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Ben Schefe

Ben Schefe

Director | Litigation Team Leader

Ben is a Director of our Litigation team, based in Brisbane’s CBD.

Experience:

Since his admission in 2009, Ben has practiced exclusively in the areas of employment law/workplace relations, estate litigation, building /construction and commercial litigation (including personal and company insolvency).

Ben has a particular interest in employment law/workplace relations, estate litigation and building / construction.

Regarding employment law/workplace relations matters, he has acted for both employers and employees before all State and Commonwealth Courts, Tribunals and Commissions. Ben has a special interest in assisting SMEs with their employment issues.

In building and construction litigation, Ben has acted for and advised individuals and companies, with a primary focus on SMEs and subcontractors, in residential and commercial building disputes before all State Courts and QCAT as well as preparing and defending BCIPA and BIF claims and subcontractor’s charges.

As a specific example of his experience in this area, Ben assisted his principal contractor client to successfully appeal a $350,000.00 BCIPA/BIF claim.

With respect to estate litigation, he has acted for executors and beneficiaries in estate disputes in both the Supreme and District Courts. For example, Ben has assisted executors to claims made against the estate, and assisted parties either completely left out of the will, or included in the will but with inadequate provision, to make further provision claims. This includes a number of claims resulting in the client receiving millions of dollars’ worth of money and assets.

Ben’s involvement in personal and company insolvency matters has seen him act for individuals, directors, bankruptcy trustees, liquidators and administrators on a broad range of disputes, including prosecuting and defending:

  • applications for company wind ups;
  • creditor’s petitions in bankruptcy;
  • preference claims;
  • claims for voidable transactions; and
  • claims against directors for breaches of director’s duties and other breaches under the Corporations Act.

Other specific examples of Ben’s experience include:

  • working with an employee to recover a seven-figure sum from a major corporation resulting from a bullying and harassment claim that led to psychological damage;
  • assisting various employers to successfully restrain or seek damages from employees who have been in breach of their restraint provisions and/or have been in breach of confidentiality provisions; and
  • assisting employers and employees in the termination of executive level staff, including negotiating appropriate settlements.
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor of Laws – Queensland University of Technology (QUT) – July 2007
  • Graduate Certificate in Employment Law – Curtin University – August 2012
Memberships:
  • Queensland Law Society
  • Industrial Relations Society of Queensland

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Meet another team member:

Ben Schefe

Director | Litigation Team Leader

Madeleine Harling

Associate | Litigation

Vinh Ho

Senior Associate | Wills and Estates

Miriam Sadler

Senior Associate | Property and Commercial