Albert Ounapuu

Bar roll 2017 Admitted 2010

Commercial Law Tort Law
Public Law

Albert Ounapuu practises in general commercial law

Albert maintains a broad commercial practice in State and Federal courts and tribunals.

In particular, he has experience, both led and unled, in:

shareholder oppression and Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) proceedings;
partnership disputes, including under the Partnership Act 1966 (Vic);
complex family trust litigation, and equity, trusts and property law generally;
consumer law, financial services and insurance matters;
personal and corporate insolvency; and
professional negligence and professional disciplinary proceedings.

Recent cases in which Albert has been involved include:

Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 438;
Melbourne Roma Caravans & RV’s v Cunningham [2022] VSC 25;
Australian Securities and Investments Commission v TAL Life Limited (No 2) [2021] FCA 193
Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Youi Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1701;
Gandel Metals Pty Ltd v Centennial Mining Limited proceedings: [2020] FCA 794, [2020] FCA 633, [2020] FCA 250;
Hivance Pty Ltd v Moscatiello & Ors [2020] VSC 183; and
Hoh v Ying Mui Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 203.

Before coming to the bar, Albert was a senior associate at Arnold Bloch Leibler in the litigation department and an associate to Justice Gordon (then a judge of the Federal Court). Albert graduated with first class honours in law from Monash University, where he won a number of academic prizes and was an editor of the Monash University Law Review.

Albert read with Nicholas De Young KC and his senior mentor was Hamish Austin KC.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under the Professional Standards Legislation

Contact

Correspondence

Chambers & Clerk

Owen Dixon Chambers West
Level 16 Room 3

525 Lonsdale Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

View map

Jane King

03 9225 8558

Expertise

Commercial Law

Appellate
Banking & Finance
Commercial Arbitration
Consumer Law
Contractual Disputes
Corporate Insolvency
Equity & Trusts
Insurance
Real Property
Residential & Retail Tenancies
Regulatory Investigations

Tort Law

Commissions & Inquiries
Professional Negligence

Public Law

Freedom of Information
Privacy

Qualifications

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

Bachelor of Arts

Admitted

Victoria

Entitled to practise in

State and Territory Courts and Tribunals

Federal Court of Australia

High Court of Australia

Recent Cases

Commercial

A series of proceedings concerning the sale of the Sushi Sushi business to private equity investors (Supreme Court, led by P Bick KC);
A dispute concerning re-crediting of VET Fee-Help loans under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) (Supreme Court, led by N De Young KC);
An appeal concerning a long-running family trust dispute: Hoh v Ying Mui Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 203 (Court of Appeal, led by P Bick KC and C Truong KC);
A partnership dispute arising from the sale of a credit scoring business (Supreme Court, led by N De Young KC);
An application concerning confidentiality of documents in proceedings between alleged trade rivals: Fonterra Brands Australia Pty Ltd & Anor v Bega Cheese Ltd [2018] VSC 471 (Supreme Court, led by C Button KC);
A 12 day hearing in VCAT’s retail leasing jurisdiction concerning the failed redevelopment of a basement premises and associated issues (VCAT, lead by M Wise KC): Finetea Pty Ltd v Block Arcade Melbourne Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2019] VCAT 1529;

Corporations

Acting for a creditor of Centennial Mining in proceedings concerning a proposed DOCA (Federal Court, led by S Maiden KC): Gandel Metals Pty Ltd, in the matter of Centennial Mining Limited (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) v Centennial Mining Limited (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) [2020] FCA 250;
and, for that same creditor, successfully claiming a prior secured interest in a gold mine by operation of equitable subrogation (Federal Court, led by S Maiden KC): Gandel Metals Pty Ltd, in the matter of Centennial Mining Limited (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) v Centennial Mining Limited (No 2) [2020] FCA 633;
An application for approval of a compulsory acquisition of a minority shareholding under Pt 6A.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth): Ijack Pty Ltd v Cobb, in the matter of Vealls Limited [2018] FCA 1321 (Federal Court, led by R Craig KC);
A shareholder dispute in relation to an anti-counterfeiting startup and associated initial coin offering seeking remedies under ss 233 and 461 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Supreme Court, unled);

Property, planning and development

Acting for the respondent to proceedings seeking rescission of a contract of sale under s 9AC of the Sale of Land Act1962 (Vic) (County Court, unled);
Acting for a builder in proceedings alleging defective construction of a residential and commercial development (VCAT, unled);
Various advices in relation to easements, subdivision, leases and licenses, the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic), the Building Act 1993 (Vic) and the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic);

Public and regulatory

Acting for ASIC in respect of various matters arising from the Financial Services Royal Commission (led by J Peters KC and D Luxton), including in relation to a claim against Youi under the Insurance Contracts Act: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Youi Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1701 (Federal Court, led by S Donaldson SC and D Luxton);
Acting for and advising professionals and professional bodies (including the Legal Services Commissioner) in disciplinary matters;
An appeal concerning the use of anonymously supplied information in the determination of a skilled visa application: Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Gill [2019] FCAFC 9 (Full Court, unled);
An application to determine the VCAT’s jurisdiction as between two natural persons resident in different states in light of the High Court’s decision in Burns v Corbett (VCAT, unled);
Aarious proceedings under, and advice in respect of, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) and Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) (VCAT, unled).