About Michelle

Michelle Dixon is a partner in our Dispute Resolution and Litigation team. She is a highly regarded litigation lawyer with broad experience in commissions and inquiries, litigation, administrative review and governance advice.

Michelle’s disputes experience ranges from providing risk and liability advice, dealing with urgent injunction hearings and acting in a range of matters including inquiries, judicial review applications and hearings before both Tribunals and Courts. She has led significant public inquiries for many public sector clients and advised on a wide range of disputes for both government and private sector clients. She has particular expertise in corporations, regulatory and land disputes

Michelle brings a unique skill set to matters. In addition to being an experienced litigation lawyer, Michelle has significant governance experience and is regularly called upon to advise company and statutory boards on a range of governance issues.  She sits on a number of Boards (statutory and corporate) and was the CEO of Maddocks for a period of 7 years.

Michelle has been listed as a leading litigation lawyer in Best Lawyers for over 10 years. She has also been recognised in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide (2023) and Doyles for her work in Dispute Resolution: Litigation. Her leadership as CEO was recognised by numerous industry awards.

Experience

• NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority

  Michelle led the team of team of solicitors assisting the 2022 and 2024 Bell Inquiries into The Star casino under sections 30 and 141 of the Casino Control Act 1992 (NSW), into whether the operator was suitable to hold the casino licence.

• Beaumaris Board of Inquiry

  Acted for the Department of Education in a whole of Victorian government response to the inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in government schools.

• Cartel Claim

  Successfully defended civil liability proceedings commenced against Lawrence & Hanson Group Pty Ltd by the ACCC for alleged cartel conduct in contravention of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The matter involved multiple parties including two of the largest electrical manufacturers in Australia. 

• Independent Broadbased Anti-corruption Commission

  Successfully defended judicial review proceedings relating to a decision not to investigate a complaint.

• Victorian State Emergency Service

  Acting for VicSES in a claim relating to manufacturing faults in its entire fleet of Heavy Rescue Vehicles which required the fleet to be grounded across the State in 2022.

• Port of Apollo Bay

  Acted for Port Manager in judicial review proceedings regarding a decision to refuse entry to 2 cattle ships including to successfully defend an application for an interlocutory injunction.

• City of Greater Dandenong

  Acting for the City of Greater Dandenong in multiple high profile proceedings brought by I Cook Foods in relation to the closure of the business by the Acting Chief Health Officer. 

• Dispute resolution & litigation

  Investigations and advice for a major Australian corporation in relation to claims against former directors. Investigations included tracing funds through offshore investment trusts.