Farid Assaf

Background

About Farid Assaf

Farid Assaf SC is a leading commercial silk specialising in corporate insolvency, cross-border restructuring, directors’ duties, and complex regulatory and commercial disputes. He regularly appears in Australia’s superior courts, representing liquidators, financial institutions, regulators, and directors in high-stakes litigation. Recent landmark matters include acting in the leading Full Federal Court decision in CEG Direct Securities v Cooper (2025) concerning unreasonable director-related transactions, and representing ASIC in the high-profile proceedings of ASIC v Melissa Caddick, where he successfully advanced novel arguments on regulatory enforcement and innovative relief under the Corporations Act, significantly improving outcomes for investors and creditors. He has also acted in prominent directors’ duties litigation, including successfully defending the former chairman of Dick Smith against allegations of breach of director’s duties. Farid’s approach is grounded in deep regulatory expertise and a sophisticated commercial mindset, developed through his earlier role as in-house counsel at ASIC, providing unique insights into enforcement action, compliance risks, and commercial imperatives. He is recognised for bringing practical, commercially astute solutions to complex legal challenges. He is a Fellow of INSOL International (graduating first in class), a Professional Member of ARITA, and a Foreign Lawyer admitted to the Singapore International Commercial Court. Farid is also the author of two authoritative texts on corporate insolvency published by LexisNexis, widely cited by courts and practitioners. Having recently completed the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School, Farid also advises on emerging AI-driven legal issues, particularly at the intersection of technology, governance frameworks, directors’ duties, and cross-border legal challenges.