Charles
Scerri QC

Charles Scerri QC has extensive experience as an advocate and advisor in a wide variety of commercial matters with a particular emphasis on contractual disputes, competition and consumer law matters, class actions and commercial disputes within the mining and resources sector. He appears principally in the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Victoria. He also appears regularly interstate and in Papua New Guinea. 

Widely regarded as a leading advocate, Charles is regularly engaged by the Australian government, the Victorian government, the Papua New Guinea government, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and other Commonwealth agencies and departments. 

Recent cases

Some of the major commercial law cases Charles has undertaken are outlined below: 

Ok Tedi class action litigation (for BHP Billiton and Ok Tedi Mining Limited) and later class action (acting for Ok Tedi Mining Limited) 

Kelian litigation concerning mineral reserves in Kalimantan, Borneo (acting for Rio Tinto) 

Longford Royal Commission concerning the explosion at the Longford Gas Plant (acting for BHP Billiton) 

Melbourne Metropolitan Ambulance Service Royal Commission (acting for a Mallesons Stephen Jaques partner) 

Acting for Administrators/Liquidators in the Opes Prime litigation arising out of insolvency, including several class actions 

Access litigation in the Federal and High Courts of Australia in relation to access to the railways in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (acting for the National Competition Council) 

AWB Limited shareholder class action in Sydney, Melbourne and New York 

Orrong Strategies v Village Roadshow in Victorian Supreme Court concerning a contractual dispute and accounting and valuation issues 

GSK v TPI and Ritchie in Victorian Supreme Court concerning the use of confidential information 

Multiplex shareholder class action 

Litigation in Papua New Guinea concerning the Ramu nickel and cobalt project (acting for Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited, a Chinese government owned corporation)