Deren is a leading commercial disputes lawyer who regularly acts on multifaceted, high profile and complex legal matters for Australia’s leading businesses and individuals.
Renowned for his incisive and strategic approach to commercial disputes, Deren has for more than 20 years acted for clients across various jurisdictions in superior and appeal Courts and specialised Tribunals in addition to mediations and alternative dispute resolution processes.
Deren is widely recognised for his particular expertise in retail, commercial and industrial lease disputes and has represented Australia’s premier shopping centre owners, landlords and managers.
Valued by his clients for his commercial acumen and his in depth understanding of their key objectives, Deren represents and advises a diverse range of clients including ASX listed and private companies, prominent individuals, banking and financial institutions, investment companies, real estate investment trusts, institutional landlords, property developers, brokerage houses, security firms, manufacturers and distributors, professional services executives and medical organisations.
Deren is well known for resolving client challenges and delivering legally sound outcomes.
Expertise
Deren’s expertise includes:
- Commercial disputes
- Retail, commercial and industrial lease disputes
- Corporate disputes
- Contract disputes
- Administrative and consumer law
- Commercial real estate disputes
- Joint venture and partnership disputes
- Debt recovery and insolvency
- Professional conduct and disciplinary matters
- Alternative dispute resolution
Recent Projects
- Acting in retail lease disputes for the world’s largest shopping centre owners and Australia’s leading shopping centre owners and landlords.
- Acting in various commercial disputes for a multinational company manufacturing and supplying building and construction materials.
- Acting for a private company claiming $17 million in the New South Wales Supreme Court for breach of contract and misleading and deceptive conduct.
- Acting for a shopping centre owner in the New South Wales Court of Appeal and Supreme Court successfully opposing multiple urgent relief against forfeiture applications, Duty Judge applications and an appeal during COVID -19 Regulations restricting lessor’s rights to take enforcement action.
- Acting for a property developer who funded land acquisition to successfully recover $6 million, holding costs and other losses in the Supreme Court of Victoria against a joint venture party who failed to deliver project construction.
- Acting for a private technology company receiving government subsidies for installing internet in remote and regional areas to successfully defeat substituting creditors in a Supreme Court wind up application.
- Acting for a serviced apartment operator in the High Court of Australia to successfully oppose a special leave application on grounds the application raises no point of general principle or issue of public importance and does not seek revision of settled principles relating to jurisdictional error.
Professional Memberships / Accreditation & Activities
- Mediator for NSW Small Business Commissioner
- Member, Law Council of Australia
- Mediator and member of Resolution Institute
- Member, Law Society of NSW
- Property ,
Sector
- Commercial Disputes ,
Services
location
Sydney
