Laurence White

Barrister

Bar Roll: 6 September 2019
Admitted: 11 April 1994

Laurence White is a leading white-collar and regulatory barrister, former financial regulator, specialising in financial services, fintech, fraud, corporate crime, and commercial law.

About Laurence

Laurence White is a former financial regulator and accept briefs in:

  • financial services and banking regulation;
  • regulatory enforcement and disciplinary processes, including ASIC, APRA and ACCC investigations and proceedings (administrative, civil and criminal) and AFCA external dispute resolution of complaints;
  • payments and fintech issues, including crypto-assets/cryptocurrencies, crypto-asset mining and insolvency aspects;
  • asset tracing and remedies for victims of frauds and scams;
  • IT/technology law including IT contracting and liability for autonomous systems such as artificial intelligence (AI);
  • financial derivatives contracts including reporting, clearing and margining obligations relating to OTC derivatives;
  • investor and consumer protection including class actions;
  • fraud, white collar crime and money laundering/asset confiscation, and other indictable/summary crime;
  • charities and incorporated associations, including disputes among members and committee members/directors; and
  • other areas of commercial and administrative law including equity/trusts and property/estates.

 

Laurence is named as a Leading White Collar Criminal Law & Regulatory Investigations Barrister for Australia by Doyle's Guide.

Laurence holds a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours), both from University of Melbourne, and won the university prize in Taxation Law and two university prizes in Philosophy. He also graduated in the FinTech online course at Harvard University with a grade average of 99.5%.

He is the author of a number of articles and case notes relating to financial regulation and is also the co-author of a book and series of articles about AI, robotics and the law.

He is a member of the Law Council of Australia's Digital Commerce Committee, having previously been a member of the LCA's Futures Committee, and has been appointed a member of the Victorian Bar's Innovation and Technology Committee for 2025.

He has given guest lectures at the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the Australian National University, and delivered Continuing Professional Development seminars at the Victorian Bar, the Law Institute of Victoria and the Leo Cussen Centre of Law. He has also spoken at numerous conferences and events in an official capacity in Australia and overseas.

In a pro-bono matter shortly after coming to the Bar, he successfully defended (unled) two co-accused in a County Court jury trial lasting 5 days. Since then he has regularly undertaken advisory and appearance work on a pro bono basis through the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, County Court of Victoria and Justice Connect.

A former senior official of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Laurence White has also worked at senior levels at the Financial Stability Board, Basel; Financial Conduct Authority, London; European Commission, Brussels; Australian Treasury, Canberra, and Department of Climate Change, Canberra. His junior mentor was Simon Rubenstein and his senior mentor was Michael Gronow KC.

Early in his career he worked as a lawyer and policy official at the Victorian Department of Justice, working on the establishment of VCAT and the Business Licensing Authority, as well as in private legal practice at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Melbourne. His full CV is available on request.

His interests include the arts, technology and travel.

Areas of Practice
ASIC investigations and ProsecutionsBanking and FinanceCivil and Human RightsCivil AppealsCivil EnforcementCivil Procedure LawCommercial Class ActionsCommissions or Tribunals and Other InquiriesCommon Law Class ActionsCompetition and Consumer LawCompliance and InvestigationsCompulsory Acquisition of Land and CompensationConstitutional LawContractual DisputesCoronial InquestsCorporate InsolvencyCorruptionDirectors and Officers ClaimsDisciplinary ProceedingsDiscriminationeCommerceEnvironmental and Planning OffencesFamily ProvisionFraudGuardianship and AdministrationHealth and MedicalInformation Technology and ComputingInsurance - Public LiabilityIntentional TortsJudicial Review and Administrative LawLocal GovernmentMergers and AcquisitionsMerit AppealsMerits ReviewPartnership DisputesPowers of AttorneyPrivacy or Freedom of InformationProceeds of CrimeProceeds of Crime or Money LaunderingProfessional NegligenceReal PropertyRestraint of TradeSecurities and InvestmentsShareholder DisputesSuperannuationTelecommunicationsTrustsValuation of Land - Rating and Taxing AppealsVictims of CrimeWhite Collar and Corporate CrimeWills and Probate
Jurisdiction
All Australian States and JurisdictionsFederal JurisdictionVictoria
To enquire about this barrister’s availability, suitability, or fees, please contact our our experienced Barristers' Clerks using the details below.

Anna Svenson

Director & Principal Clerk


Olimpia St George

Barristers' Clerk

Kristie Sullivan

Barristers’ Clerk

Dr Angus Cameron

Barristers' Clerk

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister’s clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.

Related Learning & CPDs
Slides (PDFs)

Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice

Related News & Events
Recognition & Awards

Congratulations to List member Laurence White on being recognised by Doyles Guide as ‘Leading White Collar Criminal Law & Regulatory Investigations Barrister – Australia 2025’.

Congratulations to List member Laurence White on being recognised by Doyles Guide as ‘Leading White Collar Criminal Law & Regulatory Investigations Barrister – Australia 2025’. Well done Laurence!

Related Brief Chat Podcasts

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of AI in Law — with Barrister Laurence White – ‘Brief Chats’ Ep 6

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries worldwide — and the legal profession is no exception. In this episode of Brief Chats, Director and Principal Clerk Anna Svenson sits down with Laurence White, barrister and AI expert, to explore how machine learning and large language models are reshaping the practise of law in Australia.

In Discussion with:

Svenson Barristers Melbourne

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