Lara O'Rorke

Lara has a broad practice in commercial law, acting for and against companies, individuals, government bodies, with particular experience in class actions acting for plaintiffs/applicants, defendants/respondents and funders.

She is regularly briefed to appear, led and unled, in state and federal courts, and to advise on a variety of matters prior to and following the commencement of proceedings.

Prior to joining the Bar, Lara was a Senior Associate at Arnold Bloch Leibler, and a solicitor at Clayton Utz, where she worked on a variety of matters including class actions, general commercial disputes, IP disputes, property/building/construction and OC disputes, wills & estate disputes, insolvency disputes, banking & finance disputes, and judicial review matters.

Lara holds degrees in Law and Media & Communications from The University of Melbourne.

Lara read with Banjo McLachlan. Her senior mentor was Dr Catherine Button QC (as her Honour then was).

Since coming to the bar, Lara has been briefed in a variety of matters including the following:

• Acting for the plaintiff in the Fletcher Building securities class action commenced in the Supreme Court of Victoria (led by William A D Edwards KC and Rebecca Howe)

• Acting for the applicants in a class action commenced against the Commonwealth of Australia in the Federal Court of Australia, alleging discrimination in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (led by Kathleen Foley SC and Chris McDermott): see Wilson v Commonwealth of Australia (Strike-out and Further Particulars [2026] FCA 91

• Acting for the plaintiff in the Lendlease securities class action commenced in the Supreme Court of New South Wales (led by William A D Edwards KC and Alexander Edwards)

• Acting for Toyota Finance Australia Limited in the “flex commission” class action commenced in the Supreme Court of Victoria (led by Kathleen Foley SC): see Hepi v Toyota Finance Australia Limited [2025] VSC 121

• Acting for Toyota Finance Australia Limited in the “add on insurance” class action commenced in the Supreme Court of Victoria (led by Kathleen Foley SC): see Petrucci v Toyota Finance Australia Ltd [2026] VSC 191

• Acting for the Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing in civil penalty proceedings commenced in the Federal Court of Australia against two corporate entities and an individual, seeking relief for alleged contraventions of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth) (led by Kateena O’Gorman SC)

• Acting for the defendant in the GrainCorp class action (a class action alleging nuisance) (led by Kathleen Foley SC and Roshan Chaile): see Green v GrainCorp Oilseeds Pty Ltd (No 6) [2026] VSC 118 and Green v Graincorp Oilseeds Pty Ltd (no 5) [2025] VSC 755

• Acting for the funder in the second Robodebt settlement approval application (led by Rachel Doyle SC)

• Acting for the plaintiff in the Rivervue Retirement Village Class Action against Melbourne Water Corporation (a class action alleging negligence) (led by Dominic Priestley SC)

• Acting for Westpac Banking Corporation in debt recovery proceedings commenced in the Supreme Court of Victoria (unled)

• Acting for a successful defendant in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings seeking orders permitting the sale of a property under orders 54 and 55 of the Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2025 (led by Matthew Havey KC): M & H Allen Services Pty Ltd v Blue Sea Container Storage Pty Ltd & Ors [2025] VSC 463

• Acting for FIIG Securities Limited in civil penalty proceedings commenced by ASIC in the Federal Court of Australia (led by Kateena O’Gorman SC and Salwa Marsh)

• Acting for a property developer in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings alleging negligence against an environmental auditor and environmental consultant (led by C Caleo KC and K Brazenor)

• Acting for the successful plaintiff in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings concerning the proper construction of a commercial lease (led by Sam Horgan KC): see Starpharma Pty Ltd v Howzit My China Pty Ltd [2024] VSC 499

• Acting for an individual in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings alleging negligence against their former solicitors, and defending claims for alleged breaches of duty as executor and trustee (led by Robert Craig KC as his Honour then was, and led by Simon Pitt KC)

• Acting for a corporate respondent to Federal Court of Australia proceedings seeking relief for alleged misuse of confidential information in breach of statutory, equitable and contractual obligations (led by Albert Dinelli KC), including in respect of the execution of an ex parte search order (unled)

• Acting for a successful party in Federal Court of Australia proceedings in respect of an application to dismiss an appeal for want of prosecution and non-compliance with Court orders (led by Stewart Maiden KC): see Moss v Aquisite Pty Ltd [2024] FCA 455

• Acting for a respondent to Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings seeking a freezing order (led by Sam Horgan KC)

• Acting for the respondent to the Aveo class action brought in the Federal Court of Australia, including by appearing at trial prior to settlement (led by Philip Crutchfield KC, Kathleen Foley SC and Banjo McLachlan): Luke v Aveo Group Limited [2022] FCA 92; Luke v Aveo Group Limited (No 2) [2022] FCA 1072

• Acting for StarTrack, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia Post in an urgent interlocutory injunction application and an expedited appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia: StarTrack Express Pty Ltd v TMA Australia Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 1271 (led by Rob Heath KC); StarTrack Express Pty Ltd v TMA Australia Pty Ltd [2023] FCAFC 200 (led by Hamish Austin KC and Andrew McRobert)

• Acting for one of the respondents, Slea Pty Ltd, in the appeal to the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria in Millsave Holdings Pty Ltd v Connective Group Pty Ltd [2023] VSCA 326 (led by Michael Hodge KC, Kathleen Foley SC, Geoffrey Kozminsky and Colette Minz)

• Acting for an overseas based subpoenaed party in proceedings commenced by the receivers and managers of innovative 3D Systems Pty Ltd (led by Albert Dinelli KC)

• Acting for the Commissioner for the Australian Federal Police in County Court of Victoria proceedings seeking an unexplained wealth order under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) (led by Rob Craig KC as his Honour then was, Richard Knowles KC and Colette Minz): see Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Chauhan & Anor [2026] VCC 710 and Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Chauhan & Anor (Ruling No 2) [2025] VCC 854

• Acting for Westpac Banking Corporation in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings concerning debt recovery and the enforcement of securities (led by Hamish Austin KC)

• Acting for a private entity in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings commenced against multiple defendants for breach of trust, knowing assistance and breach of contract (led by Robert Craig KC, as his Honour then was, and Roxanne Burd)

• Acting for AIA Australia in response to a subpoena issued in an appeal to the County Court of Victoria proceedings (unled)

• Acting for a defendant and plaintiff by counterclaim in multiple Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings, including by appearing at trial prior to settlement (led by Peter Cawthorn KC and Sarah Worsfield)

• Acting for a defendant and third party claimant in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings commenced by Orora Limited (led by Suresh Senathirajah KC and Adam Rollnik)

• Acting for a subpoenaed party in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings commenced against Sleeping Duck Pty Ltd (unled)

• Acting in the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence (led by Banjo McLachlan)

• Acting for a member of the United Petroleum group of companies in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings to remove a restrictive covenant (led by Sam Horgan KC): Viva Energy Refining Pty Ltd v Sumervale Pty Ltd & Anor [2022] VSC 773

• Acting for a registered financial services provider in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings commenced for breach of trust, knowing assistance and knowing receipt (led by Geoffrey Kozminsky)

Liability limited by a scheme approved under the Professional Standards Legislation.