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Our history

Thompson Eslick was established in 1993 by Peter Thompson, then trading as Peter C Thompson Solicitor.

Peter had been a senior solicitor at Mallesons Stephen Jaques (as it then was) in their dispute resolution area. He later took up a consultancy position with the ASC (now ASIC) as a Civil Litigation Consultant.

When the ASIC consultancy expired in 1993, Peter founded his law firm to work on ASIC related matters. He also received several referrals from Mallesons and other law firms in Sydney.

Peter appeared for individuals at ASIC and APRA examinations and came to represent licensed persons at ASIC banning order hearings. He also gave advice to financial institutions on the adequacy of their compliance programmes and training of staff.

In 1997 Vicki Eslick, Peter's former colleague at Mallesons, joined as a partner and the firm changed its name to Thompson Eslick Solicitors.

Between 1997 and 2003, the firm acted in a range of matters, and in various ‘high-profile’ cases. These included: acting for Kim Hollingsworth to obtain reinstatement as a cadet police officer; for investors in their claims against AXA Australia concerning a multimillion-dollar investment scheme; appearing for witnesses at the “Cash for Comment” and “Food for Oil” inquiries and in the HIH Royal Commission.

In 2003, Vicki Eslick resigned from the partnership following her relocation from Sydney. The firm’s practice then merged with the Financial Services Group at TurksLegal.

Between 2003 and 2005, Peter worked as a Consultant Solicitor with TurksLegal but maintained his clients in conjunction with TurksLegal under the Thompson Eslick name.

In 2005, Peter resumed trading as Thompson Eslick and opened new offices in York Street, Sydney, and continued to take instructions in a wide range of regulatory and litigation matters, including from:

  • Jodee Rich in the ASIC Supreme Court proceedings following the collapse of One.Tel
  • Ego Pharmaceuticals in proceedings before the AAT to have products registered by the TGA
  • Witnesses in the ASIC James Hardie investigation, and the later ASIC Supreme Court proceedings brought against James Hardie directors
  • Certain of the investors adversely affected by the class action settlement with Macquarie Bank Limited, concerning their investments in Storm Financial Limited
  • Particular persons identified of interest in ICAC operations Credo, Spicer, Dasha and Aero public hearings
  • Various executives the subject of a NRL salary cap investigation concerning the Parramatta Leagues Club
  • Some institutions and certain of their employees that were involved in the ASIC BBSW investigation and the later Federal Court cases
  • Various persons involved the ANZ Cartel Case, following an ACCC Investigation into alleged cartel conduct
  • Various academics involved in internal university investigations
  • Clients targeted in criminal investigations undertaken by the ATO and AFP into alleged income tax offences; and
  • Whitebox Trading and its director, in their successful defence of the Federal Court proceedings brought by ASIC for alleged market offences that ran from 2016 to 2019.

Thompson Eslick also provided advisory services on a wide range of legal issues, and assisted clients to resolve disputes without recourse to litigation.

In 2020, Thompson Eslick entered into an arrangement with Watson Mangioni Lawyers to share expertise and resources in the regulatory area. In addition to continuing to service its own clients, the firm then collaborated with Watson Mangioni on particular matters.

With Peter Thompson stepping back from legal work in late 2021, Thompson Eslick ceased taking new instructions in litigation. Peter, however remained available to advise on regulatory matters and investigations through his association with Watson Mangioni.