Sam Merrylees
Senior Associate
+61 3 8600 6022
smerrylees@aitken.com.au
Sam Merrylees
Areas of Law: Insolvency, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment Law
Qualifications: Bachelor of Laws I Bachelor of Commerce (Major: Finance)
Sam is a Senior Associate with a diverse litigious practice, being a member of Aitken Partners' litigation, insolvency, intellectual property and employment law teams.
Sam commenced working at Aitken Partners as a paralegal in 2017 while studying at University and completed his supervised legal training in 2020. Given the broad range of Sam's practice, throughout his time at Aitken Partners, he has developed strong relationships with commercial clients by providing them with advice for an array of legal issues relating to their business.
A recent example of an unreported judgment in which Sam has appeared is:
- Owners Corporation PS419696X v SCJAR Mandorla Pty Ltd (Owners Corporations) [2021] VCAT 795.
Sam has also instructed in the following recent unreported judgments:
- Bremner v French (No 5); Aesthete 101 Pty Ltd v Stone [2024] NSWSC 835
- Bremner v French (No 4); Aesthete 101 Pty Ltd v Stone [2024] NSWSC 793
- Trustd Figures Pty Ltd v Pinnacle Strategic Holdings Pty Ltd WIPO Case No. DAU2024-0004
- Pinnacle Strategic Holdings Pty Ltd v Trustd Figures Pty Ltd [2023] ATMO 200
- Bremner v French [2023] NSWSC 1488
- Nguyen Trong Thin v Posh Lifestyle Pte Pty Ltd [2023] ATMO 54
- Guerin v Rose Guerin and Partners Pty Ltd (in liq) (receivers and managers appointed), in the matter of Rose Guerin and Partners Pty Ltd (in liq) (receivers and managers appointed) FCA [2023] 816
- Al Shakhshir v Victorian Institute of Teaching (Review and Regulation) [2023] VCAT 577
- Dixon (Liquidator), in the matter of Victoria Project Pty Ltd v Austhome Group Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 42
- In the matter of Credit Clear Limited [2022] VSC 206
- Re Slodyczka & Farren Pty Ltd (Costs) [2022] VSC 102
- Rohrt, in the matter of Rose Guerin and Partners Pty Ltd (in liq) v Princes Square W24NY Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 483
- Re Bradbury Industrial Services Pty Ltd [2021] VSC 54
Experience
- Acting and advising in various insolvency and bankruptcy matters such as public examinations, insolvent trading claims, unfair preference claims, other voidable transaction claims, making and defending winding up applications, issuing and setting aside bankruptcy notices
- Acting for a publicly listed company in a complex oppressive conduct proceeding
- Advising on professional negligence litigation
- Advising shareholders in respect of shareholder disputes involving oppressive conduct, termination of employment and share valuation issues
- Acting for an insolvency practitioner to successfully obtain an appointment as receiver and manager over the property, assets and undertaking of a trading trust, as well as a warrant to seize property
- Registration of trade marks in Australia and the WIPO Madrid System
- Advising on trade mark infringements, oppositions and other issues arising under the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth)
- Acting for a client in a copyright infringement dispute in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia relating to architectural plans and designs
- Acting and appearing for both employers and employees in disputes under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
- Acting for an array of clients, including aged care providers and owners corporations, in respect of debt recovery matters
- Acting for a client seeking to review decisions of a decision maker in VCAT and obtaining stay orders in respect of those decisions
- Advising landlords and tenants in respect of residential tenancy disputes in VCAT and the Supreme Court.