Scott Butler

Partner

Qualifications: LLB, BCom, MLaws (Hons), Fellow of INSOL International (Hons)

Practices

With over 25 years’ experience, Scott is a leading commercial dispute resolution lawyer with a broad practice working with clients, company directors, and advisers in a range of sectors.

Scott combines his industry knowledge with strong technical and dispute resolution skills to provide innovative, commercial, and cost-effective solutions.

Specialising in restructuring and insolvency, Scott is recognised as one of Queensland’s leading and most experienced lawyers in this field. As an expert in distressed turnarounds and restructures, Scott often works collaboratively with other turnaround and restructuring professionals, assisting with and documenting corporate restructures, and advising company directors in relation to their duties.

Scott is a former chair of the Insolvency and Restructuring Committee of the Law Council of Australia. Scott is a Fellow of INSOL International and an expert in cross-border insolvency law.

Experience

  • Advised McKenzie Group Consulting Pty Ltd in acquiring specific assets from Hendry Group Pty Ltd (Administrators Appointed).
  • Advised Nostra Property Group on its agreement to acquire Porter Davis’s multiple dwelling business.
  • Providing advice to various boards of publicly listed and large private companies in relation to access to the safe harbour protection against insolvent trading.
  • Advised OneVue Holdings Limited and receivers appointed by it to companies in the Sargon Capital Group.
  • Advised the directors and acted for the administrators of Goondicum Resources.
  • Advised the directors and acted for the administrators of Bounty Mining Limited.
  • Acted for the voluntary administrators and liquidators of Lyon Solar, a group of companies developing solar farms.
  • Acted for the administrators and liquidators of Delta SBD Mining, a listed mining services group, including in relation to large 'mothership' unfair preference proceedings in Federal Court of Australia.
  • Advised the CEO and founder of a global fintech business following its administration and liquidation.
  • Acted for the Commonwealth Department of Jobs and Small Business and the Attorney General’s Department in various matters to recover funds paid under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme.

Awards and recognition

Best Lawyers in Australia 2024-2025
Recognised – Litigation and Insolvency & Reorganisation Law
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024
Recommended – Restructuring and insolvency and Dispute resolution: litigation
Best Lawyers in Australia 2017-2023
Recognised – Insolvency & Reorganisation Law
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023
Recommended – Restructuring and Insolvency
Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession 2020-2023
Leading – Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers (Queensland); Recommended – Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyers (Queensland)
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022
Recommended – Restructuring and Insolvency and Dispute resolution: litigation
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020
Recommended – Restructuring and Insolvency

Professional Membership

  • Member, Insolvency and Restructuring Committee of the Law Council of Australia
  • Fellow, Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA)
  • Member, Queensland Law Society Insolvency Law Committee
  • Member, Turnaround Management Association
  • Fellow, INSOL International

Latest thinking

Insolvency & Restructuring | 12 Apr 2024

A guide to judicial directions for insolvency practitioners

This guide offers clarity on when and why insolvency practitioners should turn to the court for guidance.