Commercial Law – Sixth Floor

David Rowe

David was admitted to practice in 2013 and called to the Bar in September 2024. He has a public and commercial law practice and is open to considering briefs in all areas of law.

Before coming to the Bar, David worked as a Senior Lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor. At AGS, David acted for the Commonwealth in a number of constitutional matters before the High Court and other courts, and had a broad advice practise spanning a range of areas of public law. David also worked as Associate to the Hon Justice Alan Robertson at the Federal Court of Australia and as a Senior Adviser to the Commonwealth Attorney-General.

David holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (Distinction) from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Law (Hons I, University Medal) and Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University.

Ali Cheema

Ali has a broad practice and is briefed in a variety of areas with a particular focus on litigation in commercial, equity, contracts, real property and succession matters. He is an experienced junior counsel who appears in most state and federal courts and tribunals, usually unled.

After admission in 2009, Ali was a tipstaff to the Hon Justices Brereton and Buddin in the Supreme Court of NSW. Prior to his call to the bar, he worked in private practice as a solicitor in the areas of insurance and insolvency. Ali holds a Bachelor of Law/Arts from the University of Western Sydney.

Eugene Chan

Eugene has a broad practice in tax and commercial litigation, and accepts briefs in all areas of law. Immediately before coming to the Bar, Eugene was a solicitor in litigation at King & Wood Mallesons, the international arbitration team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Frankfurt, and the disputes team at the ATO. In 2019, Eugene was the Associate to the Hon Justice Steven Rares of the Federal Court of Australia.

Eugene has a BCL from the University of Oxford, and a BSc (Adv)/LLB (Hons I) (majoring in Physiology) and a LLM from the University of Sydney. He is a contributor to Robson’s Annotated Corporations Legislation and a reporter for the New South Wales Law Reports.

Stephanie Crosbie

Stephanie has a broad practice in commercial disputes, with particular experience in regulatory, corporations, contract and representative proceedings. She is open to considering briefs in all areas of law.

Before being called to the Bar in 2024, Stephanie worked as a Senior Associate in the Disputes team at Herbert Smith Freehills (2021-2024) and Associate in the Global Disputes team at Jones Day (2015-2021).

Stephanie has a BCL from the University of Oxford (Distinction) and a BSc (Distinction) / LLB (Honours Class 1) from the University of New South Wales.

Brendon Green

Prior to coming to the Bar, Brendon was a Senior Associate in the Commercial Litigation group of Norton Rose Fulbright Australia. He has experience acting in a broad range of complex commercial and public law (including regulatory) proceedings for both corporate and public sector clients.

Brendon was admitted as a solicitor in 2015 and called to the Bar in 2024. He has acted for clients in the High Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia, NSW Supreme Court (including the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal), NSW Land and Environment Court, NSW District Court, Administrative Appeals Tribunal and NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Brendon accepts briefs in all areas of law, including commercial and public law proceedings. He is listed in Best Lawyers’ 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions of ‘Ones to Watch in Australia (Litigation)’.

Scott Aspinall

Scott is an experienced junior counsel with a broad commercial practice and regulatory practice. He has been recognised in Doyle’s guide and Best Lawyers in the field of insolvency and restructuring and regularly acts and advises in simple and complex corporate insolvencies and restructures. He is a fellow of INSOL International and a professional member of ARITA. During 2019-2020 he was counsel assisting the NSW Casino Inquiry into Crown Casinos with a special focus on money laundering.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Scott was a medical practitioner, Associate to Justice Emmett in the Federal Court of Australia and a litigator at Allens Arthur Robinson in Sydney.

John Birrell

John was admitted as a solicitor in 2013 and called to the bar in 2023. He has a diverse practice across commercial, public, and criminal law.

Before coming to the Bar, John was a Senior Associate in the litigation team at Arnold Bloch Leibler. He acted for companies and individuals on a wide range of commercial disputes, regulatory investigations and enforcement action, white collar criminal matters, and public inquiries.

Prior to joining ABL in 2020, John was a senior solicitor at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and in the Office of the Solicitor Assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and a solicitor in the litigation team at MinterEllison.

John holds a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School, and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University.

Meg O'Brien

Meg has a diverse practice in public, regulatory and commercial law. In 2022 and 2023 she was briefed as Counsel Assisting in the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes. Meg was admitted to practice in 2009 and called to the Bar in 2017.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Meg was a Supervising Associate in the litigation group at Simmons & Simmons LLP in London, a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution group at King & Wood Mallesons and a solicitor in the Litigation group at Arnold Bloch Leibler in Melbourne. Meg has also served as an Associate in the Supreme Court of Victoria. As a solicitor, she was involved in a range of commercial, regulatory and public law matters.

Meg holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Arts from Monash University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge.

Alice Zheng

Alice has a broad practice in commercial litigation, including in contract, corporations law, equity, insolvency, and consumer law, as well as a regulatory and administrative law practice. She acts regularly for both corporate and government clients. She appears both led and unled in the NSW Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Australia, as well as other courts and tribunals.

Alice was admitted to practice in 2011 and called to the Bar in 2018. Prior to coming to the Bar, Alice was a Senior Associate in the Commercial Litigation group at Clayton Utz. Alice was also tipstaff to her Honour Justice J K Ward of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Alice has a BEcSocSci (Hon 1) and LLB (Hons 1) from the University of Sydney and an LLM (Class 1) from the University of Cambridge, where she was awarded the Gareth Jones Prize for Restitution.

Houda Younan

Houda was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2006, and the New South Wales Bar in 2007. Houda was appointed Senior Counsel in 2020.

Prior to admission, Houda worked a senior legal officer in the Office of International law in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department in Canberra, which included cases before the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization.

Houda was formerly an associate to Chief Justice Spigelman of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Houda graduated with a BA/ LLB from the University of Sydney, both with first class honours, and a LLM from Cambridge University, under the tutelage of the late Judge James Crawford of the International Court of Justice, where she was awarded first class honours and the Clive Parry Prize for International Law.

Houda appears in the High Court and Federal Court of Australia, as well as State and Territory Supreme Courts, at both trial and appellate levels. She also appears in national tribunals, international courts of arbitration, and commissions of inquiry. Her clients include Commonwealth, State, Territory and foreign governments, as well as private entities.