Nicholas Iles

Nicholas Iles is a seasoned commercial litigation lawyer with over three decades of experience, practising in both Australia and England. His career commenced at a predecessor firm to Piper Alderman, where he ascended to the role of Partner in the commercial litigation section, collaborating with esteemed colleagues Charles Bagot and Tony Abbott AM. His international experience includes a pivotal tenure in London, joining Linklaters & Paines under Terence Kyle and Christopher Style QC, and later at Squire & Co, a boutique professional indemnity insurance firm. Notably, he represented a Lloyd’s syndicate in a significant trans-national reinsurance dispute. Nicholas's academic credentials are distinguished, with First Class Honours in Law from the University of Adelaide and Cambridge University, where he was honoured as an Honorary Senior Scholar and College Prizeman of Gonville & Caius College. His wide-ranging practice encompasses commercial disputes in contractual, company, partnership, tortious, and public law matters, with a pronounced interest in professional indemnity litigation. In South Australia, Nicholas is recognised for his involvement in major Royal Commissions, including collaborations with Michael Abbott AO QC. He led significant defences, such as the trust account defalcation involving Magarey Farlam Lawyers. His court experience spans every South Australian court, including the High Court of Australia. Nicholas's expertise has earned him consistent recognition as "Pre-eminent" in both commercial litigation and professional indemnity by Doyles Guide. Beyond his practice, he has contributed to the legal community through the Law Society of South Australia's Council and Executive, serving as Treasurer, and extending his leadership to community sectors like Anglicare SA. He remains a trusted advisor to the Adelaide Diocese of the Anglican Church, having represented it at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. His dedication to service is further demonstrated by his appointment as Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Willochra in 2013.