Viknesh Pillay

Viknesh is a commercial litigation lawyer with a penchant for alternative dispute resolution. Viknesh adopts a practical approach to dispute resolution, with an acute awareness of the commercial realities and risks faced by each business in this new, ever-evolving world.

Viknesh is qualified to practice law in Australia (Western Australia and Victoria), Singapore, and England & Wales. Viknesh’s multi-jurisdictional experience and expertise enables him to cast a unique eye on matters involving multiple parties in various jurisdictions, within Australia and internationally.

Viknesh also has experience in maritime and shipping law, having acted for various stakeholders within the industry. Viknesh assisted clients in a range of disputes traversing a myriad of issues which have enabled him to pursue and manage disputes with insight from all angles.

Viknesh’s recent experience includes:

• Advising and managing disputes relating to breaches of Joint Venture Agreements, Franchise Agreements, and Sale of Business Agreements;
• Advising and managing disputes between business partners within partnerships;
• Advising and managing disputes between Shareholders/Unitholders including the exit of one or more shareholders from companies;
• Providing general advice on various aspects of the Corporations Act including breaches of director’s duties;
• Acting for various businesses for non-payment of goods supplied and services rendered;
• Acting for landlords/subtenants in commercial and retail leases relating to unpaid rent, failure to maintain property, and fire events among others;
• Advising and managing disputes relating to the Australian Consumer Law, including having acted for a prominent caravan company and managing consumer disputes;
• Acting for shipowners, freight forwarders, and ocean carriers in a range of disputes including charter party claims, non-delivery and late delivery of goods among others;
• Acted for claimants to arrest vessels in the open waters and acted for owners to set aside a warrant of arrest;
• Acted for various shipowners against shipyard for delivery of vessels with incorrect specifications and claims exceeding US$20 million;
• Acted for shipowners and separately for other claimants in negligence claims arising from collision of vessels;
• Acted for logistics providers in possessory lien claims and advised on retention of title clauses;
• Acted for owners and separate shipyards for claims of incomplete repair works, non-payment, and advising on repairer’s lien among other issues;
• Advising and managing disputes relating to hire-purchase agreements;
• Advising clients and managing cross-jurisdictional disputes relating to conflict of laws, res judicata, forum non conveniens among other issues;
• Advising clients and managing disputes relating to marine insurance; and
• Advising clients and managing disputes relating to various other issues including crew claims.