Gerard Breen

Gerard Breen is a Partner at PCL Lawyers and one of Australia’s most experienced restructuring and insolvency lawyers. Based in Brisbane, Gerard brings decades of expertise to some of the country’s most complex commercial challenges — delivering practical, commercially sound outcomes for clients navigating financial distress, corporate restructuring, and high-stakes insolvency litigation.

His ability to engineer imaginative, consensual solutions — often without formal insolvency processes — sets him apart from peers. Many of Gerard’s restructurings have been achieved informally, with others executed through schemes of arrangement or other lateral restructuring mechanisms, always balancing the competing interests of multiple stakeholders.

A Proven Track Record in Complex Restructuring

Gerard has acted on many of Australia’s largest and most significant restructuring and insolvency matters, including:

• Global Hastie Group — one of Australia’s largest ever insolvency administrations
• Cubbie Station — the restructuring of Australia’s most iconic agricultural asset
• Darling Harbourside — the shopping and restaurant precinct restructuring
• Gunns Ltd — a landmark insolvency in the Australian timber and resources sector
• Redbank Power Station — formerly part of the Alinta Group and the Keating Piggery

High Court Representation

Gerard has successfully represented clients before the High Court of Australia — the country’s apex court — reflecting the complexity and significance of the insolvency litigation matters he has handled throughout his career. He is regularly engaged on Australia’s most consequential insolvency disputes, bringing strategic precision and deep technical knowledge to each matter.

Advisory Expertise Across Capital Structures

Gerard advises a broad range of clients — including New York-based hedge funds — on the acquisition and restructuring of companies, providing flexible capital solutions across complex ownership and financing arrangements. His debt advisory experience spans:

• Senior and mezzanine debt structures
• Complex and multi-layered capital arrangements
• International syndicated and bilateral lending facilities
• Working capital facilities
• Super priority senior debt and new money injections

Sectors & Services

Sectors:

Building, Construction & Infrastructure

Retail & Manufacturing

Energy & Resources

Financial Services

Services:

Insolvency & Turnaround

Commercial Transactions

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Recognition

Gerard is widely respected by peers for his lateral, solutions-focused approach to complex matters and has been recognised in the Legal500 (2018/19) for his outstanding contribution to restructuring and insolvency law in Australia.

Qualifications

LLB (Hons) QUB

Diploma in Professional Legal Studies QUB

Affiliations

Member of the Law Council Business Section on Insolvency

Member of ARITA

Member of Turnaround Management Association

Member of INSOL

Recognised as a Leading Restructuring and Insolvency Lawyer by Chambers Global Directory on several occasions.