Teresa Ward

Teresa Ward

BSc LLB (Melb)

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About Teresa

Teresa Ward is a Partner in the firm’s dispute resolution & litigation group. Teresa has a particular focus on class actions, complex financial and commercial disputes, competition and intellectual property law issues. She acts for public and private companies as well as individual entrepreneurs and innovators operating in range of industries including professional services, telecommunications and manufacturing.

2015 Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Rising Star

Doyle’s Guide Australia

Teresa works closely with her clients to understand and identify the avenues available to resolve commercial disputes in a way that optimises commercial outcomes and minimises disruption to her client’s day to day business activities.

In 2015, Teresa was ranked by Doyle's Guide as a rising star in the category of ‘Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution’.

Prior to joining Arnold Bloch Leibler in 2010, Teresa worked at Allens Arthur Robinson and for Nokia in the UK as its Intellectual Property Rights Litigation Counsel (global), dealing with large commercial, patent and competition disputes. Her experience working in both private practice and industry gives Teresa a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities available for companies seeking to resolve disputes.

Teresa graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws. She was admitted to The Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia in 2002, and is also admitted to practice in the UK. Teresa was appointed as a senior associate in 2010 and promoted to partner in 2016 (effective 1 July).

Practice focus

Teresa’s practice focuses on the following areas:

class actions including investor and regulatory class actions and product liability claims;
professional conduct claims including auditor negligence claims, competition law claims and defamation;
complex financial and regulatory claims including claims arising from distressed and insolvency appointments;
contract and competition disputes, including price fixing, market sharing and misleading or deceptive conduct;
claims made against directors;
intellectual property disputes, including patent, copyright and design disputes; and
general commercial litigation in the Supreme, Federal and appellate Courts, as well as alternative dispute resolution.

Directorships & memberships

Competition and Economics Law Network
Victorian Women Lawyers

Experience

Since joining the firm, Teresa has acted for a number of key clients, including on behalf of:

Visy: in relation to class action proceedings brought against it for alleged breaches of the Trade Practices Act and various contractual disputes;
founding members of an ASX listed education provider: in relation to class action proceedings commenced against the listed entity;
AustralianSuper: in relation to a claim against the Future Fund for breach of contract and misleading and deceptive conduct arising from its purchase of various assets from AIX;
Pitcher Partners: in proceedings commenced by the liquidators of Bill Express Limited against it and KPMG in relation to their audits of Bill Express’ financial statements;
a large health insurance provider: in proceedings commenced against it in relation to the implementation of its hospital provider purchaser agreements;
Telstra: in relation to directors duties advice and contractual negotiations;
creditors, directors and officers of entities in liquidation: in relation to directors duties and potential claims including preference claims and potential class actions;
Juicy Isle Pty Ltd: in a dispute with a multi-national producer and distributor which included a reference to the ACCC;
SEEK Ltd: in various disputes with competitors in relation to misleading and deceptive conduct claims;

The Just Group: in relation to claims against competitors for misleading and deceptive conduct, trade mark infringement and passing off;
Altair Aviation, a small innovator: in a claim for breach of contract against ARB Limited; and
IMF: in a defamation action brought against it in the Victorian Supreme Court.

Prior to Arnold Bloch Leibler, Teresa acted in:

landmark proceedings in the UK against Interdigital (a patent aggregator) establishing a novel form of declaratory relief available to defendants against whom an allegation of patent infringement has been made (for Nokia).
references to the European Commission and the ITC (US) alleging competition law violations by Qualcomm, Apple and HTC including abuse of dominant position, price fixing and bundling (for Nokia);
multiple concurrent patent infringement and revocation proceedings commenced by GlaxoSmithKline against generic manufacturers in relation to paroxetine (Paxil) (at Allens);
large scale commercial and competition law disputes in the technology and manufacturing sectors for companies including CGU, Siemens, Décor and Tupperware including breach of contract, intellectual property infringements, competition law and regulatory claims.