Dr Michelle Sharpe, Barrister and the author of Unconscionable Conduct in Australian Consumer and Commercial Contracts, published by LexisNexis.

Michelle is highly experienced in matters involving breaches of consumer protection law, having acted for (and against) State and Federal agencies. She has written and contributed to papers and publications on trade practices – particularly in the area of unconscionable conduct.

Committed to client care, Michelle brings a flexible, cooperative approach to her practice and in the service of clients – who include government, small and medium sized businesses and owners corporations.

Notable recent cases Michelle has been involved in include acting for the ACCC in a number of consumer product safety litigations, and against the ACCC in a trade practices matter; acting against Spotlight in a large scale breach of contract matters and acting for American Express in appealing a decision by the Commissioner of Taxation and successfully acted in a complex owners corporation litigation for the owners corporation and manager, where various breaches of the Act were alleged by a lot owner.

For more details on Michelle’s recent and reported cases, and her published papers, please click here. For Michelle’s full CV, click here.

Michelle lectured at the University of Melbourne (2007 – 2011) in the areas of legal ethics, civil procedure and contract law. She has a keen interest in health and wellbeing issues affecting the profession, and in particular the impacts on legal ethical conduct. Michelle was a member of the Bar Council 2006-09 and Assistant Convenor of the Women Barristers Association 2006-07.

Overview of legal expertise

• Administrative Law (Judicial  and Merits Review)
• Banking and Finance
• Building and Construction
• Commercial Law
• Consumer Credit
•  Defamation, Media and Entertainment
• Equity Trusts
• Professional Negligence
• Property Law
• Residential / Retail Tenancies
• Taxation
• Torts
• Trade Practices
• Traffic Law.

Professional associations

• Australian Private Law Network
• Commercial Bar Association

Victorian Bar Committee memberships

• Victorian Bar Council
• Bar Conciliators
• Chair – Health and Wellbeing Committee