GEORGE HANNA – PARTNER

Email: ghanna@gmhlegal.com

Office Line: (02) 9587 0458

George Hanna is admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW, the High Court of Australia, the High Court of Auckland and is a Registered Migration Agent. George has wide ranging experience at a number of large corporate firms in Sydney prior to commencing GMH Legal.

George’s areas of expertise include Commercial Litigation in which he has represented a number of clients at the Supreme Court and District Court of NSW. George also has expertise in Commercial Property Law, including retail leases/licences, Franchising and Sale & Purchase of Businesses

Recent matters that George has undertaken include:

• $5.5 million litigation in the NSW Supreme Court (Equity Division) over leasing and subleasing of a retail premises pursuant to the Retail Leasing Act;
• Advised in a $5.5 million litigation in the NSW Supreme Court (Equity Division) over leasing and subleasing of a retail premises pursuant to the Retail Leasing Act;
• Advised in a NSW Supreme Court (Equity Division) litigation for the NSW Yachting Club in its decision to exclude members from its organisation;
• Advised in a $800,000 litigation in the NSW District Court and NSW Supreme Court (Equity Division) over supply of Pharmaceutical supplies;
• Advised in Construction litigation matters in the NSW CTTT & NCAT Tribunals for commercial property developers;
• Advised in a $720,000 fine levied against a large international IT consulting company for alleged unfair work practices successfully defended at the Fair Work Australia Tribunal;
• Advised for clients at three separate Independent Commissions Against Corruption (ICAC) Commissions including an acquittal of a matter referred to the District Court of NSW (Criminal Division);
• Advised in Criminal sanctions levied by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in the NSW District Court for a financial controller of a large multinational mining supplier successfully defended;
• Establishment of a coffee and fast food franchise as well as on-going compliance with the Franchise Code of Conduct;
• Establishment of Medical Centres for a large consortium of Medical Practitioners, Dentists and Pathologists;
• Advised clients in proceedings commenced at the Federal Circuit Court.

ERIC PETERSEN – IN HOUSE COUNSEL

Email: epetersen@gmhlegal.com

Office Line: (02) 9587 0458

Eric Petersen is a barrister admitted to the NSW Supreme Court in 1984. Eric heads GMH Legal’s Litigation department as an independent counsel.

Eric Petersen’s areas of expertise include: Civil and Contract Law; Construction and Commercial Law; and Equity and Probate.

He has also practiced in many other legal fields, including:

• Appearances in appellate matters the High Court and in the NSW Court of Appeal;
• the conduct of hundreds of Tort and Personal Injury matters;
• dozens of Local Court summary matters;
• over 70 appearances in the Protective Division of the Supreme Court; and
• sitting on disciplinary tribunals convened by the City of Sydney Basketball Association.

He has appeared as counsel in many court cases which have become known as important authorities. These include:

• Varma v Varma [2010] NSWSC (a leading decision on the law of promissory estoppel);
• Young v New South Wales Radio Yachting Association Inc [2013] NSWSC 383 (a leading decision on disciplinary proceedings within non-profit organisations);
• King v Stewart (1994) 85LGERA384 (authority that a private homeowner is not duty-bound to inspect their own home in order to discover hidden dangers).

Eric Petersen has often taught and written for educational bodies. His publications range from the dry-as-dust “A History of Takeover Law” to the racier titles such as “How Not To Be Legally Robbed”.

DAVID LI – CORPORATE

Email: dli@gmhlegal.com

Office Line: (02) 9587 0458

David Li is admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW as well as the Supreme Court of SA. David has wide ranging experience at a number of large corporate firms in Sydney.

David’s areas of expertise include Commercial Contracts, Sale & Purchase of Businesses, Intellectual Property and Trademark Law

Some of David’s transactions include:

• Advising an up and coming Australian technology company (a tablet computer maker and designer) on its international IP protection strategy, assist it with international filing of trade marks and setting up of distribution networks in Australia and USA worth in excess of USD $200 million a year, focusing on the protection of its IP through both legal and practical means.
• Advising a medium sized Australian technology company (a computer hardware and software designer specialising in artificial intelligence and imagine/facial recognition) on issues relating to software licensing and website content and copyright infringement.
• Advising the Australian subsidiary of a Chinese conglomerate with a turnover in excess of USD $500 million on general commercial and branding protection issues, including filing and prosecution of a range of trade marks and sale of its furniture arm in South Australia.
• Advising an international artists management company based in Australia and Singapore on branding and artist management issues and IP ownership and transition with respect to a partial dissolution.
• Assisting Runping and Partners, Voson and other Chinese firms with filing of trade marks and patents in Australia and advise them on the prosecution of those trade marks and patents in Australia.
• Advising an Australian wine maker on its comprehensive IP protection strategy including filing of a range of trade marks.