Paul Buitendag

Paul Buitendag is the Practice Group Head of our Dispute Resolution team. Paul is one of the most senior and respected litigation practitioners in the Australian market.

He is a partner with over 25 years’ experience specialising in large scale and complex legal and commercial disputes, including in the insolvency, engineering and construction industries.

Clients value Paul’s unique and unparalleled 'big picture' perspective, his strategic advice, innovative thinking and his teams’ ability to manage the complexities of their disputes and deliver commercial outcomes. As a pre-eminent insolvency lawyer, Paul is consistently engaged in some of the largest corporate collapses in Australia including in the industries of telecommunications, retirement and supported accommodation, timber and forestry products.

Paul has been one of the pioneers of using litigation funding in Australia, and works with funders in the markets of the USA, UK and Australia to establish innovative funding vehicles for his litigated matters and for corporate clients.

Paul advises on all aspects of workouts, recovery and reconstructions including representing insolvency appointees, financiers and creditors. His particular expertise includes advising on receiverships, deeds of company arrangements, insolvent trading, voidable transactions, unfair preferences, proof of debt claims, managed investment schemes, as well as enforcing securities.

In recent years, Paul has been the lead partner in some of Australia’s largest corporate collapses, managing large scale insolvency advisory and recovery actions, including Gunns Ltd (In liq), Australian Property Custodian Holdings Ltd (in liq) (Prime Trust) and Bill Express Ltd (in liq). In all of these matters, clients admire Paul’s sharp commercial focus to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of all creditors and stakeholders.