Emma Boyce

Emma is a highly regarded Special Counsel with extensive experience in advisory and dispute resolution across banking and finance, insolvency, corporate regulatory and governance disputes and general litigation. Emma has acted on matters across all NSW jurisdictions including the Court of Appeal of New South Wales. 

Emma assists with the management of portfolios of national complex debt recoveries, both secured and unsecured. She has experience working in all state jurisdictions, most commonly New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

As a trusted advisor, Emma is committed to building strong client relationships and providing solutions that balance legal precision with practical realities. Her approach is collaborative and client-centric, ensuring that every matter is handled efficiently.

Beyond her legal practice, Emma plays an active role in leadership and mentoring, supporting junior lawyers and contributing to the development of a high-performing team. She also drives innovation and best practice to enhance client service delivery.

Emma’s ability to manage complex disputes and advisory matters with confidence and clarity has earned her recognition among clients and peers alike. Her focus on excellence, integrity, and results positions her as a key contributor to the success of her clients.

 

Qualifications/Memberships

• Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (University of New South Wales)

• Diploma of Law, Legal Profession Admission Board (affiliated with the University of Sydney)

• Board member – NSW Regional Women Lawyers Committee

• Associate member of the Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association (ARITA)

• Mentor in the Law Society of NSW Mentoring Program

• Mentor in the UNSW Career Discovery Mentoring Program

   

   

A word from Emma

I enjoy working with my clients to unravel complex issues and reach commercial resolutions in a time effective manner, allowing my clients to return their focus to building and developing their businesses as soon as possible.

 

Career highlights

• Successfully acting for the Coopers in Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 [2020] NSWCA 250. This highly-publicised Court of Appeal proceeding against an owners corporation challenged the validity of a by-law regarding the keeping of animals (excluding assistance animals) in a strata building. The challenge was successful, and the by-law was declared by the Court to be harsh, oppressive or unconscionable. The case effectively changes the way owners corporations can govern their strata schemes in NSW generally, not just as it relates to animals. The case also resulted in amendments to the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and has positively impacted many pet owners in NSW. 

• Acting for the successful plaintiff liquidator on an application regarding the correct title of stock held by a company in liquidation and the charging of a levy for the identification, preservation and distribution of that stock in the matter of Plantation Outdoor Kitchens Pty Ltd (In Liq) [2019] NSWSC 925.

• Successfully negotiating the acquisition of a Toyota dealership following the commencement of an oppression claim in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

• Growing and managing a portfolio of secured debt recovery work and achieving successful recoveries on over 130 matters over four years.

• Successfully resolving a million dollar plus claim filed against her client alleging breach of contract, breach of employment obligations and defamation prior to a 20 day listing for less than one tenth of the estimated claim value.

• Acting for an insolvency practitioner conducting public examinations involving three directors or persons associated with the operation of the company conducted over multiple days in Queensland resulting in the commencement of two Federal Court recoveries.

 

Specific areas of focus

• Partnership and shareholder disputes including oppression claims

• Commercial contract disputes and procurement

• Banking and finance disputes

• Insolvency and debt recovery

• Enforcing restraints and non-competition clauses

• Defamation and redress for attacks on business entities and unlawful online conduct

• Real property disputes

• Corporations issues and directors/fiduciary duties

• Copyright, trademark, patent and confidential information disputes

• Securities advice and enforcement regarding real and personal property