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Melissa Hanna
Special Counsel, Perth
I am a versatile commercial dispute resolution lawyer with extensive experience advising clients and managing disputes across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. My experience includes acting for clients operating in most industries in relation to large, complex disputes and legal risk management, as well as regulatory investigations and prosecutions.

I have experience in proceedings in superior courts in Western Australia and Victoria, as well as in the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. Having held several in-house roles (both on secondment and immediately prior to joining MinterEllison, as Senior Legal Counsel at Edith Cowan University), I understand the importance of providing clients with accurate, practical and timely legal support through all stages of their operations.

Career highlights

  • Federal regulator – Acted for the ACCC (including pursuant to delegation from ASIC) in relation to a series of consumer protection regulatory investigations and prosecutions pursuant to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), including in relation to unfair contract terms, consumer guarantees, unconscionable conduct and misleading or deceptive conduct.
  • Australian subsidiary of an international power generation company – Acted in a long-running WA Supreme Court proceeding about the commissioning of a gas-fired power station (which settled prior to trial).
  • Non-profit entity – Advised a US-headquartered non-profit reforestation organisation in relation to relevant regulatory frameworks applicable to environmental disclosures.
  • Non-profit entity – Advised an environmental organisation in relation to relevant enforcement frameworks and mechanisms for greenwashing claims.
  • Medical service provider – Acted in defence of a regulatory investigation and prosecution involving alleged unfair contract terms.
  • State-owned operator of a major power station – Advised following a critical incident which compromised the station's generating capacity.
  • Critical transport infrastructure owner – Acted at first instance and in the successful defence of an appeal, following a dispute about the construction a deed of settlement; acted in relation to a successful outcome following a dispute about real property interests, involving the Federal regulation of airports.
  • Financial services firm – Acted in defence of a Federal Court of Australia proceeding involving claims in tort and under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (which settled prior to delivery of judgment).
  • Individual – Acted in relation to a successful application to the High Court of Australia for writs of certiorari and mandamus following an earlier decision under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), where a related issue was the constitutionality of indefinite migration detention.
  • Private electrical power generation company – Acted in relation to WA Supreme Court proceeding involving a contractual dispute relating to the supply of stand alone power stations to regional WA.
  • National property development company – Acted in relation to a suite of WA Supreme Court proceedings involving contractual disputes relating to the sale of 'off the plan' residential properties.

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