BA ( Hons ) LL B ( Hons )
Born: 15th Nov 1951
Admitted: 1980
Signed Bar Roll: 1st Sep 1981
Appointed QC: 1996
Admitted to Practice in: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, .
Phone: 9225 7513
Fax: 9225 8370
E-Mail: wthoughton@owendixon.com
Booking Contact: richowells@vicbar.com.au
Areas of Practice:
PROFILE
Will Houghton QC practises predominantly in commercial, media and administrative law with particular expertise in competition and regulatory law, defamation, suppression orders and contempt law.
He has appeared for clients at both trial level (including numerous jury trials) and appellate level around Australia.
Reported cases at appellate level include:
General Motors Acceptance Corporation v. Southbank Traders (2007) 227 CLR 305 (H. Ct., securities).
General Motors – Holden v. Commissioner of State Revenue [1998] 4 VR 197 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, revenue).
RSL v. Liquor Licensing Commission [1999] 2 VR 203 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, admin law).
O’Hagan v. Nationwide News (2001) 53 NSWLR 89 (NSW Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Herald and Weekly Times v. Popovic (2003) 9 VR 1 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Herald and Weekly Times v. Williams (2003) 130 FCR 435 (Full Fed. Ct., suppression order)
The Age Company Limited v. Elliott (2006) 14 VR 375 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Herald & Weekly Times v. State of Victoria (2006) 25 VAR 124 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, admin law).
Hore – Lacy v. Cleary (2007) 18 VR 562 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
West Australian Newspapers v. Elliott (2008) 37 WAR 387 (WA Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Howe v. Harvey (2008) 20 VR 638 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, breach of non-publication provisions).
TS Production LLC v. Drew Pictures (2008) 172 FCR 433 (Full Fed. Ct., copyright and anti-suit injunction).
Herald and Weekly Times v. Buckley (2009) 21 VR 661 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Cleary v. Hore – Lacy (No. 2) (2009) 21 VR 692 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Buckley v. Herald and Weekly Times (2009) 24 VR 129 (Vic. Ct. of Appeal, defamation).
Reported cases at trial level include:
Herald and Weekly Times v. Medical Practitioners Board [1999] 1 VR 267 (suppression orders).
AFL v. The Age Company Limited (2007) 15 VR 407 (breach of confidence).
R v. Herald and Weekly Times (2007) 19 VR 248 (contempt proceedings).
R v. Nationwide News (2009) 22 VR 116 (contempt proceedings).
Sands v. Channel Seven Adelaide (2009) 104 SASR 452 (defamation).
Application by United Energy Distribution [2009] A Comp T 10 (Aust. Comp. Tribunal, review of price determination).
French v. Herald & Weekly Times (2010) 27 VR 140 (defamation)
French v. Herald & Weekly Times (No.2) (2010) 27 VR 171 (defamation)
Guthrie v. News Ltd. (2010) 27 VR 196 (contract)
From 01/07/2008,
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation