Hugo de Kock

LLM, LLB. B.A. (Law)
Hugo de Kock
  • Chambers: Floor 4, Room 40, Dawson Chambers
  • Year Admitted: 15th August, 2006
  • Year Signed Bar Roll: 19th November, 2009
  • Admitted to Practice in: Federal Courts, High Court of Australia, South Africa.
  • Phone: 9229 5043
  • Mobile: 0437 351 632
  • Facsimile: 9229 5060
  • E-Mail: hugo@vicbar.com.au
  • Areas of Practice
    • Banking and Finance
    • Bankruptcy/Insolvency
    • Commercial Law
    • Corporations (Company) Law
    • Equity & Trusts
    • Insurance Law
    • Professional Negligence
    • Property Law/Sale of Land
    • Tort
    • Trade Practices

Hugo practises predominantly in commercial litigation.  Major litigation matters that he has been involved with since coming to the Bar include:

  • Acting for the Department of Sustainability and Environment in the Kilmore East bushfire class action, a case that is currently underway.
  • Acting on behalf of one of the directors of Opes Prime Stockbroking Limited, following the company's collapse in R v Emini & Blumberg [2011] VSC 336 (27 July 2011), as junior counsel to Jane Dixon SC. 
  • Acting as junior counsel to Peter Cawthorn SC in a matter that restrained a major Australian bank from exercising its rights under a number of securities held over commercial properties.

Hugo has been a litigation lawyer for nine years.  He was a solicitor in Melbourne for a number of years, specialising in commercial litigation, prior to joining the Bar.  His expertise includes areas such as contract law, trade practices, banking and finance, trusts, corporations (including breach of director's duties), bankruptcy and insolvency, tort, property and professional negligence.    

Hugo moved to Australia in 2005 from South Africa.   In South Africa he practised as a Barrister in Cape Town undertaking civil and criminal litigation.  He holds a LLM in International Trade Law from the University of Stellenbosch, where, while doing his masters, he taught Property Law and Law of Succession.

From 19/11/2009: Professional Standards Act 2003 [Vic] "Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation."