About Belinda Thompson
Belinda Thompson is widely recognised as a leading commercial litigator in the Australian market. She specialises in complex, large-scale commercial disputes, including shareholder, consumer and financial services class actions; regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings; and financial services litigation and contractual claims. She also advises clients on product liability and consumer law issues, and in the defence of product liability litigation.
She advises major banks, insurers, retailers and listed entities on strategically significant disputes, often involving parallel proceedings, intense regulatory scrutiny, and complex litigation and reputational dynamics.
Belinda combines deep technical expertise with strategic judgment and a strong commercial lens, delivering clear, decisive advice across the full life cycle of disputes—from early risk identification, crisis management and regulatory engagement, through to trial, settlement and appeal.
She is consistently recognised as a leading practitioner in her field, including by Legal 500 (Leading Partner), Chambers Australia (Dispute Resolution) and Chambers Global (leading Australian dispute resolution lawyer).
She is a member of the Federal Court Class Action User Group, and of both the Class Actions Committee and the Media and Communications Committee of the Law Council of Australia.
Belinda's relevant experience includes:
- Coles: leading the defence of high-profile ACCC enforcement proceedings and related class actions concerning its ‘Down Down’ pricing program, one of the most prominent consumer cases currently before the Federal Court
- acting for Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, including:
- a major ASIC civil penalty forming part of the regulator’s omnibus enforcement action
- a superannuation class action regarding allegations of breach of duties in relation to the investment of members' funds and charging of fees
- an ASIC investigation and subsequent Federal Court proceeding alleging breach of continuous disclosure obligations in relation to a $2.5 billion institutional share placement that ANZ undertook in August 2015
- landmark criminal cartel proceedings brought against Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, ANZ and six individual senior executive defendants by the ACCC and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Ford Motor Company of Australia: lead partner on the long-running PowerShift consumer class action, one of the largest and most important consumer claims in Australia
- Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited: in relation to numerous strategic and reputationally significant matters, including the Financial Services Royal Commission, an ASIC prosecution regarding unfair contract terms, and the defence of one of Victoria's largest-ever class actions
- Resolution Life: a major superannuation class action concerning insurance pricing and trustee duties
- Scenic Tours: consumer guarantee class actions involving international group members and cross-border issues
- Crown Resorts: defending a major shareholder class action alleging misleading or deceptive conduct, and breach of continuous disclosure obligations.