Jacob Varghese
Principal
Key practice areas: Class Actions & Major Projects
Qualifications: LLB (Hons)
Location: Melbourne (VIC)
Jacob Varghese works on securities class actions, representing
shareholders who have lost money as a consequence of corporate
misconduct.
He is currently running the National Australia Bank class
action in the Supreme Court of Victoria. This action alleges that
NAB contravened its continuous disclosure obligations by failing to
tell the stock exchange and its shareholders the extent of its
exposure to US toxic debts during the sub-prime mortgage crisis of
2007 and 2008.
Jacob also acts in the Centro class action, which alleges
that Centro Properties Ltd and Centro Retail Ltd misled investors
and contravened its continuous disclosure obligations in relation
to the maturity of billions of dollars in debt.
Jacob previously acted in the Aristocrat and
Multiplex class actions. The
Aristocrat settlement of $144.5 million remains the largest class
action settlement in Australian history. The Multiplex settlement,
at $110 million, is the fourth largest.
Jacob also supervises Maurice Blackburn's Social Justice Practice, which
takes on cases in the public interest on behalf of disadvantaged
people.
Jacob started at Maurice Blackburn in 2002 as an articled clerk.
He also worked as a political adviser before joining the class
actions team in 2006.