Monica Allen,
Special Counsel

Areas of law
Media Law, Dispute Resolution and litigation

Qualifications
Master of Laws, University of Sydney

Admissions
July 2007

T (02) 9216 9815
Contact me via email:
monica.allen@markobrienlegal.com.au

Monica is a media and commercial litigation lawyer with extensive experience managing complex multi-party litigation in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia including defamation and media law, regulatory matters, financial services litigation, cross-border issues, insolvency and contractual and general commercial disputes.

Monica represents and advises media organisations in matters involving defamation, copyright, suppression orders and other related matters and provides ongoing pre-publication advice to the Daily Mail Australia.

Her previous clients include mass media corporations, international institutions, artists, small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and high net worth individuals.

Monica has also provided advice to members of the special forces in relation to the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force’s Afghanistan Inquiry.

She is a co-author of the first Australian textbook on Social Media and the Law and she is a member of the Communications and Media Law Association.

Notable matters include:

Monica has assisted either Mark O'Brien and/or Paul Svilans in:

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a sports scientist against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a builder against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the Supreme Court by a real estate agent and investment adviser against a broadcasting corporation;

• Successfully defending claims in defamation brought in the District Court by a musician against a number of media organisations including Daily Mail Australia;

• Successfully opposing proposed suppression orders on behalf of media organisations.

Other notable experience includes:

• Successfully acting on behalf of shareholders in a multi-million dollar representative action against a publically listed company in the Federal Court, Melbourne. The proceedings involved 14 respondents;

• Successfully defending a Federal Court representative action brought by land owners seeking to invalidate a decision made by the Minister under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) pursuant to the Constitution and the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth).

• Acting for a food and beverage distributor in respect of ACCC investigations relating to the current Federal Court claims brought against Coles Supermarkets.