Our People

James Steedman

Patrick McCarthy

Senior Associate

D  +61 8 6383 7509 

M  +61 430 051 428

E    patrick@steedmanstagg.com.au

Before joining Steedman Stagg Lawyers in July 2021, Patrick worked in the financial services industry gaining valuable commercial and financial transaction experience.

Patrick built his solid legal experience working as a Law Clerk to prominent Perth King’s counsel, Mr Tom Percy KC, and Brisbane based King’s Counsel, Mr Rob Anderson KC.

Following his admission in May 2022, Patrick has appeared unled in the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of Western Australia, Magistrates Court of Western Australia, Children’s Court of Western Australia, Warden’s Court, and as junior counsel in defamation proceedings in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Patrick has acted for media organisations in relation to suppression applications, defendants in defamation proceedings, criminal defendants, subcontractors and building companies, and for both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of commercial disputes and litigation.

EXPERIENCE

• Appeared for West Australian Newspapers Ltd and Channel Seven Perth Pty Ltd and succeed in obtaining orders for access to documents and exhibits from the Children’s Court of Western Australia.

• Appeared for West Australian Newspapers Ltd and Channel Seven Perth Pty Ltd in the Federal Court of Australia in contested suppression/non-publication order proceedings succeeding in having secrecy orders overturned.

• Appeared for West Australian Newspapers Ltd and Channel Seven Perth Pty Ltd in Supreme Court of WA defamation proceedings, successfully obtaining orders striking out the plaintiff’s statement of claim.

• Appeared as junior counsel in defamation proceedings in Supreme Court of WA on a strike out application led by Mr Rob Anderson KC.

Nash v The West Australian Newspapers Ltd and/or for Shannon Hampton [2023] WADC 40 – successfully obtained summary judgement for WA Newspapers and journalist Shannon Hampton, instructing Counsel in defamation proceedings in the WA District Court.

In The Matter of Competing Applications For Exploration Licences By Ariela Nominees Pty Ltd And Others [2023] WAMW 4 – acted for one of the applicants in proceedings in the Warden’s Court.

• Advising plaintiff on claim for damages arising out of breach of contract and misleading and deceptive conduct. Successfully opposed application by the defendant to set aside default judgment.

• Advising a defendant charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. Charge downgraded to common assault and received a spent conviction.

• Advising WA farmers on dispute with the Department of Water and Environment Regulation in relation to water rights under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914.

• Advising subcontractors on adjudications of payment disputes under the Constructions Contracts Act 2004 and Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payments) Act 2021.

• Advising builders on complaints brought under the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Act 2011 and proceedings in the State Administrative Tribunal.

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) | University of Technology Sydney 

Bachelor of Commerce (Finance | Economics) | University of Notre Dame (2016)

Admissions

High Court of Australia (2022)

Supreme Court of Western Australia (2022)