Taylah Stretton

Profile

Taylah has a broad commercial and property law practice. She is regularly briefed to appear (led and unled), provide advice, draw pleadings and prepare urgent applications.

Her commercial practice encompasses contract disputes (including loan and guarantees), Corporations Act matters (including oppression and breaches of directors’ duties) and consumer law claims.

Her property law practice includes co-ownership disputes, disputes as to equitable interests in land including constructive and resulting trusts and proprietary estoppel, retail and commercial leasing, recovery of land including possession orders, caveats, adverse possession, trespass, fencing and owners corporation disputes.

She has developed a strong domestic building disputes practice, regularly acting for builders and owners in defect claims, and for building professionals in prosecutions brought by the Building and Plumbing Commission and WorkSafe.

Taylah commenced her legal career at Isakow Lawyers, where she gained experience in commercial and property law. Prior to coming to the Bar, she was Associate to Her Honour Judge Brimer of the County Court of Victoria, who sits in the Commercial and Criminal Divisions, is Head of the Arbitration List, and a Vice President of VCAT. In that role, Taylah assisted in a range of commercial trials and interlocutory applications, including in the Duty Court.

Taylah holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University. Taylah has extensive experience in legal education. She is the Chief Examiner and Lecturer in Evidence Law and Advocacy at Swinburne University. She has also tutored in Property Law at Monash University, and delivered Practical Legal Training to law graduates at Herbert Smith Freehills.

Taylah read with Nicole Papaleo and her senior mentor is Wendy Harris KC.

Taylah’s recent cases include:

Commercial

* Latassa v Tolj [2024] VSC 765 – interlocutory injunction application in relation to a racehorse

* Basic Element Pty Ltd & Ors v El-Fahrki (Supreme Court of Victoria, settled before trial) (led by Don Farrands KC) – derivative action, breach of directors duties in relation to intercompany loans and distribution of proceeds from sale of property

* Sava Engineering Pty Limited (In Liquidation), in the matter of WMG Holdings Co Pty Ltd v WMG Holdings Co Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (Administrators Appointed) [2026] FCA 1260 – appeared for an administrator in winding up application

* AMS Ivanhoe Lawyers proceedings (Supreme Court of Victoria, ongoing) (led by Don Farrands KC) – representing plaintiffs in negligence and misleading or deceptive conduct claims against former partners of a law firm, involving insurance issues

* N & U Nominees Pty Ltd v Larobina (Supreme Court of Victoria, ongoing) (led by Don Farrands KC, with Zoe Anderson) – dispute in relation to amendments to family trusts and gifts, alleged undue influence and unconscionability

* Plumbers Choice Pty Ltd v Ogge & Ors (Federal Court of Australia, ongoing) (led by Lionel Wirth) – dispute in relation to alleged breaches of duty of fidelity, duty of confidence and sections 182 and 183 of the Corporations Act

Property

* Cote Noire Pty Ltd v Roberts Family Enterprises Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2024] VCAT 810 – interpretation of retail lease rent review clause

* Burwood One Investment Pty Ltd v Re-creation Burwood East Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2025] VCAT 633 – retail leasing dispute

* Luci v Luci & Ors [2026] VCAT 743 – co-owned property dispute, interlocutory dispute regarding production of financial documents

* Saad v Saad (Supreme Court of Victoria, ongoing) (led by Lionel Wirth) – dispute regarding the transfer of land, alleged common intention constructive trust and implied easement

* Sikola v Sikola (County Court of Victoria, ongoing) (led by Lionel Wirth) – dispute regarding equitable interests in several properties, alleged common intention constructive trusts and proprietary estoppel

Domestic building

* Khalafi v Darvale Homes Pty Ltd (Civil Claims) [2024] VCAT 66 – breach of contract and consumer guarantees in relation to bricklaying work

* Shakermohammadi v City Way Demolition Pty Ltd [2024] VCAT 601 – breach of contract for demolition works

* Allside Carpenters Pty Ltd v Nash Constructions Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2025] VCAT 445 – defective building work, application under s 78 of the VCAT Act

Regulatory offences

* Victorian Building Authority v Fairweather Homes Pty Ltd (Magistrates' Court of Victoria, 17 July 2024) – offences under the Building Act, carrying out major domestic building work whilst unregistered and without insurance

* WorkSafe v VBD & C Pty Ltd (Ringwood Magistrates' Court, 24 July 2025) – work at height offences

* WorkSafe v Crowley Roofing Pty Ltd (Dandenong Magistrates' Court, 7 August 2025) – work at height and SWMS offences

* WorkSafe v Augment Homes Pty Ltd (Frankston Magistrates’ Court, 28 May 2026) – work at height offence