Jirsch Sutherland bolsters team with forensics specialist

Jirsch Sutherland, one of Australia’s leading insolvency practices, has further bolstered its team in Brisbane with the appointment of highly experienced Registered Liquidator, Melissa Lau as the firm’s newest Partner.

A Registered Liquidator with more than 19 years’ experience in corporate recovery, turnaround, forensic and auditing, Melissa also has extensive expertise and experience in corporate banking as a special asset management, credit evaluation and risk & compliance professional.

“Insolvency is my passion and I am looking forward to continuing my work in this sector,” Melissa says.

“I previously worked with Jirsch Sutherland Partners Bradd Morelli and Jimmy Trpcevski and was attracted to joining such a reputable firm of the highest integrity. I’m excited about working with the team around the country in offering top-notch insolvency services.”

Bradd, who worked with Melissa in the early 2000s, calls himself “a huge fan of Melissa’s”. “She is highly competent, intelligent, loyal and hard working,” he says. “I’ve long wanted Melissa to join Jirsch Sutherland and am ecstatic to welcome her on board.”

Chris Baskerville, Jirsch Sutherland’s Brisbane Partner, says Melissa will be “a tremendous asset to our firm at a national level”.

“Melissa’s experience in Australia and Asia gives our team an added layer of knowledge and expertise across the local and Asian markets,” Chris says. “The timing was ideal. As a result of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, Melissa wanted to return home to Australia and get back into insolvency – and we were looking to enhance our forensic and asset recovery capability. Also, Melissa’s husband’s family is based in Brisbane, QLD, so they’re thrilled to be back here.”

Melissa, who previously worked with Baker Tilly, Ferrier Hodgson, Horwath International and Rodgers Reidy, has been involved with a diverse range of formal and informal appointments with private entities and listed companies in Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Her experience encompasses a variety of sectors including building and construction, agriculture, retail, manufacturing, hospitality and property. Among Melissa’s core strengths are corporate insolvency and restructuring, fraud and forensic investigations (including asset and fund tracing), due diligence and business valuation.

“Because of my background, one of the areas I will be focusing on is the Asian market,” Melissa says. “I want to help people in difficult situations – whether business owners or individuals – who are under financial stress to achieve a far better outcome than could have been the case.”

Melissa also has a passion for forensic and fraud investigation, in particular asset tracing and recovery. “I really enjoy wearing a hat as a ‘financial detective’, investigating fraud and misappropriation of funds by ‘following the money’,” she says.

Melissa was also one of the members of the Insolvency Special Working Group of the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA), working with a number of other insolvency specialists to resolve specific issues in insolvency and corporation law. “I was a member some years ago and was honoured to have played a role in the Working Group. I would be delighted to do it again should such an opportunity present itself!” she adds.

 

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About Jirsch Sutherland – www.jirschsutherland.com.au

Established in 1984, Jirsch Sutherland is one of Australia’s leading national independent insolvency specialists. The Jirsch Sutherland team works closely with small and mid-size accounting, finance and legal firms – and their clients – to provide a wide range of expert corporate and personal insolvency services including liquidations, voluntary administrations, receiverships and bankruptcy.

With head offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Newcastle and Perth, supported by a network of regional offices, Jirsch Sutherland’s national reach combined with a local presence underpins the company’s ongoing success. For over three decades, Jirsch Sutherland has earned a well-deserved reputation for protecting and guiding clients through the insolvency process in a fair and ethical way.

In Western Australia, Jirsch Sutherland trades as WA Insolvency Solutions.

 

For further information:
Lisa Llewellyn
Llewellyn Communications
0419 401 362
lisa@llewcom.com.au



WA Insolvency Solutions