About Teresa
Teresa Ward is a partner in the firm’s dispute resolution & litigation group. She has a particular focus on class actions, regulatory investigations, defamation law, insolvency and restructuring and intellectual property.
Teresa acts for public and private companies, directors, individuals and entrepreneurs operating in range of industries. She is noted for her expertise in dispute resolution & litigation and class actions in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific. She has also been named as a leading individual for Australia by Who’s Who Legal for professional negligence.
Teresa joined ABL in 2010 after working overseas for in industry (for Nokia as IPR Litigation Counsel, Global) and for Allens in Melbourne. She brings to her practice a keen appreciation of the impact of disputes on the day to day operation of companies and a collaborative approach to identifying solutions that meet stakeholder needs. Teresa’s broad practice and experience in industry and private practice arm her to look outside of the box to find solutions that work.
Teresa graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws. She is admitted in both Australia and the UK.
“A highly effective litigator with a first-rate understanding of the law and her clients’ needs.”
Practice focus
Teresa’s practice focuses on the following areas:
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financial and regulatory investigations and disputes
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class actions including investor and regulatory class actions
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insolvency and restructuring related matters including claims arising from distressed and insolvency appointments
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defamation and media law advice
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intellectual property disputes, including patent, copyright and design disputes
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contract and competition disputes, including market sharing and misleading or deceptive conduct, and
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general commercial litigation in the Supreme, Federal and appellate Courts, as well as alternative dispute resolution.
Experience
Teresa has acted for a number of clients in a range of matters including:
Class actions, regulatory and IP claims
- Noumi Limited: in defending shareholder class action claims brought against it;
- Slater & Gordon: in defending shareholder class actions brought against it and in a novel restructure undertaken in 2017 which involved the resolution of those claims;
- Visy: in defending class action proceedings brought against it following Visy’s prosecution for alleged cartel conduct;
- The founding members of an ASX listed education provider: in relation to class action proceedings commenced against the listed entity;
- appointments to advise Boards, directors and companies: in relation to class action proceedings commenced, or which may be commenced, against them;
- 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;
- BetEasy: in proceedings claiming trade mark infringement and misleading and deceptive conduct;
- Cbus, in proceedings commenced against it by Maurice Blackburn arising from the installation of a replica of the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue in Melbourne’s Federation Square;
- The Just Group: in relation to claims against competitors for misleading and deceptive conduct, trade mark infringement and passing off;
- 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;
- Entrepreneurs and companies in trade-mark oppositions (opposing or defending) including hearings in the Trade Marks Office.
Insolvency and restructuring / commercial disputes
- Glencore: in relation to its investment in the Rolleston Coal Mine including in proceedings commenced relating to the joint venture and the subsequent administration and liquidation of its minority joint venture partner;
- The board of a global technology innovator: in relation to a restructure of that business including negotiations with foreign investors, Government and other stakeholders;
- The liquidator of a large satellite company: in relation to matters related to the liquidation of that company;
- The receivers of an entity with an interest in a resources asset: in relation to the receiver process and disputes arising from it;
- Creditors of Sonray Capital Markets: in relation to the liquidation of Sonray;
- Creditors, directors and officers of entities in liquidation: in relation to directors duties and potential claims including preference claims and potential class actions.
Defamation law
- Eryn Jean Norvill: in the claims brought by Geoffrey Rush against News;
- IMF: in a defamation action brought against it in the Victorian Supreme Court;
- Sitting members of Parliament (Government and Opposition): in relation to defamation claims made by or against them;
- Advice through the Pathways to Politics program for upcoming female candidates;
- A range of clients including directors, high net wealth individuals and families, well-known members of the business community and media personalities: in relation to defamation claims made by or against them.
General litigation work
- Australian Gas Networks: in proceedings with a global investment firm;
- Telstra: in relation to directors’ duties advice and contractual negotiations;
- Dimmi (now TheFork): in proceedings with a key technology provider;
- A global aerospace company: in relation to potential proceedings in Australia;
- The executor of a large estate: in relation to disputes with beneficiaries;
- Shareholders: in a variety of shareholder oppression claims including in proceedings arising from those claims.
‘Teresa Ward is especially strong in class action cases.’
Directorships & memberships
Teresa is a:
- member of the Competition and Economics Law Network, and
- member of the Victorian Women Lawyers.
Awards & recognition
Teresa is recognised as a leading lawyer by international guides to lawyers and law firms:
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: class actions and dispute resolution, and
- Who’s Who Legal: Leading Individual for professional negligence.
