Oskar Watts

• Assist in the provision of legal and tax advice in relation to the prevention of, and the response to, adversarial findings by the ATO;
• Assisting client positions in ATO inquires including: Audits, Disputes and Litigation (including cross-border tax disputes), whilst contributing to a collaborative relationship with members of the ATO;
• Assessing potential tax liability arising from corporate restructure, and the prospects of successful outcomes;
• Advising on uncertain corporate structures and tax positions through Private Binding Rulings and Arguable Position Submissions; Managing on-shore document reviews for evidence collation order by the ATO under Section 353-10 of the Tax Administration Act (Cth) 1953;
• Mentoring junior staff from the legal Vacationer and Graduate program.

• Conduct in-depth legal research and forensically examine diverse evidentiary materials, including verbal, written, and case documentation;
• Attend and assist in court proceedings;
• Provide legal and administrative assistance to parties in Mediation and Arbitration;
• Assist in client interviews and the construction of sworn affidavits, engaging all stakeholders with active listening and advanced communication, as well as recording minutes.

Achievements:

• Independently drafted preliminary advice for Counsel regarding Breach of Trust and Breach of Confidence issues
• Supported Mr Anastassiou KC and Solicitors in drafting an urgent interlocutory injunction application in the Victorian Supreme Court
• Strategised with Mr Anastassiou KC that led to the successful resolution of a contractual dispute worth $750M.

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on behalf of clients in detention on Nauru and members of Australia’s First Nations communities;
• Prepare and deliver detailed advice to clients, providing succinct, yet legally robust, guidance on issues, risks and options available;
• Drafting offers of settlement;
• Conduct investigations into police misconduct and review the merits of Coronial Inquest;
• Maintain regular communication with clients and counterparts, ensuring clarity and accuracy in all legal and professional communication;
• Key Achievements: Independently managed matters from their inception to completion;
• This concluded with the delivery of oral and written advice as to the prospects of recourse for clients;
• Received exceptional feedback from clients and the Project’s solicitors in relation to the quality of research, advice and oral communication.

• Assist Associates and Partners with all legal research and requirements throughout the timeline of civil litigation;
• Perform discovery on commercial matters, providing recommendations to the management team;
• Provide support in the preservation, collection, and analysis of discoverable documents in accordance with the Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) requirements and relevant case law;
• Draft and polish memoranda, ensuring consummate accuracy
• Help with the management and running of files as required.

• Provide high-quality legal administrative support to Mr Hayes through drafting memoranda, formal correspondence creation, and case note evaluations;
• Prepare detailed, accurate, and informative chronologies to assist in the presentation of findings in court;
• Complete ongoing academic research with the creation and publication of literature for Mr Hayes in his position as Editor in Chief and Founder of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Journal;
• Engage in the creation of speeches for utilisation by Mr Hayes in presentations to authoritative bodies;
• Attend solicitor briefs and client conferences and document case notes.

Key Achievements:

• Independently constructed two public speeches that Mr. Hayes delivered to the Australian and Victorian Bar Associations;
• Received exceptional feedback on the quality of research items for presentations in court and legal research outputs.

• Complete daily reconciliations and timely management of trust accounts and financial ledgers;
• Utilise a keen attention to detail in completing banking processes and appropriate filing of receipts;
• Ensure disbursements to Owners, Creditors, and Agents were processed in an accurate and prompt manner;
• Oversee reconciliations of daily and monthly financial reports for utilisation and evaluation by senior management;
• Engage in annual audit preparation activities in adherence to annual audit plans;
• Communicate seamlessly with clients and produced exemplary formal correspondence.

Key Achievements:

• Utilised legislative and regulatory knowledge, ensuring quality standards of financial management and increased governance compliance and due diligence;
• Commended by management for accuracy in the completion of financial processes.