Legal professional background

Ted Tzovaras is the founder of Tzovaras Legal, the origins of which may be traced to the establishment, in 1981, of Tzovaras & Company.

Since founding Tzovaras & Company, he has acted as an adviser in several major commercial transactions. He has negotiated and advised on numerous commercial transactions including, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, fund raising and corporate restructuring. A number of these involved negotiating and documenting international trade transactions and joint ventures in the mineral resources sector in Australia, Indonesia, China, Thailand and Laos. He has led successful IPOs and capital raisings for several public companies.

He has also practised extensively and has represented clients in litigious, domestic and international arbitration, and other alternative dispute resolution processes, in Australia and abroad, including in Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos and Abu Dhabi. In Australia, he has acted both as an instructing solicitor and appeared as an advocate in commercial litigation before both inferior and superior courts, including the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria, and in the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

He has also acted as a commercial adviser to several overseas based groups, especially in Asia and Europe in relation to the establishment and development of businesses in Australia. These included the representation of a major private European bank and the establishment for it of representative offices in Australia, Singapore and Taiwan.

As a result of his frequent visits and professional dealings in countries such as China, Asia, India, the Middle East, Europe and South Africa, he has established an extensive network of international clients and associates.

Professional migration services

Mr Tzovaras has been practising in the field of immigration law and providing a full range of migration services since 1981.

He provides a full range of professional services and advice in all aspects of Australian immigration law and visa applications. These include preliminary and comprehensive assessments and advice on the most appropriate visa application, preparation of visa applications together with all supporting documents and submissions, and advising on and conducting appeals before the Migration Review Tribunal and judicial reviews before the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and the Federal Court of Australia.

Commercial Appointments

Ted Tzovaras has served on the board of directors of several Australian and foreign private and public companies engaged in property development, engineering, mining and international trade and investment.

He acts as external Group General Counsel for several companies, including Austcorp Property Group, an Australian national property development group, and HBO+EMTB Group, an Australian-based architectural, design and construction firm with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, China, India and the Middle-East.

He has served on the board of directors of several not-for-profit organisations, including:

• President of the European Australian Business Council (2001- 2005).
• Director of the Belgian – Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce for Australia (1980-2009).
• Director of the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NSW) Ltd (1982-2009).
• Vice-President of the Australian Pakistan Chamber of Commerce (2000-2009).

Academic appointments and publications

Throughout his practising years, Ted Tzovaras has frequently participated in legal education as a lecturer to postgraduates at the University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Macquarie University and Murdoch University.

In 1996 he was appointed a visiting professor at Macquarie University’s School of Economic and Financial Studies (Business Law) Sydney, lecturing to Master of Commerce Law students until 2002.

In 2002, he acted as a National Rapporteur (Domain Name – International Survey) for the XVIth Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law held in Brisbane, Australia.

In 2007, he was appointed an Adjunct Professor of Law at Murdoch University, where he has also lectured, which appointment he maintained until 2010.

He is the author of several published legal articles and other papers which he has presented to various business groups in Australia and overseas including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Belgium, France and Greece.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (University of Sydney).
• Master of Laws (University of Technology, Sydney).
• Master of Business Administration, Macquarie Graduate School of Management.
• Diplôme Supérieur de Français d’Affaires (Paris).
• Mediation Certificate from the Australian Commercial Dispute Centre (Sydney).
• Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
• Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and of the High Court of Australia.

Professional memberships

• Member of the Law Society of NSW.
• Member of the Lao Bar Association.
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK and Australia).
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
• Member of the Migration Alliance.

Other languages

• French - fluent.
• Greek - fluent.

Alex Tzovaras is an Australian lawyer with over 15 years professional experience in Australia and abroad. He was admitted as a Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2008. He is a member of he Law Society of New South Wales.

Alex has particular experience in commercial litigation and other forms of dispute resolution, having represented clients across a range of industries in a number of major litigious matters and disputes in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to litigation and dispute resolution, Alex has experience in the building and construction industry, advising clients on various contractual aspects, negotiating and drafting construction, engineering, architecture, design and various other agreements.

Alex has also advised and acted on a number of corporate matters, including on the formation and restructure of companies, and a variety of commercial matters, including in relation to property development, acquisitions, divestments, shareholders and partnerships, and joint ventures in respect of foreign investments in the mining, hydropower, agriculture, hospitality, gaming and entertainment sectors in Laos.

Alex acts as external Group Legal Counsel for several companies, including Austcorp Property Group, an Australian national property development group, and HBO+EMTB Group, an Australian-based architectural, design and construction firm with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, China, India and the Middle-East.

Since being admitted to practice, Alex has also provided clients with a range of professional migration services in relation to all aspects of Australian immigration law and all classes of visas to Australia.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (University of Technology, Sydney).
• Master of Arts (University of New South Wales).
• Bachelor of Science (University of New South Wales).
• Bachelor of Arts (University of New South Wales).

International Professional Network

Tzovaras Legal has a presence in the various locations where it operates, including in Australasia, Asia, China, India, the Middle-East and Europe. In each of those locations the principals of Tzovaras Legal Corporation are supported by a team of legal and other professionals under the leadership of the principals.

Tzovaras Legal's foreign associates include lawyers and counsel, accountants, tax professionals, and other service providers. With the support of our foreign associates, we are able to provide our clients with complete and comprehensive international legal and commercial advisory and representation services.

The support of Tzovaras Legal's associates in the various foreign jurisdictions brings to our clients the distinctive advantage of the local expertise, knowledge and culture, while the conduct of our clients’ matters remain under the strategic leadership of Tzovaras Legal.