About Peter Haig
Peter specialises in managing significant regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings, Royal Commissions, Senate inquiries and commercial disputes, including class actions. He has advised and acted for clients in several of the country's most reputationally and financially significant investigations and proceedings, including leading the Allens team advising Westpac in relation to AUSTRAC's investigation and subsequent Federal Court proceeding and advising Crown in relation to its various regulatory issues, including Royal Commissions and AUSTRAC proceedings.
He has a broad practice advising and acting for clients in relation to corporations law and competition law issues, contract disputes, professional negligence, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) and bribery and corruption matters.
Complementing his 'back end' practice, Peter has extensive 'front end' experience, with significant experience and expertise advising in relation to AML/CTF, anti-bribery and corruption, and sanctions laws. He advises a large range of clients in relation to these issues, including major Australian and international banks and financial institutions, casinos, gaming entities and resources companies.
Peter is ranked by Chambers as one of Australia's leading White Collar Crime and Corporate Investigations Lawyers as well as one of Australia's leading Financial Services Regulation Lawyers. He won the White Collar Crime category for Australia in the ILO/Lexology Client Choice Awards 2017 and was recommended in 2015 by Doyles Guide as one of Melbourne's leading commercial litigators.
Peter's extensive experience includes:
- AUSTRAC proceedings against Westpac – leading the Allens team acting for Westpac in relation to voluntary disclosure to AUSTRAC, responding to AUSTRAC’s investigation and subsequent Federal Court proceeding;
- acting for Westpac in a class action concerning a high-profile collapse of a Ponzi scheme;
- acting for the Chairman of a high-profile ASX listed entity in relation to an ASIC investigation into potential directors' duty and continuous disclosure contraventions;
- advising various individuals and entities in relation to Senate inquiries;
- acting for Crown Resorts Limited, Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth in relation to various regulatory issues, including Royal Commissions and AUSTRAC investigations and proceedings;
- acting for major Australian banks and gaming entities in relation to litigation commenced by exited customers;
- acting for KPMG in relation to significant and high profile regulatory investigations and commercial litigation (including class actions), arising out of the collapses of:
- Westpoint;
- the MFS/Octaviar group;
- Bill Express;
- Gunns Limited; and
- CuDeco Limited.
- leading numerous sensitive and confidential engagements with AUSTRAC, including self-reports and obtaining exemptions for a broad range of reporting entities, including several large Australian banks, and advising a large range of clients in relation to AML laws, including major Australian and international banks, financial institutions superannuation funds and gaming entities;
- acting for Amcor in relation to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigation and related class action concerning alleged cartel conduct with Visy;
- acting for Rio Tinto in relation to a joint venture dispute and in relation to an insurance dispute;
- acting for Philip Morris in an investor/State bilateral investment treaty arbitration, raised against Australia under the Hong Kong / Australia Bilateral Investment Treaty, and in related High Court proceedings;
- acting for Melbourne Water in relation to litigation arising from the construction of the Sugarloaf 'North-South' pipeline;
- acting for multinational oil and gas producers in a significant gas price contract arbitration;
- acting for a major Australian resources company in an Australian Federal Police investigation arising out of allegations of corrupt conduct overseas; and
- advising numerous Australian and multinational clients in relation to their bribery, sanctions and corporate human rights obligations.