The Class Action Book Builders Team

Our experienced team has a long track record of helping Australians through class action lawsuits

The Class Action Book Builders team travel all over Australia to meet people and discuss how joining a class action could benefit them, their business or their family.

Chris Thompson
Lawyer / Director

Chris (or Thommo, as most people know him as and what he prefers to be called) has been a Lawyer since 1997. After working in Brisbane and then London, Thommo moved to Hervey Bay in 2002 for the relaxed lifestyle and excellent fishing.

Michael Garrahy
Lawyer / Director

Michael has been a working on class actions for over 20 years. Working throughout Queensland as a lawyer for longer than that. Currently based in Brisbane, he travels often to meet people who need legal help in their communities.

Class Action Book Builders Team – Current Class Actions

Prawn White Spot Disease – class action.

Already performed book build, signing some 150 claimants to agreements.  Brisbane, Sydney and Western Australia.

Learn more about the Prawn White Spot Disease Class Action

Gladstone Port Dredging Class Action 2016 (second funder).

Successful bookbuild of approx. 140 claimants on behalf of funder and law firm.  Same task as above, however for alternative funder.  Same personal service to maximise conversion. Townsville to Brisbane and Sydney.

Learn more about the Gladstone Port Dredging Class Action

Class Action Book Builders Team – Past Class Actions

The Class Action Book Builders team has been actively helping Australians sign up to class actions since 2000.

Queensland Fisheries Trawl Plan in 2000/01.

Signed up approx. 110 commercial trawler licence holders regionally throughout entire Queensland Coast.  Acted for each in quota allocations and appeals.

Queensland Fisheries Spanner Crab quota allocations.

Book build of approximately 85% of spanner crab quota holdings.  Advice and appeals work to secure fair allocations.  Advice and appeals work for around 70% of the fishing licence holders impacted.  All signed up in regional areas.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Structural Adjustment Package & Buyback 2004.

Signed up approx. 403 fishing licence holders, onshore businesses, exporters and retail businesses.  On ground in regional areas within 2 days of government announcement to secure and maximise book build. Successfully secured for our claimants, approx. $100 million of the approx. $210 million provided by government to businesses. Locations of sign ups were all regional centres in Gulf of Carpentaria, East Coast Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania.  Significant investigative work to build claims and prove impacts.

Commonwealth Marine Park – Secure our Fishing Future Package & Buyback 2006.

Signed up approx. 40 of the 60 eligible businesses which included commonwealth fisheries licence holders and onshore businesses reliant on that sector. Significant investigative work to build claims and prove impacts. Business locations from Cairns to Tasmania.

Queensland Fisheries Coral Reef Fin Fish quota allocations – 2006.

Advice and appeals work for around 100’s of reef fishing licence holders impacted.  All signed up in regional areas in Queensland from Torres Strait to the Gold Coast.

Queensland Fisheries Latent Effort Removal 2008. 

Advice and appeals work for around 70% of the fishing licence holders impacted.  All signed up in regional areas in Queensland from Torres Strait to the Gold Coast.

Queensland Government Moreton Bay Marine Park Buyback 2008.

Represented at least 80% of Moreton Bay fishing licence holders, advising on scheme guidelines and how to maximise value. Brisbane based.

Pacific Adventurer – Moreton Island Oil/Container Spill (Swire Navigation Co Ltd) – 2009.

Signed up 100% of eligible fishing operators impacted by the oil/container spill which received approx. 80% of the funds allocated in damages from the Federal Court.  Assisted the court with how the impacts were to be calculated.  Hit ground running on book build within 1 day of incident to secure claimants.  Brisbane based.

Commonwealth Marine Adjustment Assistance 2012.

Second Commonwealth Government scheme.  On ground immediately to book build and secure sign ups. From Cairns to Tasmania.

Queensland Fisheries Net Free Zones Buyback and Compensation 2015.

From announcement, hit regional areas to secure sign ups.  Acted for majority of licence holders and worked up claims to maximise compensation payouts.  Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

Gladstone Port Dredging Class Action 2016 (first funder).

Successful bookbuild of approx. 140 claimants on behalf of funder and law firm. On the ground visiting homes, port meetings and wharves to secure maximum book build. Townsville to Brisbane and Sydney.