Monica Allen,
Senior Associate

Areas of law
Media Law, Dispute Resolution and litigation

Qualifications
Master of Laws, University of Sydney

Admissions
July 2007

T (02) 9216 9815
M 0432 977 939
Contact me via email:
monica.allen@markobrienlegal.com.au

Monica is a media and commercial litigation lawyer with extensive experience managing complex multi-party litigation in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia including defamation and media law, regulatory matters, financial services litigation, cross-border issues, insolvency and contractual and general commercial disputes.

Monica represents and advises media organisations in matters involving defamation, copyright, suppression orders and other related matters and provides ongoing pre-publication advice to the Daily Mail Australia.

Her previous clients include mass media corporations, international institutions, artists, small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and high net worth individuals.

She is a co-author of the first Australian textbook on Social Media and the Law and she is a member of the Communications and Media Law Association.

Notable matters include:

Monica has assisted either Mark O'Brien and/or Paul Svilans in:

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a sports scientist against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a builder against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a real estate agent and investment adviser against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the District Court by a musician against a number of media organisations including Daily Mail Australia;

• Successfully opposing proposed suppression orders on behalf of media organisations.

Other notable experience includes:

• Successfully acting on behalf of shareholders in a multi-million dollar representative action against a publically listed company in the Federal Court, Melbourne. The proceedings involved 14 respondents;

• Successfully defending a Federal Court representative action brought by land owners seeking to invalidate a decision made by the Minister under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) pursuant to the Constitution and the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth).

• Acting for a food and beverage distributor in respect of ACCC investigations relating to the current Federal Court claims brought against Coles Supermarkets.