreported).  Successful opposition to application to set aside statutory demand.

Matthew has experience acting for liquidators and bankruptcy trustees in relation to all aspects of corporate and personal insolvency, banks, non-bank lenders and finance corporations in the enforcement of their security interests and large and small insurers in relation to indemnity, liability and quantum disputes.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Matthew was a Senior Associate at Russell Kennedy.  He worked there for ten years in the Dispute Resolution and Banking & Finance Litigation practice groups. At Russell Kennedy, amongst other matters, Matthew acted for Thermomix in Australia Pty Ltd in Federal Court proceedings brought against it by the ACCC for breaches of the Australian Consumer Law.

Matthew also spent more than 13 months on secondment at the Financial Ombudsman Service (now the Australian Financial Complaints Authority) where he assisted with the resolution of disputes against financial planners and life insurers.

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.