| Position: | Director |
| Email: | chollett@bbvlegal.com.au |
| Practice Areas: | Commercial Litigation |
Experience:
Craig has extensive experience as a commercial litigator and performs the role of
in-house counsel in the Commercial Litigation Team. His areas of practice range
from commercial and common law disputes to minor criminal matters. Craig always
seeks to find a solution that is fair to the client and is also proportionate to
the size of the dispute.
Since 1996, Craig has appeared as instructing solicitor or as counsel in the Supreme,
District and Magistrates Courts, State Administrative Tribunal, Federal Magistrates
Court, Compensation Magistrates Court and the Building Disputes Tribunal on a wide
range of matters.
Craig continues to act for a number of building companies in Perth in relation to
building and other disputes. He appeared in the Building Disputes Tribunal for a
builder in a hearing which lasted in excess of 7 days. He has also represented a
builder defending a prosecution brought by Worksafe for alleged breaches of OH&S
Regulations.
Craig has provided advice on vocational regulatory issues and on regulatory matters
involving ASIC. He has acted both for the former Nurses & Midwives Board and the
former Dental Board in successfully carrying out prosecutions in the Magistrates
Court and disciplinary proceedings against various health professionals in the State
Administrative Tribunal. More recently he has acted for a health professional in
potential disciplinary proceedings with the AHPRA which resulted in the complaint
being successfully dismissed.
Before deciding to focus more on general commercial litigation, Craig specialized
in the area of personal injury and insurance law. In that role, he appeared in the
Supreme Court as junior counsel for the insurer of a strata body in the long running
Balcony Litigation arising from a balcony collapse in North Fremantle on New Year's
Eve in 1996. His client was exonerated from any liability to those injured. He still
regularly provides advice to clients and acts in matters involving personal injury
and insurance claims. He also provides advice to clients in relation to claims for
criminal injuries compensation.
Craig provides assistance to many clients who are involved in proceedings under
the Restraining Orders Act relating to either violence restraining orders
or misconduct restraining orders or who are facing minor criminal charges or charges
for driving offences.
Craig regularly provides legal advice to the Baptist Churches of Western Australia
and its member churches on a wide variety of issues. He enjoys playing golf and
fishing whenever he gets the chance.
Craig's areas of practice include:
- Commercial litigation including:
- Australian Consumer Law (formerly Trade Practices Act and competition)
- Commercial and contractual disputes
- Property and leasing disputes
- Building and construction
- Mortgagee security and enforcement disputes
- Arbitration and mediation
- Debt collection
- Worksafe prosecutions
- Administrative law
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Insurance law
- Product liability
- Professional indemnity and liability
- Medical negligence
- Criminal law
- Restraining Orders
- Personal injury
- Public liability
- Workers compensation
- Criminal injuries compensation
| Qualifications: |
Five Year Articles Program (1996 – 2000) (UWA)
Advanced Certificate in Insurance Administration (Perth TAFE) |
| Admitted to Practice: |
Supreme Court of Western Australia 2000
High Court of Australia 2002 |
| Memberships: |
Law Society of Western Australia Former State Secretary of the Australian Insurance Law Association (2006-2007) Former member of the Council for the Baptist Churches of Western Australia (2005-2008) |