Director
Odette McDonald is an experienced group litigation specialist, who has litigated complex and high-profile claims in Australia and the United Kingdom.
She has broad class action, group litigation and multi-party litigation expertise, including shareholder class actions, financial advice and product claims, personal injuries, consumer actions, environmental and natural disaster litigation, and debenture trustee class actions. She also has a wealth of general commercial litigation and pro bono experience.
Before co-founding Phi Finney McDonald, Odette was a practice group leader in the group litigation practice of a large plaintiff law firm in London.
Odette’s focus at Phi Finney McDonald is on identifying cases, managing litigation projects, progressing the professional development of lawyers and support staff, and contributing to the creation of a dynamic and supportive workplace.
Accolades and Testimonials
‘Odette McDonald has a grasp of the technical, procedural and tactical detail that is second to none. She is a safe pair of hands on even the most complex cases.’ Testimonial, Legal 500 Asia Pacific.
- Doyle’s Guides 2020, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
- Doyle’s Guides 2018, Lawyer (Recommended), Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution – Victoria
Legal Publications
- Odette McDonald and Roop Sandhu, ‘Adverse costs: insurance as security for costs in class actions’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 9
- Odette McDonald and Eliot Olivier, ‘Recent developments in common fund applications: Pearson v State of Queensland Blairgowrie v Allco Finance Group (No 3)’ (2018) 31(4) Commercial Law Quarterly, 37
- Ben Phi and Odette McDonald, ‘Arming the courts in collective redress – a move to “Australian-style” class actions in the UK?’ (2017), Civil Justice Quarterly 197, Oxford University.
- Odette McDonald, ‘Corporate trustee duties under the Corporations Act – the Fincorp Class Action’ (2011) 14(2) REP
Admissions and Education
- Admitted as a solicitor in Victoria, Australia
- Registered with the SRA as a Registered Foreign Lawyer
- BA (Psych) (Hons), LLB, University of Melbourne (first place in Honours program)
- GradDip Legal Studies, University of Melbourne