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 contractual disputes (including loan and guarantees), Corporations Act matters (including oppression and breaches of directors’ duties) and consumer law claims.

Her property law practice includes retail and commercial leasing, residential tenancies, sale of land, caveats, owners corporations, adverse possession, fencing and trusts.

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

Taylah’s recent cases include:
* Khalafi v Darvale Homes Pty Ltd (Civil Claims) [2024] VCAT 66 - breach of contract and consumer guarantees in relation to bricklaying work
* Re the Will and Estate of Aroti Ghosh (Costs Ruling) (Supreme Court of Victoria, Barrett AsJ, 18 March 2024) - costs application following interlocutory applications
* Shakermohammadi v City Way Demolition Pty Ltd [2024] VCAT 601 - breach of contract for demolition works
* Victorian Building Authority v Fairweather Homes Pty Ltd (Magistrates' Court of Victoria, 17 July 2024) - offences under the Building Act
* Cote Noire Pty Ltd v Roberts Family Enterprises Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2024] VCAT 810 - interpretation of retail lease rent review clause
* Latassa v Tolj [2024] VSC 765 - interlocutory injunction application in relation to a race horse
* 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
* Burwood One Investment Pty Ltd v Re-creation Burwood East Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2025] VCAT 633 - retail leasing dispute
* 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
* Saad v Saad (Supreme Court of Victoria, Barrett AsJ, 11 November 2025) (led by Lionel Wirth) - summary judgment application
* 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

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. Her honours thesis considered reforms to the Bail Act 1977 (Vic) from a human rights perspective.

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 Australian Catholic University, and delivered Practical Legal Training to law graduates at Herbert Smith Freehills. She regularly presents CPD seminars on substantive law and ethics topics.

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