Christiana McCudden

Partner
Melbourne

Biography

Christiana is a partner in our Disputes and Investigations group.

She specialises in commercial litigation and regulatory matters, employing a highly strategic approach to address her clients' business needs. With extensive experience in state and federal court proceedings, Royal Commissions and inquiries, she has handled cases involving breach of warranties and directors' duties, contract disputes, ACL and negligence claims, tortious actions, unconscionable conduct, misrepresentation, and regulatory investigations.

In addition to litigation, Christiana advises both licensed and non-licensed participants in the payments and financial services industries. She provides strategic and legal guidance on licensing, reporting, risk management and regulatory compliance, including dealing with regulators on new products and proposed regulatory changes.

Separate from her work in private practice, Christiana is a director of Jesuit Social Services Pty Ltd and chair of the Property Committee and member of the Risk and Finance Committees. She worked as the deputy CEO of the Hope Vale Aboriginal Council in the Cape York region of Queensland in 2003 and was part of the Victorian Law Reform Commission team on the Civil Justice Review pursuant to terms of reference from the Victorian Government.

Experience

Christiana’s experience includes advising:

  • Nutrien Fertiliser in successful urgent injunction proceedings in the Supreme Court of Western Australia against the Fremantle Port Authority regarding estoppel and ongoing tenancy claims following a fire at the port.

  • An Australian listed entity against allegations by ASIC of Greenwashing and asserted contravention of continuous disclosure and misleading conduct claims.

  • Cargill in a record judgment against Glencore and Viterra in the longest running non-class action trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria and then successfully defending all appeals including to the High Court of Australia.

  • Yimiao Australia in one of the largest litigation cases in Victoria involving cryptocurrency assets and cryptocurrency business losses.

  • RI Advice (a subsidiary of Insignia) in ASIC’s test case and cyber security investigation, concerning a purported minimum standard for cybersecurity measures to be implemented by an AFSL holder.

  • A global agricultural group in various claims concerning defective supplier products, labelling and licensing requirements under various statutes and dealings with APVMA in respect of agricultural products to be sold.

  • The Department of Treasury and Finance Victoria in relation to the Board of Inquiry into COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Program.

  • DTZ Worldwide in Supreme Court proceedings against various underwriter defendants for the coverage of loss suffered resulting from breach of warranties in the DTZ Sale Agreement.

  • The State of Victoria in the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants.

  • BHP IT in successfully defending a complex nine-month Federal Court case against GEC Marconi and the Commonwealth of Australia concerning contracts to build a secure communications network for government embassies.

  • Amcor in proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria concerning breach of directors’ and officers’ duties and attending to various related cases concerning breach of duties, breach of contract and fiduciary duties.

  • Coles Myer Limited (as it then was) in successfully overturning RBA and ACCC authorisation in the Australian Competition Tribunal matter re Zero EFTPOS Fees.

Awards and Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in Australia 2026

    Ranked for Alternative Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Testimonials

Client first thinking

Christiana McCudden plays a key role. She is dedicated, hardworking and always available. She worked around the clock and went into a lot of detail. She did a really good job. She stuck by her guns on one issue and turned out to be right where I had been doubtful. 

Chambers Asia-Pacific
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