Brock Gunthorpe

Brock has contributed to a number of significant commercial litigation matters in State and Federal courts and tribunals. He has worked with many of Australia’s listed corporates in the banking, industrials, mining and energy sectors, as well as State and Federal governments, delivering strategic and commercial advice on public law, taxation and class action disputes.

Brock maintains a keen interest in administrative and public law, and helped co-author Herbert Smith Freehills’ first comprehensive internal practitioner resource on freedom of information.

He contributed to the preparation of Herbert Smith Freehills’ submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services’ 2020 inquiry into the ‘Litigation Funding and Regulation of the Class Action industry’ and has co-authored a paper on resolving R&D disputes. 

Brock’s recent experience includes assisting:

• Worley Limited in its trial and appellate defence of shareholder class action proceedings (presently remitted for further hearing)
• Sims Limited in its defence in a pending shareholder class action proceedings
• an Australian bank in its response to civil and criminal investigations and associated proceedings
• CITIC Limited in proceedings associated with its Sino Iron project in the Pilbara
• a major energy company on a tax audit arising from international trading and procurement operations
• a listed entity its dispute with Innovation and Science Australia regarding receipt of research and development incentives for software and IT developments
• Ashley Services Group Limited in its defence to a shareholder class action, and in related cross-claims against its IPO advisors
• a major mining company on a tax audit arising from international marketing operations
• a major bank in its response to the Financial Services Royal Commission

Background

Brock holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons I) and Bachelor of International Relations from Bond University.

Brock was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, and is qualified as an Australian legal practitioner in New South Wales and the High Court of Australia.