Expertise

Tanya Cross has over 22 years’ experience as a commercial litigator.

She practices in the areas of contract law, the Australian Consumer Law, Corporations Act, intellectual property, insolvency, franchising, tort, defective goods, civil fraud, property, and business sale/acquisition, with experience in competition, defamation, insurance and the PPSR.

Tanya has conducted litigation in all Victorian courts, the federal courts and higher interstate courts, as well as proceedings at VCAT and industry bodies such as the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and Grain Trade Australia arbitral tribunals. She is regularly involved in complex, often multi-party litigation as well as urgent applications and dealings with regulators.

Her clients include multinational corporations, high net worth individuals and SMEs, with businesses spanning the digital technology, automotive, forestry and agriculture, professional and financial services, property, construction and retail sectors.

Tanya has considerable experience in disputes involving complex, industry specific technique. She works to swiftly understand a client’s business, its legal and commercial needs and uses her expertise to try and resolve or otherwise litigate matters strategically and efficiently.

She works closely with the firm’s corporate and commercial team to provide front end dispute advisory work, including risk and claims assessment.

Prior to joining SBA Law, Tanya held junior legal roles at Corrs Chambers Westgarth and a boutique commercial law practice.

Education

Tanya holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University.

Experience

Recent cases / matters involving Tanya include:

• Acting for US based Hussey Seating Company in its acquisition of select assets in the administration of Camatic Seating, an Australian based industry leader in the design, manufacture and installation of seating for stadiums and arenas (2024).
• Acted for a US fast food franchisor in relation to a claim for civil fraud, misrepresentation and misleading or deceptive conduct against an Australian based service provider, resulting in the satisfaction of the claim and costs (2024).
• Re Credit Clear Limited – Romano Family Holdings Pty Ltd & ors ats C Capital Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of Victoria (2022 – 2023). Defence of claims concerning shareholder oppression. Matter resolved prior to trial.
• Australian Forest Products Pty Ltd & anor ats Koorool Constructions Pty Ltd – County Court of Victoria (2021 – 2023). Defence of a claim regarding quality of building materials. Matter resolved prior to trial.
• Unigrain Pty Ltd ats Mount Anne Pty Ltd – District Court of Western Australia (2022) and Grain Trade Australia arbitration (2021 – 2023). Successfully brought an application to stay a WA court proceeding against an agribusiness participant and obtained an indemnity costs award. Successfully defended GTA arbitration that followed concerning contract performance and obtained an indemnity costs award.
• Toyota Motor Corporation Limited ats D&V Plant Pty Ltd – Supreme Court of South Australia (2020 – 2021). Successfully resisted a breach of contract claim for ongoing client Toyota resulting in the discontinuance of the claim and legal costs’ entitlement.
• Sovereign Point Ltd Ltd v Ming Feng (Richard) Gu & Ors – Federal Court of Australia (2019 – 2021). Obtained default judgment for a joint venturer in a property development, arising from breach of director’s duties claims, and successfully defended a rehearing application and an application to review the damages assessment with costs awards.
  • Sovereign Point Pty Ltd v Gu [2019] FCA 1753
  • Sovereign Point Pty Ltd v Gu (No 2) [2020] FCA 1377
  • Sovereign Point Pty Ltd v Gu (No 3) [2021] FCA 384
• Impact Funds Management Pty Ltd & Impact Investment Group Pty Ltd ats Gerhana Pty Ltd & ors – Supreme Court of Victoria (2018 – 2020). Defence of claims concerning misleading or deceptive conduct and breach of agreements in relation to a property development of an investment trust. Matter resolved on the first day of trial.
• Apperley Holdings Pty Ltd v Central West Packing & Storage Pty Ltd – Federal Court of Australia (2019 – 2020). Claim by a FMCG manufacturer regarding infringement of its intellectual property. Matter resolved early in the proceeding.

Awards and recognition

Tanya was included in the 2017 edition of Doyle’s Guide in the areas of commercial litigation and dispute resolution in Victoria.