Frank Tao
Frank accepts briefs in all areas of commercial litigation, specialising in banking and finance, insolvency and bankruptcy, and contentious regulatory disputes.
Frank has represented various Australian and international clients on retail banking disputes including FOS/AFCA complaints, National Credit Code issues, enforcement of loans, securities and guarantees, as well as more complex investment banking-related litigation concerning ISDAs, GMRAs, CDOs, CFDs and treasury/costs of funding issues.
In insolvency and restructuring, Frank has acted for receivers, administrators, deed administrators and liquidators. He has significant experience in many aspects of insolvency-related investigations, disputes and contentious applications, including public examinations, proceedings for voidable transactions and breaches of directors’ duties, contested applications for approval of remuneration, and proceedings to discharge existing insolvency practitioners.
As for contentious regulatory proceedings, Frank has advised for and acted against regulators. He is currently briefed as junior counsel for a financial service provider in respect of a significant regulatory action commenced by ASIC.
Before he was called to the Bar, Frank was a dual qualified solicitor, having been admitted in Australia and in England & Wales. He was in private practice for almost 10 years at Henry Davis York in Sydney and Linklaters LLP in London. His work highlights included five years’ work on the administration of Lehman Brothers International (Europe), regarded as the world’s most complex administration.
Frank was also the Tipstaff to the Hon. Justice Henric Nicholas, Supreme Court of NSW in 2009.
Junior Counsel
Year of Admission to the NSW Bar: 2019