EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Isabella advises and acts in complex commercial disputes, property-related litigation, competition and consumer law disputes, building and construction litigation, strata scheme disputes and debt recoveries. She also acts in insolvency litigation and recovery actions, having completed an insolvency course with the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association.

Isabella regularly acts in disputes in superior courts such as the Supreme Court of NSW and the NSW Court of Appeal, and has been involved in matters across a range of jurisdictions including Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria.

Isabella is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution such as mediation and conciliation. She has successfully settled numerous disputes through alternative dispute resolution processes, avoiding the inherent uncertainty and cost associated with ongoing protracted litigation for her clients.

Isabella acts for a wide range of clients including local councils, government agencies, both Australian and international private clients, and numerous liquidators, creditors and property owners.

Isabella is known and commended for her pragmatic advice, approachability, attention to detail and meticulous case preparation.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Alongside Moray & Agnew Partner, Megan Palmer, Isabella  successfully defended the precast concrete manufacturer joined to three high-profile Supreme Court of NSW proceedings concerning the Opal Tower in Sydney. All three proceedings arose from the damage observed at the Opal Tower on Christmas Eve  2018 which resulted in the evacuation of residents and years of media attention. The proceedings have been described as one of Australia’s most significant property lawsuits, and involved complex claims and a combined quantum of more than $600m. The claims against our client in all three proceedings were successfully resolved, with judgment being entered in our client’s favour prior to the commencement of a 40-day hearing.

Isabella acted for the successful strata scheme lot owner in landmark strata law proceedings concerning the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s power to hear and determine a claim for damages for lost rent suffered by a lot owner as a result of an owners corporation’s breach of its statutory duty to repair and maintain common property arising under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW). The proceedings culminated in a seminal 2-1 decision of the NSW Court of Appeal, ‘potentially affecting the procedural rights of millions of lot owners’.

Isabella’s notable cases include:

• The Owners – Strata Plan No. 80412 v Vickery [2021] NSWCATAP 98
• Vickery v The Owners – Strata Plan No. 80412 (2020) 103 NSWLR 352; [2020] NSWCA 284
• The Owners – Strata Plan No. 80412 v Vickery (No. 2) [2019] NSWCATAP 97
• The Owners – Strata Plan No. 80412 v Vickery [2019] NSWCATAP 71