Ari Katsoulas

Ari Katsoulas

Barrister

Ari was called to the Bar in 2014. He specialises in Commercial, Equity & Estate disputes and litigation.

Ari is regularly briefed to advise and appear in complex commercial, trust, and estate matters and has been named in the Doyle’s Guide as a leading New South Wales Estate Litigation Junior Counsel.

He regularly appears as an advocate in most State and Federal Courts and Tribunals as well as at mediations and settlement conferences.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Ari gained valuable in the Private Clients (Tax & Legal) team at PwC Australia, providing expert advice to family offices, high-net-worth individuals and private businesses.

Ari holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University.

Admissions

Admitted to the Bar (New South Wales): 2014

Areas of Practice

Bankruptcy & Personal Insolvency

Building & Construction

Commercial & Contract Law

Corporation Law & Insolvency

Equity & Trusts

Family Provision Claims

Mortgage & Finance Law

Property Law

Succession, Probate, Wills & Estates

Professional Memberships

Member, New South Wales Bar Association

Member, Commercial Law Association of Australia

Member, Bar Association of Queensland

JADE Expert Panel, Consumer Protection Law

Select Cases

Published judgments include:

Quantum Investments (Aust) Pty Ltd v Zhi Wei Lin trading as Jack Lin [2022] NSWSC 1387
Appeared for 5 successful plaintiffs (and one unsuccessful) in a misleading and deceptive conduct claim based on oral representations in connection with a large residential apartment development – judgment of approximately $3,000,000. (And appeared as junior counsel for the successful Respondents on appeal in Lin v Zheng [2023] NSWCA 174)

In the matters of Earth Civil Australia Pty Ltd, RCG CBD Pty Ltd, Bluemine Pty Ltd, Diamondwish Pty Ltd and Rackforce Pty Ltd (all in liq) [2021] NSWSC 966
Appeared for the successful Defendant resisting a claim against her for approximately $35million arising from knowing assistance to a breach of director duties/fiduciary dutiesas part of a dishonest and fraudulent design. (And appeared as junior counsel for the successful Respondent on appeal in Bluemine Pty Ltd (in liq) v AKA (Civil) Pty Ltd; Earth Civil Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) v AKA (Civil) Pty Ltd; Diamondwish Pty Ltd (in liq) v Ivana Cassaniti; Rackforce Pty Ltd (in liq) v Ivana Cassaniti; RCG CBD Pty Limited (in liq) v Borg Family Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 160)

Wheatley v Salmon [2022] NSWSC 395
Appeared for the successful Defendants resisting a claim in proprietary estoppel.

Yisheng Construction Pty Ltd v City Garden Australia Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 221
Appeared for the Plaintiffs at first instsance in a claim concerning oral representations in the context of a building and construction dispute – successfully established estoppel at first instance [77] but ultimately unsucessful (First instance decision set aside by the Court of Appeal ([2022] NSWCA 269) and special leave was refused by the High Court ([2023] HCATrans 102)).

Spata v Tumino (2018) 95 NSWLR 706
Appeared for the successful Respondent in the New South Wales Court of Appeal – a leading authority on “dependency” in family provision claims.

In the matters of Earth Civil Australia Pty Ltd, RCG CBD Pty Ltd, Bluemine Pty Ltd, Diamondwish Pty Ltd and Rackforce Pty Ltd (all in liq) [2020] NSWSC 293
Admissibility of transcripts obtained of compulsory ATO interviews pursuant to s 353-10 of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth).

Union Steel Pty Ltd v Union Steel Investments Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1511 (led by M Ashhurst SC)
Resisting application for security for costs where it is alleged that the Plaintiff’s impecuniosity resulted from the breach of duty and misappropriation of the defendants.

Ageist Pty Limited v More Than Skin Deep Pty Limited [2020] NSWSC 698
Summons by Mortgagee to remove caveat – prima facie priority dispute.

In the matter of an Application by Vernon [2020] NSWSC 608
Proceedings concerning personal property rights in human tissue.

McDonagh v Huxley (No. 3) [2020] NSWSC 1181
Application to Set Aside Default Judgment after final hearing of substantive matter against other defendants.

Chapman v South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (2018) 98 NSWLR 208
The leading authority in New South Wales on Personal Property Rights in Human Tissue and Gametes.

ASIL Foundation (Lending) Pty Ltd v Langridge [2019] NSWSC 1574
Security for Costs.

Brown v Hannover Life Re of Australasia Ltd [2020] FCA 1391
Interest under the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth).

In the matter of Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (in liquidation) and Griffith Estates Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2018] NSWSC 1703
Declarations of Trust – Replacement of Trustees

In the matter of Selin Australia Pty Limited [2016] NSWSC 1908
Acted for the successful defendant in proceedings to set aside Statutory Demand.

In the matter of HCAFE Chatswood Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1828
Appointment of Provisional Liquidator in Shareholder Oppression Case.

Armstrong Scalisi Holdings Pty Ltd v Piscopo (Trustee), in the matter of Collins [2017] FCA 423
Security for Costs.

Perpetual Trustee Company Ltd v Ankat Investment Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 829
Payment of Funds out of Court to Equitable Mortgagee/Chargee.

Mandile v Smith [2016] NSWSC 1621
Redemption of Mortgage.

Gonzales v State Coroner of New South Wales [2018] NSWSC 153
Urgent Relief -Personal Property Rights in Human Tissue.

Glenella One Pty Limited v Duncan [2015] NSWSC 165 – (led by G McGrath SC)
Cross vesting Application from Supreme Court to Family Court.

Lord v McMahon [2015] NSWSC 1619
Proprietary Estoppel and Encroachment of Building Act.

Speaking Engagements

Probate Disputes: Testamentary Capacity, Knowledge and Approval and Undue Influence Paper delivered at the Langham Legal Seminar: November 2021

Director Duties in Statute and Equity: Recent Cases Paper delivered at the Langham Legal Seminar: November 2021
Family Provisions Claims in New South Wales: An Overview Paper delivered to the Langham Legal Seminar: June 2015

Preliminary Discovery for Online Piracy: Dallas Buyers Club LLC v iiNet Limited [2015] FCA 317 (2015) Paper delivered to the Langham Legal Seminar: April 2015

Additional Damages for Infringement – Section 126(2) of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) Paper delivered to the Langham Legal Seminar: June 2015

Discrimination, Harassment and Professional Responsibility Paper delivered at The Tilbury Group Legal Seminar, 2015 – 2019.

Ari also publishes legal articles, posts and CPDs at his website.

CONTACT

+61 2 8915 2006
+61 2 9223 4204
[email protected]