Tony Phelps is an experienced lawyer and leader who has held several senior roles at the law firm Piper Alderman over the past 30 years, including National Managing Partner from 2010 to present. He has led strategic organizational changes that have helped transform Piper Alderman from a regional firm to a significant national firm. Some of his accomplishments include turning around an underperforming office, developing leadership and diversity programs, and growing firm revenues. Phelps has extensive experience in commercial dispute resolution and conducting litigation.

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Tony Phelps – Curriculum Vitae
CAREER SUMMARY
Anthony (Tony) Phelps is an experienced leader and manager of professionals, having been
the National Managing Partner of Piper Alderman from 2010 to 2014. He has successfully lead a
National Law Firm of over 325 staff through significant change during a very volatile
environment for the last decade as Divisional Head, Deputy Managing Partner and Managing
Partner. He has initiated strategic change based on strong interpersonal skills and a
demonstrated ability and willingness to influence and manage a broad range of stakeholders.
Tony has been an active participant in the Management and Leadership of the firm from 1998
to date. He has been instrumental in Piper Alderman’s growth from a provincial to national Firm
over that period.
He practises in the area of commercial litigation, specialising in D&O, Professional Indemnity
and Trade Credit Insurance. He has a wide range of experience in commercial disputes –
highlights of which are described in the Dispute Resolution Experience Summary, following.
Tony has conducted a defamation practice throughout his legal career acting for a number of
State and Federal Politicians and business identities both in advisory and litigation roles.
He has extensive experience as an advocate in the Local, District, Supreme and Federal Court
jurisdictions as well as numerous tribunals.
MAJOR CAPABILITIES
 Ability to initiate strategic organisational change across complex and volatile
environments and changing and ambiguous circumstances and lead development of
people, processes and systems to effect successful execution.
 Ability to successfully inspire, empower and manage technical professionals across a
diverse range of activities towards achieving a larger organisational goal.
 Strong financial management skills with analytical and financial acumen to critically
evaluate risks, options and scenarios and propose innovative but sensible solutions.
 Strong interpersonal skills and ability and willingness to influence a broad range of
stakeholders.
 Demonstrable ability to operate consistently, with accountability and integrity to get things
done.
 Courage to be decisive and make hard decisions when required.

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CAREER HISTORY
PIPER ALDERMAN 1986 to date
Piper Alderman is a full-service, commercial law firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
and Adelaide. It has over 50 partners, over 165 lawyers and more than 325 staff in total.
National Managing Partner (2010 to date)
Deputy Managing Partner (2006 – 2010)
Head of Litigation (2004 - 2010)
Partner (1998 to date)
Lawyer/Associate/Senior Associate (1986 - 1998)
I was asked in 2004 to assume the role of National Head of Litigation and in 2006 Deputy
Managing Partner. In 2010, I was asked to nominate for Managing Partner, which I did and was
elected unopposed and my term renewed unopposed in 2013.
I have provided below, some career highlights, split into “Leadership” and “Dispute Resolution”.
Main Leadership Achievements:
 Successfully led a Partnership of 50 Partners and a firm of over 325 people through some of
the most difficult times for professional services organisations ever, transforming Piper
Alderman from a leading regional Firm into a significant national Firm. During the period I
have been Managing Partner, revenue has grown from $52,000,000 to $62,000,000. Over
my period as Managing Partner, there have been relatively few Partner and lawyer
departures and the overall number of Partners and Lawyers has grown by some 8%.
 Led an organisational and behavioural change initiative which improved responsibility
and accountability of Partners for cross-selling, marketing and financial ‘hygiene’ and
addressed the inadequacies of management across different states and offices. This was
achieved by engaging with Partners to build broad support for the initiative, and by
changing the organisational structure of the Firm from three divisions to ten Business Units
which allowed for the differing size, geography and market presence of those Business
Units. The change also empowered local decision making.
 Faced with the choice of shutting down a loss-making Brisbane Office or reinvigorating it,
led a cultural change program which turned the situation around within 12 months. Key
elements of the program were better engagement with clients and their needs; strategic
recruitment of Corporate and Commercial expertise and a large insolvency team; a
process to move-on a number of underperforming Partners; and moving the Office to the
commercial centre of Brisbane from the Courts precinct. The Brisbane Office, which
consisted of 12 lawyers at the commencement of the program, now has more than 33
lawyers and revenues of over $7,000,000 p.a., and is one of Piper Alderman’s most
dynamic Offices.
 Recognising that the Adelaide Workers Compensation Practice was showing weakness
after significant changes to the law, developed and implemented a co-ordinated plan to
create a viable future outside the Firm for a group of legacy Partners who were unable to
make the adjustment required to their practices. Having undertaken substantial
investigation and analysis of historical billing trends and financial modelling of revenues
and projected expenses, I secured the support for the establishment of a ‘spin-off’ firm
which allowed the departing Partners to be treated with respect and to move out of the
Firm without detriment to their remuneration. The venture was successful, the change
implemented was satisfactory to all involved and the effect was to improve the financial
position of the Firm.

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 Turned around the Firm’s recruitment success rate over the last five years through personal
leadership of the Firm’s recruitment strategy, resulting in a large number of top-tier Partners
and Senior Associates coming to the Firm and remaining to build successful practices.
Much of this success can be attributed to the building of the Firm’s brand in the talent
market, including its differentiation as a firm in which Partners still have a say and continue
to be engaged in the strategic direction and decision making of the Firm within the
“frame-work” approach of the Business Units system used to manage the Firm and drive
Partner behaviours.
 Developed and led the implementation of a Firm-wide Three Year Plan which reinforces
the Firm’s values and their place in the Partner-driven strategy of the Firm, identifies area
for change, and offers a “framework” for firm strategy and growth. This has been done
with the input of Partners and with the assistance of the Firm’s management staff,
emphasising a “replication” of Firm strengths in each of the four State Offices, and setting
targets for Partner, lawyer and staff numbers in areas of practice relevant to the Firm’s
clients and in identified growth areas of the economy.
 Recognizing the need to be a more inclusive workplace with a greater representation of
women in leadership positions, I initiated a firm-wide diversity program lead by the Diversity
Council which created a range of initiatives from the firm mentoring program to a talent
development and retention program. The diversity program won the Euromoney Legal
Media Australasia Women in Business Law award for best new Diversity Program 2014.
 Nurturing Piper Alderman’s unique culture by maintaining a focus on the firm’s core values
through times of expansion and integration of new people. A strong commitment to
clear, effective communication has been critical to my fostering of a productive and
collegiate culture along with ensuring partners and staff at all levels are reached by a
diverse range of communication initiatives and multi-channel campaigns.
 A full description of these leadership achievements is attached at Schedule A.
Dispute Resolution Experience:
 QBE and AIG – Advised in respect of Professional Liability and Directors and Officers
Insurance.
 Ash Wednesday Bushfires – Advised numerous insurers in the successful recovery of more
than $110,000,000 from the Electricity Trust of SA and its US Underwriters arising out of the
1983 Ash Wednesday Bushfires. This included more than 100 claims for personal injury
(including psychological damage).
 BHP Billiton Limited and BlueScope Steel – Recovery actions against Lloyds and UK
underwriters and Berkshire Hathaway, including issues of policy trigger, allocation, limits,
occurrence and general policy interpretation.
 BHP Billiton Limited v Schultz – Devised the strategy for and successfully advised BHP Billiton
in the High Court on cross-vesting of interstate tort claims commenced in NSW DDT. The
case has had wide application across all Australian jurisdictions.
 BlueScope v Allianz – Two successful claims against Allianz for BlueScope (pursuant to the
Demerger Deed between BHP and BlueScope) following misconceived denial of
indemnity by Allianz. Employed s. 18 Insurance Act (NSW) 1918 to defeat denial.
 Media Relations – Has acted in numerous defamation actions involving State Government
Ministers and State and Federal Shadow Ministers, Local Government members and media
personalities (both television and radio). Acted for many years for Sydney Swans in
respect of media management and relations.
 Pilot Development Corporation – Successfully defended developer from claims made by
20 registered purchasers of apartments at Clovelly (Sydney), claiming damages for
rescission of Contract. Successfully defended the judgment appeal.

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 Metropolitan Transport Sydney Pty Ltd v ABB – Successfully recovered damages and costs
for the owner/operator of Sydney Light Rail in a dispute over the design and construction
of ticketing and control systems for the Pyrmont Light Rail project.
 Sydney Gas Limited re: Brownlow Hill – Conducted the first contested access agreement in
NSW by arbitration and Wardens Court Appeal under the Petroleum (Onshore) Act (NSW),
regarding exploration and development rights over a coal-bed methane project and
compensation to landowners.
 ECMI v Deputy Commissioner for Taxation – Successfully defended a Belgium-registered
corporation in a dispute with the Australian Tax Office over tax payable on share
transactions involving the operation of s. 255 Income Tax Assessment Act and s. 260-5 Tax
Administration Act.
 CGEA v City of Sydney – Successfully defended the operators of the Sydney Monorail in a
dispute with Sydney Council over the imposition of charges pursuant to s. 611 of the Local
Government Act, reducing the charge to approximately 5% of the claimed charge.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Laws – 1985
University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice - 1986
South Australian Institute of Technology
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS
 Law Society of New South Wales
 Law Society of South Australia
 Australian Insurance Law Association
 Defence Research Institute (USA)
 Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia
INTERESTS
 Rugby Union
 Cricket
 Reading
 Gardening
 Theatre
Tony is married, with four adult children. He is a keen follower of the Wallabies, NSW Waratahs
and Manly Rugby Club. Tony is also a cricket tragic and manages his disappointments from
both sports by reading extensively and gardening badly.
CONTACT DETAILS
Email: aphelps@piperalderman.com.au
Mobile: 0416 267 251

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SCHEDULE A
Main Leadership Achievements
BHP Billiton / Berkshire Hathaway – strategic recovery program
 Conceived a strategy for and lead to conclusion, negotiations for BHP and BlueScope
Steel with the Commonwealth and Berkshire Hathaway, (for the “Equitas Fund”), to resolve
past and future asbestos injury liabilities to a value of $100,000,000 each.
 Led a team of 3 Partners, 4 other lawyers and several paralegals acting for BHP Billiton and
BlueScope Steel to recover $20,000,000 each in damages paid away for asbestos-related
workplace injuries, reducing contingent liabilities held on BHP and BlueScope’s balance
sheets by $40,000,000 each and putting in place an indemnity agreement and claims
handling protocol for all future claims (worth an additional $70,000,000).
 This was achieved by developing and successfully implementing a coherent strategy of
tracing records in the UK and Australia, obtaining actuarial reports, supported by opinions
of Senior Counsel and commencement of Supreme Court, Commercial List cases. The
strategy also included cross-vesting of claims to low cost/damages jurisdictions and
negotiating a significant contribution (30%) from the Commonwealth.
1983 Ash Wednesday Resolution
 Acted for a large group of Australian Underwriters and 3,000 individual clients against the
Electricity Trust of South Australia and its US Insurers in one of the then largest claims in
Australian legal history, for property damage and personal injury claims arising out of the
1983 South Australian Ash Wednesday Bushfires, resulting in the recovery of $110,000,000.
 Worked in a team of two Senior and three Junior Counsel, other lawyers and paralegals to
obtain Judgements or negotiate settlements of liability for each fire, followed by
assessments of damages by leading and assuming control of same, co-ordinating a team
of lawyers, paralegals, loss assessors, accountants and agricultural economists to
negotiate a claims handling and damages assessment protocol for all matters.
Managing Partner
 I have successfully led and grown a Partnership of 50 Partners and a firm of over 350
people for 5 years, through some of the most difficult times for professional services
organisations ever. I have done so with relatively few number of Partner and lawyer
departures.
 In 1998 Piper Alderman opened a Sydney Office. I saw an opportunity to establish my
Practice in Sydney and successfully proposed to Partners that I relocate to Sydney. I spent
the second part of 1998 travelling to and from Sydney visiting clients and prospective
clients and in January 1999 moved my family to Sydney.
 My Practice grew and I played an important and eventually leading role in devising
strategy, growing and managing the Firm. I implemented, organised and chaired weekly
meetings of Partners, discussing current cases, clients and opportunities.
 I was asked in 2004 to assume the role of National Head of Litigation and in 2006 Deputy
Managing Partner. In 2010, I was asked to nominate for Managing Partner, which I did and
was elected unopposed and my term renewed unopposed in 2013. During that time the
Firm’s revenues grew from $52,000,000 to $62,000,000. Partner and Lawyer numbers have
grown by 8% over the period. Piper Alderman, during that time, has grown from a regional
leader to a significant national Firm, operating in four states.
Changing the Organisational Structure of the Firm
 I saw the opportunity to change the behaviours of Partners and to improve responsibility
and accountability of Partners for cross-selling, marketing and financial hygiene, by
changing the organisational structure of the Firm from three (3) divisions to ten (10) Business

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Units. The change also addressed the inadequacies of management across different
states and offices and allowed local decision making.
 The concept was adapted to cater for the Firm’s needs, allowing for differing size,
geography and market presence. We built a system that suited the Firm and its particular
make-up in each of the four State Offices which were all in different stages of
development.
 I introduced the concept to Equity Partners and built a continuing communication with
Partners and then the wider firm, selling the benefits of and how the system would
operate. I sold the concept on the basis that it created a framework within which local
Partners could make their own decisions about how to best achieve firm goals. I also
emphasised the need for Partners to take responsibility for their financial hygiene and
practice development and encouraged a face to face environment between Partners to
assure accountability.
 All of our metrics have changed for the positive by adopting and tailoring this system.
Turning the Brisbane Office Around
 I was faced with the choice of shutting down a poorly performing and loss-making
Brisbane Office or reinvigorating the Office, changing the culture and restoring it to
profitability. I chose the latter after speaking to Partners about opportunities they saw from
current and future clients. I formulated a plan to recruit in particular areas of expertise
and to move-on a number of underperforming Partners. I moved the Office to the
commercial centre of Brisbane (from the Courts precinct) to be closer to our clients and
undertook a recruitment program to introduce successful corporate/commercial Partners
and a large insolvency team. I sought and determined Partner buy-in to my plans and
implemented those plans, resulting in a turnaround from a substantial loss to a healthy
profit, within a period of 12 months. The Brisbane office consisted of 12 lawyers at the
commencement of my program. It now has over 33 lawyers and a revenue of $7,000,000
plus and is one of Piper Alderman’s most dynamic Offices.
Spinning Off an Historical Practice
 Devised and co-ordinated a plan to change the make-up of the Firm, drive profitability
and create a viable future for a group of legacy Partners in the Adelaide Office.
 In analysing the drivers of the Firm, it became apparent that the Adelaide Workers
Compensation Practice, which had traditionally been a well performing and profitable
part of the Firm was showing weakness after structural changes to the legislative and
procedural systems governing that area of law. Four Partners were unable to make the
adjustment required (2 were able to do so). I spoke to the group over a period of months,
planting the idea of a separate practice and persuaded them that their future lay with
that model.
 I then introduced the idea to Equity Partners and following many months of consultation
with Partners, eventually persuaded all stakeholders that the Workers Compensation
practice should be set up as a separate firm.
 The four departing Partners and a number of remaining Partners required assurances that
the concept would work and that the four departing Partners could sustain a profitable
practice. This required significant investigation into historical billing trends and financial
modelling of revenues and analysis of projected expenses as well as capital adequacy for
the new venture. In addition, I organised for IT, HR and Finance staff to provide assistance
to the new firm to set up its systems and its banking relationship.
 This allowed the departing Partners to be treated with respect and moved out of the Firm
without detriment to their remuneration, whilst improving the financial position of the Firm.
The venture was successful and the change implemented was satisfactory to all involved.

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Growing the Corporate Practice
 Turned around the Firm’s recruitment success rate over the last five years, resulting in a
large number of top-tier Partners and Senior Associates coming to the Firm and remaining
to build successful practices.
 I have led the recruitment program for the Firm, interviewing all Partner or potential Partner
candidates and changing the emphasis from recruiting at the mid-tier competitor level to
top-tier recruits.
 Partner retention has markedly improved and is well above competitor comparisons.
 I have ensured that the Partners maintain a say in the strategic direction and decision
making of the firm. Lateral recruits have found level of engagement attractive and enjoy
the autonomy of local decision making through the “frame-work” approach of the
Business Units system implemented to manage the Firm and drive Partner behaviours.
Developing a Three Year Plan
 I have developed a Firm-wide Three Year Plan to offer a “framework” for firm strategy and
growth. This has been done with the input of Partners and with the assistance of the Firm’s
management staff, emphasising a “replication” of Firm strengths in each of the four State
Offices.
 The plan sets targets for Partner, lawyer and staff numbers in areas of practice relevant to
the Firm’s Clients and in identified growth areas of the economy.
 The plan also articulates the changes to Firm organisation and management referred to in
previous summaries and reinforces the Firm’s values and their place in the Partner-driven
strategy of the Firm.