Greg Laughton SC

Areas of expertise

• Select cases as counsel

  Select cases as counsel

  Involved in various international commercial and maritime arbitrations in the following jurisdictions. Select matters in which Greg has appeared are as follows.

  Hong Kong

  • Two container shipping companies over the terms of, and the amount due, under a Slot Agreement.
  • A computer hardware and software supplier and a Hong Kong financial services company over the quality of the computer equipment and software supplied.
  • The CEO of a container shipping company and the company, about whether the CEO was wrongfully dismissed and the amount of compensation owed by the company under the CEO’s employment agreement.
  • The head contactor and a sub-contractor about the value and quality of work performed in a major construction dispute.

  Dubai

  • A CEO in a wrongful dismissal claim by his employer.

  Germany

  • An IT provider and a head contractor about the supply of IT services in 120 countries; wrongful termination of a services agreement and unpaid invoices for services rendered.
  • An international commercial arbitration administered by the German Arbitration Centre in a dispute between an IT supplier and the commercial arm of Deutsche Telecom.

  London

  • Recovery of significant sum due under a guarantee of a Hong Kong registered Company.
  • For the Plaintiff in a dispute concerning breaches of a Shareholders Agreement between two Hong Kong residents.
  • An IT provider and head contractor for the supply of IT Services.
  • A telecommunications company for the sale of its infrastructure.

  Australia

  • Two telecommunications companies about the terms of a Supply Agreement and other amounts due under it.
  • Two telecommunications companies about the ownership of the intellectual property in Apple I telephone application and the amounts due under an agreement to export it.
  • Dispute between two joint venturers, one from Mainland China the other from South Korea concerning the development of various service station sites in Southern Queensland.

  EXPERT DETERMINER

  • Multiple expert determinations, including most recently a dispute between a health care provider and a public hospital, concerning the provision of specialist medical services of public hospital patients.
  • A dispute between a major logistics contractor and one of its subcontractors about significant damage to a processing plant in the Central West of New South Wales.

  MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL SPORTS TRIBUNAL

  Conducting arbitration in disciplinary matters; selection disputes and anti doping.

  APPEALS TRIBUNAL

  Cricket New South Wales

• Arbitration

  Arbitration

  HKIAC

  Arbitration between two shareholders of an international trading company involving multiple disputes concerning shareholder and director’s conduct and entitlements.

  ICC

  Arbitration between a maintenance provider and an aircraft owner concerning a dispute about the entitlement of the maintenance provider to hold an aircraft pursuant to a contractual lien.

  ACICA

  Arbitration in Hong Kong between a software provider and an international company about the fitness for purpose of the software.

  AUSTRALIAN DISPUTE CENTRE

  Dispute between vendor and purchaser of shares as to price adjustment and construction of the share sale agreement.

  Arbitration between an international investor and advisor about the disposition of funds provided to the advisor by the investor in real estate in Australia.

  As sole Arbitrator in a dispute between a Chinese National and Korean National about the terms of a Joint Venture Agreement to develop commercial real estate in Southern Queensland.

  AD HOC

  Arbitration in Hong Kong between a software supplier and a bank concerning the fitness for purpose of administration software supplied to the bank.

  Arbitration in Hong Kong involving a dispute between the purchaser of software for fast-moving consumer goods retailer and its software supplier.

  Arbitration between two shipping companies about the entitlement of a shipping company for compensation about non-use of cargo space pursuant to a slot agreement.

  Arbitration in Sydney about the entitlement of the police to use documents seized on a warrant.

• Non-arbitrated international and domestic disputes

  Non-arbitrated international and domestic disputes

  Appeared and advised in a broad range of matters relating to international and domestic commercial law, international estates, cross-border transportation law, and construction and infrastructure disputes.

  Extensive experience advising and appearing in disputes concerning jurisdiction and cross-border legal issues relating to insolvency, sale of goods, commodities, information technology and insurance law. A selection of recent cases is as follows.

  • Advised and appeared in a variety of domestic and cross-border disputes concerning charter parties, cargo and general shipping matters.
  • Acting for an international corporation providing services to an airline industry and the agent of the owner of the owner of real estate leased by it.
  • Acting for a French corporation of a franchise hairdressing salon against a claim of fraud by one of its directors in the borrowing of funds involved tracking funds into a development into the Maldives.
  • Acting for a major producer and retailer of hens’ eggs being sold into the Australian Egg Market concerning alleged breaches of its bi-security obligations which resulted in tainted eggs entering the Australian market.
  • Advised a manufacturer in Queensland about the term of a Distribution Agreement, including drafting a dispute resolution clause in an agreement with its US distributor.
  • Appeared as Counsel in a mediation between a Hong Kong investor and its agent, concerning the acquisition of a property in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
  • Advised on and appeared in matters involving cross-border estate disputes, including property, equities and tracing cash and other assets.
  • Acted for head contractors; specialist sub-contractors and government and local government departments in both national and cross-border disputes involving infrastructure – roads; rail; bridges and ports; commercial high rise and high and low rise residential. These matters involved issues concerning engineering; design; defective workmanship; breach of contract and statutory warranty; delay and liquidated damages; and security of payment.
  • Acted in matters regarding the professional negligence of engineers (civil, electrical and mechanical); architects, quantity surveyors; building surveyors and payment managers.
  • Acted for insurers and re-insurers of risks associated with the construction and infrastructure projects and quantum claims for building and construction; design; landlord, underground services locator and business interruption.