Sarida Derrington

Sarida has a broad commercial and regulatory practice, with a particular focus on commercial disputes, competition and consumer law, corporations law, and regulated industries and professions.

In the commercial space, Sarida has acted for both small and large companies and private individuals in a range of civil disputes – from discrete applications involving novel points of law to long-running professional negligence disputes. In the regulatory sphere, she regularly acts for State and Federal regulators, as well as for private companies and individuals responding to regulatory action. Sarida has particular experience in the conduct of compulsory examinations by regulators such as ASIC and the ACCC. She acted (led) for senior members of the Forensic and Scientific Services’ DNA testing laboratory in the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland conducted by Walter Sofronoff KC (2022).

Before being called to the bar, Sarida was a solicitor in the Civil Regulation team of the Australian Government Solicitor; a senior associate in the competition law team of an international law firm; and a civil law adviser in the ministerial office of the Commonwealth Attorney-General.

Sarida holds a Master of Laws (with First Class Honours) from the University of Cambridge, where she was awarded a first class with distinction for her thesis on the economics of human gene patents. She received her Bachelor of Laws (with First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.

Sarida’s curriculum vitae is available for download here.

University of Cambridge, Master of Laws (Hons I), 2017

University of Queensland, Bachelor of Laws (Hons I) and Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), 2013

Legal Practitioner (Queensland), 2014

Legal Practitioner (High Court of Australia), 2014

Barrister (Queensland), 2021

Finalist, Lawyers Weekly “30 Under 30” Awards for Competition, Trade and Regulation Category

Bates Scholar, Trinity Hall, 2017

Member, Bar Association of Queensland

ASIC v RACQ Insurance Limited: Acted for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in its investigations into, and subsequent proceedings against, RACQ Insurance Limited in relation to misleading statements in insurance product PDSs concerning the application of discounts to insurance premiums. The matter was resolved by way of admissions and agreed penalties: ASIC v RACQ Insurance Limited [2023] FCA 1503 (led by Matthew Brady KC).

DNA Inquiry: Acted for Ms Allen (Managing Scientist) and Mr Howes of the Forensic and Scientific Services’ DNA testing laboratory in the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland conducted by Walter Sofronoff KC in 2022 (led by Matthew Hickey OAM).

Stay application: Acted for ASIC in successfully resisting an application for a stay of banning orders made against a financial advisor: Matai and ASIC [2023] AATA 340 (unled).

Equity / Professional Negligence: Acted for Ms Talbot and her daughters in proceedings against Arnold Bloch Leibler and others in relation to the alleged negligent provision of legal advice and administration of estate property: Talbot & Ors v Boyd Legal (A Firm) & Ors [2023] QSC 8 (led by Peter Dunning KC, with Paul Telford).

Commercial / Professional Negligence: Acted for HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in successfully defending professional negligence proceedings brought by a former client in relation to a real estate transaction, both at first instance and on appeal: Metro Waterloo Pty Ltd v HWL Ebsworth Lawyers [2021] QDC 295 and [2022] QCA 195 (led by Richard Perry KC).

ASIC v BPS Financial Pty Ltd: Representing BPS Financial Pty Ltd in Federal Court proceedings commenced by ASIC in relation to alleged false, misleading, or deceptive representations and alleged unlicensed conduct in relation to the operation of a non-cash payment facility, Qoin (led by Michael Hodge KC, judgment reserved).

Price v Friebe & Ors: Representing the plaintiff, a specialist obstetrician, in private competition law litigation against six respondents seeking damages for alleged cartel conduct in contravention of Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (led by Nick Ferrett KC, judgment reserved).

Sarida Derrington, ‘What Must an Accessory Know? Determining the Limits of Accessorial Liability under Civil Penalty Regimes’ in Kayis et al (ed), The Law of Civil Penalties (The Federation Press, 2023)

Sarida Derrington, ‘Statutory unconscionable conduct under the ACL: the case against a requirement for “moral obloquy”’ (2015) 23 Competition and Consumer Law Journal 123-139 (peer reviewed)