Founder

Mark Geoffrey O’Brien

Mark’s combination of legal skill, strategic foresight, and an unwavering commitment to his clients makes him one of the leading legal minds in media and commercial law in Australia.

Mark is a distinguished media and commercial lawyer with over 40 years of experience. During that time, he has supervised significant litigation in both the Federal Court and the Supreme Courts of Australia. Mark specialises in defamation, intellectual property, commercial law, and taxation.

Known for his strategic acumen and deep legal expertise, Mark has built a stellar reputation by handling high-stakes cases for major media corporations, public figures, and businesses across Australia. Recognised as one of Australia’s top lawyers, Mark’s work includes high-profile cases such as successfully acting for a billionaire who was falsely accused of bribing the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and successfully acting for an international cricketer who was falsely of indecently exposing himself to a woman in the team dressing room during an international cricket competition.

He is a trusted advisor to media companies, providing counsel on defamation, broadcasting, copyright, and other commercial issues. Mark also has a thorough understanding of government practices through his extensive legal dealings with government.

His wide-ranging expertise also includes representing media outlets in defamation cases, guiding corporations through ICAC and ASIC investigations, and advising on international commercial disputes.

Mark is listed in Chambers Asia Pacific, the Clients Guide, 2019 as a Band 1, Media lawyer, and is cited as being “a highly knowledgeable media lawyer who has a very high level of expertise and an immense knowledge and understanding of the media industry”.

The firm has also built a significant reputation in aggressively representing its clients and is regularly referred to as such by the media:

“…feared defamation lawyer Mark O’Brien” (Margin Call, The Australian, 7 February 2018)

“…one of the country’s top defamation lawyers Mark O’Brien” (B&T Magazine, 2 February 2018)

“…one of the nation’s most feared defamation lawyers” (The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 March 2018)

FOUNDERMark Geoffrey O’Brien

E-MAIL

mark.obrien@markobrienlegal.com.au

TELEPHONE

02 9216 9827

Key Experience

Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC): representing private and corporate clients.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC): representing private and corporate clients.

Other Notable Matters Include

Representing Publishing and Broadcasting Limited and the Australian Rugby League in the Super League dispute with News Limited;
Acting in Federal Court proceedings against Air Services Australia concerning the regulation of Australia airspace;
Defending defamation proceedings against national television broadcasters;
Successfully representing a former Senior Australian politician and an international cricketer in relation to defamation proceedings against mass media publications;
Representing the Seven Network in highly publicised proceedings against Network Ten seeking to restrain a senior Executive from working for Network Ten;
Representing Government Ministers at ICAC private and public hearings;
Acting jointly with US Attorneys on Civil Rico proceedings in US District Court concerning the Timor Sea Oil and Gas Concessions;
Representing white collar defendants in ASIC prosecutions for insider trading and money laundering breaches of the Corporations Act and Crimes Act;
Representing other high-profile Plaintiffs in defamation actions against mass media publications and national broadcasters;
Representing prominent sports people in disputes with governing bodies, including the Australian Rugby Union and National Rugby League.

Areas of Law

Media Law, Reputation and Crisis Management, Dispute Resolution and White Collar Prosecutions

Our Legal Team

PAUL SVILANS

Principal

STEVEN LEWIS

Principal

Level 10, 16 - 18 O’Connell Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

02 9216 9827

Overseas +61 2 9216 9827

info@markobrienlegal.com.au

OUR EXPERTISE

02 9216 9827