Dr Christopher Ward SC

Prosecution of Mr Bernard Collaery withdrawn

Dr Christopher Ward SC has represented Mr Bernard Collaery in national security proceedings since 2018. The case has involved numerous applications to the ACT Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court. The prosecution of Mr Collaery was withdrawn by the Attorney-General on 7 July 2022. Dr Ward SC describes the result as very pleasing and in the interests of justice and Australia's international relations. Dr Ward acted for Mr Collaery pro bono.

Further information can be found here.

Temporary Travel Ban on Australian Citizens in India

6 St James Hall Counsel, Dr Christopher Ward SC represented Mr Newman before the Federal Court on Monday, 10 May 2021, against the Government’s temporary ban on citizens entering Australia from India.

Mr Newman’s case was mentioned in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Berry v CCL Secure Pty Ltd - High Court Judgment

The High Court has upheld the appeal of Dr Benoy Berry in long running litigation against CCL Secure Pty Ltd arising out of the Securency plastic banknote scandal.  Dr Berry was represented throughout more than 6 years of litigation by 6 St James Hall Senior Counsel Dr Christopher Ward SC with junior counsel Phillip Santucci, assisted in the High Court by former Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson SC and instructed by Damian Sturzaker of Marque Lawyers. The High Court substantially restored the damages award obtained at trial in 2018, assessing damages and interest at more than $37 million. The unanimous High Court concluded that a serious onus of proof lay upon a litigant who had resorted to fraud but who wished to assert that it would have hypothetically relied upon lawful means to terminate a contract had it not engaged in fraud.

The High Court matter was mentioned in Lawyers Weekly.

The reasons for the decision can be found here.

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Second Appearance of Witness K Case before the ACT Magistrates Court

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Dr Christopher Ward SC represented lawyer Bernard Collaery for the second appearance of the Witness K case on Wednesday, 7 November before the ACT Magistrates Court. 

Proceedings centred around the possibility of holding the trial in a closed court. 

More details can be found in articles from the Washington Post, The Canberra Times and The Australian.

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Dr Ward SC represents lawyer Bernard Collaery in the Witness K case

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Dr Christopher Ward SC is a member of the legal team instructed by Gilbert & Tobin to represent lawyer Bernard Collaery, facing serious charges under national security legislation before the ACT Courts.

The case appeared on Ten Eyewitness News Sydney, and was covered by The Guardian as well as The Canberra Times.

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Dr Christopher Ward SC elected to global Presidency of ILA

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6 St James Hall Chambers is delighted to announce that senior counsel Dr Christopher Ward SC was last week, elected to position of global President of the International Law Association.  The ILA, which has almost 5,000 members world-wide, works to develop and publicise rules of private and public international law.  Dr Ward’s extensive work over many decades in both fields of international law and related commercial law will ensure that the Association’s work is strengthened during his 2 year term.  The ILA last week, successfully gathered from around the world in Sydney for the 78th Biennial Conference, hosted by Dr Ward and the Australian Branch of the ILA. The Conference was addressed by dignitaries including the Right Honorable Lord Mance, Chief Justice Kiefel, Chief Justice Allsop, Chief Justice Bathurst, the Hon Mark Speakman and Chief Justice Pascoe as well as other Australian and foreign judges, counsel and arbitrators.  The Conference was greatly assisted by 6 St James Hall Barrister Ms Madeleine Bridgett.

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$64 million verdict obtained by 6 St James Hall Counsel in fraud trial.

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Senior Counsel at 6 St James’ Hall Dr Christopher Ward SC last week secured for his client Dr Benoy Berry a verdict of $64,800,000 in a long-running commercial fraud case brought against former Reserve Bank company Securency (now known as CCL Secure).  Dr Ward appeared with experienced junior counsel Mr Phillip Santucci and was instructed by leading boutique firm Marque Lawyers.  The verdict follows the earlier judgment on the merits in December 2017 and demonstrates the risks to corporate entities when engaging in fraudulent conduct to achieve commercial goals.  The merits judgment is found here. The case is discussed here. 

78th International Law Association Biennial Conference

6 St James Hall is very pleased to be a supporter of the 78th International Law Association Biennial Conference, to be held in Sydney from 19-24 August 2018.  

Dr Christopher Ward SC, as President of the host branch of the International Law Association, heads the conference organization and will address the Conference, and barrister Sandrine Alexandre-Hughes will also speak on private international law.  

The Conference is a major international event, and will be opened by the Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, and will also be addressed by the Chief Justices of the High Court, Federal Court, Family Court and New South Wales Supreme Court, as well as the Right Honorable Lord Mance of the United Kingdom Supreme Court.

For any inquiries or registrations, please see the Conference website, www.ila2018.org.au, or contact Dr Ward SC directly at cward@stjames.net.au

HCCH 125 – Ways Forward: Challenges and Opportunities in an Increasingly Connected World

Dr Christopher Ward SC recently spoke in Hong Kong at a major international conference conducted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The full conference proceedings is available on the HCCH 125 website. Dr Ward’s session is also available on YouTube. 

Sessions discussed all major topics of private international law and commercial law, including the recognition of judgments, choice of law, and the current work of the Hague Conference. 

The barristers of 6 St James’ Hall have a depth of experience in major private international law matters.  Recent and current significant cases include multinational employment disputes, cross border pharmaceutical and manufacturing disputes, foreign law disputes in aviation matters including the freight cartel class action and the establishment of foreign subsidiaries for listed Australian airlines.

Dr Christopher Ward SC wins in landmark fraud and trade practices case

Dr Christopher Ward SC with junior Philip Santucci has successfully represented European businessman Dr Benoy Berry in landmark fraud and Trade Practices litigation against former Reserve Bank of Australia subsidiary Securency (now known as CCL Secure Pty Ltd).  

The Federal Court (Rares J) found that Securency and some of its officers had engaged in a “practiced deception” amounting to a “shabby fraud” as a result of which Dr Berry and his company were deceived into the early termination of an extremely valuable commercial contract involving the sale of polymer banknotes in Nigeria. The judgment, which also describes the conduct of Securency in relation to Nigerian governmental officials, reinforces the serious consequences for Australian companies that engage in deceptive business practices overseas.

Dr Christopher Ward SC: "In Defense of the Right to Life: International Law and the Death Penalty in the Philippines"

6 St James Hall Senior Counsel Dr Christopher Ward SC recently advised the Philippines Commission for Human Rights on the legality of Philippines legislative proposals to reintroduce the death penalty in that country.

The collaborative results of that project, which was assisted by the Australian National University, are now available in the document: In Defense of the Right to Life: International Law and the Death Penalty in the Philippines.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.