James Morgan
James is a litigator with experience acting for leading corporations in major commercial litigation, class actions and regulatory investigations.
James is a litigator with experience acting in significant commercial disputes and regulatory investigations with high financial and reputational exposure. His work has been on the cutting edge of high profile developments in Australian class actions — with experience spanning assessment of litigation risk before commencement of any claim, all the way through to defending claims at trial and on appeal.
Market recognition
- Ranked as Australasian Lawyer Rising Star (Best Lawyers in Australia Under 35)
- Finalist for 2024 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards
- Finalist for Rising Star of the Year (Private Practice) in 2023 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards
- Finalist for 2023 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards
Background
James holds a Bachelor of Civil Law with Distinction from the University of Oxford, and both a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and Bachelor of Commerce (Corporate Finance) from the University of Adelaide.
James is admitted to practice in a Supreme Court and High Court of Australia. Before joining Herbert Smith Freehills, he taught law at the University of Oxford and was a Supreme Court Associate.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- Marsh/JLT Insurance Class Action – defending at trial a complex class action (against a global insurance and risk company) concerning local government mutual insurance in the Supreme Court of New South Wales
- Worley Securities Class Action – defending securities class action proceedings (against an ASX-listed engineering company) on remitted trial in the Federal Court, multiple appeals to the Full Federal Court and a High Court special leave application
- Beach Energy Securities Class Action – defending securities class action proceedings (against an ASX-listed energy company) in the Supreme Court of Victoria
- a2 Milk Securities Class Action – defending securities class action proceedings (against an ASX/NZX-listed company) in the Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of New Zealand
- JB Hi-Fi Consumer Class Action – defending consumer class action proceeding (against an ASX-listed retail company) in the Supreme Court of Victoria
- Regulatory Investigations – acted for: (i) a global financial services group in an ASIC investigation concerning its role as joint lead manager of an initial public offering; and (ii) an Australian financial services company in relation to criminal prosecution and regulatory risk emerging from the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
