Andrew Watson
Principal
Key practice areas: Class actions
Other areas: Class actions
Qualifications: LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons)
Location: Melbourne (VIC)
Andrew Watson is the head of Maurice Blackburn's Class Actions
department. He oversees a number of cases, including the unfair bank fees
class action against the ANZ bank and seven others, and the bushfire class
actions for people affected by the Kilmore East/Kinglake and
Murrindindi/Marysville Black Saturday bushfires.
Andrew is an experienced litigator in class actions, particularly for
shareholders who have been victims of corporate misconduct. He has
extensive knowledge of the Australian industrial relations system,
including industrial and employment law, discrimination law,
defamation and privacy law.
Andrew's experience includes conducting the Multiplex class
action, which related to Multiplex's disastrous Wembley Stadium
project. Andrew was also Special Counsel on the Aristocrat
class action, a role that included providing advice on complex
legal issues, liaising with major institutional investors and
briefing expert witnesses.
Andrew joined the ACTU as senior industrial officer in 2000. He
was appointed Director Legal and Research in 2002 and was
responsible for preparing and presenting the ACTU's major test
cases, including the annual Minimum Wage Case to the Industrial
Relations Commission. He also represented the peak union body
in other legal and industrial cases.
Read the Australian
Financial Review profile on Andrew