Melanie Szydzik
- Commercial Law Intellectual Property
- Tort Law Public Law
A sample of cases in which Melanie has appeared, in a variety of jurisdictions, both led and unled, is set out below. Melanie has also undertaken a wide variety of advice work including in commercial, consumer and administrative law.
Melanie is the Deputy Chair of the Class Actions Committee of the Commercial Bar Association. Melanie is also the Deputy Chair of the Competition and Consumer Law Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria.
Prior to joining the Bar, Melanie was Senior Associate to the Honourable Justice Pagone (then Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria) and subsequently Senior Associate to the Honourable Justice Davies (also then a Judge of the Commercial Court of the Supreme Court).
Before commencing in law, Melanie worked as a scientific researcher, predominantly in synthetic organic chemistry.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under the Professional Standards Legislation
Contact
- P03 9225 8219
- F03 9225 8668
- E[email protected]
- Connect on Linkedin
- Download VCard
Castan Chambers
Level 13 Room 4
460 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Jane King
03 9225 8558
Expertise
- Appellate
- Class Actions
- Consumer Law
- Contractual Disputes
- Confidential Information
- Patents
- Appellate
- Class Actions
- Commissions & Inquiries
- Negligence
- Administrative Law
- Judicial Review
- Immigration
Qualifications
Master of Laws (Melb)
Bachelor of Science (Hons)
Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (Mon)
Victoria
State and Territory Courts and Tribunals
Federal Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
Recent Cases
Court v Spotless Group Holdings Limited – Federal Court of Australia, ongoing, securities class action, led by Peter Collinson QC
Bywater v Appco Group Australia Pty Ltd – Federal Court of Australia, ongoing, employment class action, led by Kristine Hanscombe QC
Money Max Int Pty Limited v QBE Insurance Group Limited (2018) 358 ALR 382 – settlement approval application, led by Bernie Quinn QC
Manus Island Class Action – Kamasaee v Commonwealth & Ors
- [2018] VSC 138 – Settlement distribution scheme
- [2017] VSC 537 – Settlement approval application, led by Fiona Forsyth
- [2017] VSCA 121 – Scope of issues to be determined in class action trial, led by David Curtain QC and Fiona Forsyth
- Ruling No 9 [2017] VSC 171 – Live streaming of evidence to group members, led by David Curtain QC
- Ruling No 8 [2017] VSC 167 – Class closure in a group proceeding, led by David Curtain QC and Fiona Forsyth
- Ruling No 7 [2016] VSC 770 – Public interest immunity – Foreign relations and Australian Red Cross documents
- Ruling No 6 [2016] VSC 605 – Public interest immunity – Foreign relations and International Committee of the Red Cross documents
- Ruling No 5 [2016] VSC 595 – Public interest immunity – Cabinet documents: substantive ruling, led by Bret Walker SC
- Ruling No 4 [2016] VSC 492 – Public interest immunity – Sample foreign relations claims, led by Bret Walker SC
- Ruling No 3 [2016] VSC 438 – Public interest immunity – Cross examination in relation to cabinet documents, led by Bret Walker SC
- Ruling No 2 [2016] VSC 404 – Client legal privilege
Murrindindi Black Saturday Bushfire Class Action – Rowe v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd & Ors
- [2015] VSC 232 – Settlement approval application, led by Fiona McLeod SC & Richard Attiwill QC
- [2014] VSC 553 – Expert conclaves
- [2014] VSC 474 – Appeal, client legal privilege, led by Fiona Forsyth
Kilmore Black Saturday Bushfire Class Action – Matthews v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd & Ors
- [2014] VSC 663 – Settlement approval application, led by Robert Richter QC and Lachlan Armstrong (now QC)
- Ruling No 32 [2013] VSC 630 – Role of assessors, led by Andrew Keogh SC (now the Honourable Justice Keogh)
- Ruling No 31 [2013] VSC 575 – Application made pursuant to s 138 of the Evidence Act 2008 (Vic) to exclude evidence obtained improperly, led by Andrew Keogh SC
- Ruling No 19 [2013] VSC 180 – Appointment of assessors, led by Andrew Keogh SC
- Ruling No 10 [2012] VSC 379 – Expert conclaves, led by Tim Tobin SC and Lachlan Armstrong
- Ruling No 9 [2012] VSC 340 – Expert evidence, led by Tim Tobin SC and Lachlan Armstrong
- Ruling No 6 [2013] VSC 422 – Client legal privilege, led by Andrew Keogh SC
- Ruling No 3 [2013] VSC 116 – Obligations under the Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) and client legal privilege, led by Andrew Keogh SC
- Ruling No 1 [2011] VSC 167 – Application to regularise the proceeding when issued without authority of the representative Plaintiff, led by Robert Richter QC and Michael Lee (now the Honourable Justice Lee)
Earglow Pty Ltd v Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd – Federal Court of Australia, securities class action (settled), led by Julian Burnside QC and Lachlan Armstrong
Cargill Australia Ltd v Viterra Malt Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of Victoria, sale of business, ongoing, led by Richard Attiwill QC
IOOF Holdings Limited v Maurice Blackburn Pty Limited – Supreme Court of Victoria, confidentiality in whistleblower documents (settled), led by Richard Attiwill QC and Fiona Forsyth
Nimbona v Magnaye – County Court of Victoria, misleading and deceptive conduct (settled)
GW & BR Crameri Pty Ltd v Byford Equipment Pty Ltd – County Court of Victoria, contractual dispute (settled)
Bennett v Reid – County Court of Victoria, contractual and partnership dispute (settled)
Westpac Banking Corporation v Anderson [2015] VCC 1117 – Application for judgment for possession
Judd v Milawa Transport Services Pty Ltd – VCAT, retail lease (settled)
Noone, Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria v Operation Smile (Australia) Inc & Ors (No 2) [2011] VSC 153 – Misleading and deceptive conduct, led by Alex Richards QC
Deborah Glass (Ombudsman) v President of the Legislative Council and the Attorney-General for the State of Victoria [2016] VSC 507 – Scope of powers under s 16 of the Ombudsman Act 1973 (Vic), led by Peter Hanks QC
MZAIR v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2015] FCA 1316 – Appeal
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Kaur [2014] FCA 1384 – Appeal
Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry 2015 – Investigation into increased incidence of deaths (report available at http://hazelwoodinquiry.vic.gov.au/201516-report/volume-ii-investigations-into-2009-2014-deaths)
Publications
Memberships
Victorian Bar - Commercial Bar Association
Victorian Bar - Commercial Bar Association - Class Action Committee
Victorian Bar - Sustainability Committee