Phi Finney McDonald

Firm Details: 

Managing Partners: Ben Phi, Odette McDonald, Tim Finney

Legal Counsel: Helen Leaf

Number of partners: 11

Number of lawyers: 28

International Offices: London, UK

FIRM OVERVIEW 

Phi Finney McDonald is one of Australia’s leading class action law firms, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and London. The firm is retained and publicly backed by the largest institutional investors in the world, and has received judicial praise for developing innovative litigation funding structures that reduce costs and improve client returns. The firm’s founders previously led the class actions practice at one of Australia’s largest plaintiff firms. Collectively, the three founders have more than 50 years of litigation experience, 35 years of specialist class actions experience and have achieved more than $500 million dollars in class action settlements.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE 

CLASS ACTIONS 

Melbourne, Australia: 10 Partners, 21 fee earners.

Sydney, Australia: 1 Partner, 4 fee earners.

London, UK: 1 Partner, 2 fee earners.

Phi Finney McDonald specialises in complex and large-scale litigation, with a focus on shareholder, environmental and social justice class actions. In its shareholder class action practice, the firm has established the trust and confidence of some of the largest institutional investors in the world. The firm’s repeat clients include some of the largest and most influential pension schemes, private investors, sovereign wealth funds, and investment platforms across the Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.

In a highly competitive market, Phi Finney McDonald has won contested carriage motions for lead counsel status in high profile class actions against BHP Billiton and GetSwift, and is the first firm to be awarded sole carriage of an Australian class action, with competing claims permanently stayed.

Among the firm’s numerous shareholder class actions are cases against Westpac Banking Corporation and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, with both of these cases alleging the companies misled investors in relation to alleged breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.

In the past year, the firm has also launched twin class actions against Apple and Google, alleging anti-competitive conduct. The case is seeking compensation for consumers as a result of each of the companies charging supra-competitive commissions on purchases of apps and in-app digital content.

Phi Finney McDonald also draws on its expertise to drive significant public interest actions on behalf of groups seeking access to justice in landmark human rights matters. The firm is currently representing First Nations leaders in a landmark climate class action against the Commonwealth of Australia. The case represents that the Commonwealth government owes a duty of care to protect the lives, land and cultural heritage of Torres Strait Islanders from the devastating impact of climate change.

The firm is also representing Domino’s delivery drivers and in-store workers in a class action against the fast-food chain, alleging widespread underpayment of tens of thousands of workers in franchise stores. And most recently, the firm has launched a class action against the State of Victoria, alleging that Victoria Police’s use of capsicum spray at the IMARC protest in 2019 involved unreasonable and disproportionate force and was unlawfully justified.

Phi Finney McDonald is unique in the Australian market. While its lawyers have the experience and relationships of a large law firm, they operate within a lean, boutique structure with minimal overheads, and a purpose-built IT platform. This allows the firm to provide top quality legal services at a lower cost than its rivals, leading to better financial outcomes and access to justice for its clients.

Contact: 

Kelly Basset, General Manager

Email: [email protected]

Tel : +61 3 9134 7100

KEY CLIENTS 

■ Californian State Teachers’ Retirement System

■ Teachers Retirement System of Texas

■ Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association

■ Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board

■ Pabai Pabai and Paul Kabai on behalf of Torres Strait Islanders

OFFICES 

Melbourne, Australia 

Level 3, 325 Flinders Lane Victoria, 3000

Tel: +61 3 9134 7100

Email: [email protected]

Sydney, Australia 

Level 4, 50 Margaret Street, Sydney

Tel: +61 2 7209 1695

Email: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES 

London, United Kingdom 

25 Southampton Buildings Holborn, WC2A 1AL

Tel: +44 203 709 9315

Email: [email protected]