{{short description|Australian lawyer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Amanda Kim Banton''' (born 26 July 1970) is an Australian lawyer who specialises in corporate litigation, particularly matters involving complex financial instruments and insolvency based disputes. Until March 2020 she was a partner in the Sydney office of global business law firm Squire Patton Boggs.<ref name="spbpage">{{cite web |title=Amanda K. Banton |url=https://www.squirepattonboggs.com/en/professionals/b/banton-amanda |website=Squire Patton Boggs |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> Banton is the currently the Managing Partner of Banton Group, a firm she established in 2020. Banton Group specializes in large commercial dispute resolution, class actions, restructuring and insolvency litigation and advisory matters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banton Group |url=https://au.linkedin.com/company/banton-group-legal}}</ref>
Banton is best known for successfully representing a range of religious organisations, charities and local government authorities seeking redress for losses suffered after they purchased "toxic" financial products created and sold by various financial institutions, including Lehman Brothers and ABN Amro.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Whyte |first1=Jemima |title=Standard & Poor's class action to test limits for claims |url=https://www.afr.com/business/banking-and-finance/standard--poors-class-action-to-test-limit-for-claims-20180307-h0x610 |access-date=6 June 2019 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=9 Mar 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wardell |first1=Jane |title=S&P settles Australian lawsuit over Lehman Bros collapse |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-s-p-court-idUSKCN0VT04T |website=Reuters |publisher=Reuters |access-date=6 June 2019 |date=9 Mar 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hume |first1=Neil |title=S&P misled investors, court finds |url=https://www.ft.com/content/175c63be-26fb-11e2-9295-00144feabdc0 |publisher=Financial Times |access-date=6 June 2019 |date=6 Nov 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=Reuters |title=Australian court issues landmark judgment against S&P |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/9655922/Australian-court-issues-landmark-judgment-against-SandP.html |publisher=The Telegraph |access-date=6 June 2019 |date=5 Nov 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lehman Brothers hearing commences today |url=https://www.piperalderman.com.au/__files/f/4232/MED049%20Lehman%20Brothers.pdf |publisher=Piper Alderman |access-date=6 May 2019 |date=2 March 2011}}</ref> She is also the first and only lawyer to successfully win judgement against a ratings agency (Standard & Poor's) for misrating such products as AAA.<ref name="smartest">{{cite web |last1=Lagan |first1=Bernard |title=The Smartest Girls in the Room |url=http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-smartest-girls-in-the-room/503/ |work=The Global Mail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307075141/http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-smartest-girls-in-the-room/503/ |archive-date=7 March 2013 |date=3 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Courtenay |first1=Adam |title=Taking on Wall St: How an Australian CPA beat the Street |url=https://www.intheblack.com/articles/2017/04/01/taking-on-wall-street |website=INTHEBLACK |publisher=CPA Australia |access-date=6 June 2019 |date=1 Apr 2017}}</ref><ref name="goliath">{{cite news |last1=Shanahan |first1=Leo |title=David and Goliath lawyer Amanda Banton a class act |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/david-and-goliath-lawyer-a-class-act/news-story/c0ab1039aa15e6c2e411c7de9e904790 |access-date=3 May 2019 |work=The Australian |date=8 November 2012|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=S&P litigator switches law firms |url=https://www.investordaily.com.au/investor-daily-news/36766-s-p-litigator-switches-law-firms |website=Investor Daily |publisher=Momentum Media |access-date=6 May 2019 |date=10 December 2014}}</ref>
Between October 2014 and March 2016 Banton filed a number of further class actions against Standard & Poor's alleging misleading and deceptive conduct and negligence by S&P. Those claims were amended in October 2017 to allege deceit against S&P.<ref>{{cite web |title=Australian investors gain significant win against Standard & Poor's |url=https://www.esquireglobalcrossings.com/2017/10/australian-investors-gain-significant-win-against-standard-poors/#page=1 |publisher=Squire Patton Boggs |website=eSquire Global Crossings |language=English |date=25 October 2017}}</ref> Those matters were settled in May 2018 for $215 million.<ref>{{cite web |title='Significant vindication': S&P pays $215m to settle landmark GFC lawsuit |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/significant-vindication-s-and-p-pays-215m-to-settle-landmark-gfc-lawsuit-20180830-p500tp.html |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |language=English |date=30 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=S&P settles landmark lawsuit in Australia over its role in the GFC |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/sp-settles-landmark-lawsuit-in-australia-over-its-role-in-the-gfc-20180810-p4zwrp.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=English |date=10 August 2018}}</ref> The Court approved the settlement in August 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title= Liverpool City Council v McGraw-Hill Financial, Inc (now known as S&P Global Inc) [2018] FCA 1289 |url=https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2018/2018fca1289 |website=Federal Court of Australia |language=English |date=9 August 2018}}</ref>
In 2014 Banton also filed a class action lawsuit against another ratings firm, Fitch Ratings, alleging that the firm "had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and was negligence in giving AAA and AA ratings to certain collateralized debt obligations known as Palladin AAA and Palladin AA."<ref name="fitch-palladin">{{cite web |last1=Dolor |first1=Sol |title=Top litigators help close settlement in class action that may have global implications |url=https://www.australasianlawyer.com.au/news/top-litigators-help-close-settlement-in-class-action-that-may-have-global-implications-266298.aspx?m=1 |website=Australasian Lawyer |publisher=Key Media Pty Ltd |access-date=12 November 2019 |date=14 September 2019}}</ref> Fitch settled pre-trial in September 2019 for AU$27 million, representing the recovery of about 95% of the losses incurred by the plaintiffs, and is believed to be (in percentage terms), one of the largest settlements achieved pre-trial in Australia.<ref name="fitch-palladin" />
Amanda's practice encompasses a broad range of corporate and commercial litigation matters, with a particular emphasis on matters relating to the Corporations Act, insolvency, state and federal trade practices legislation, negligence and contractual disputes.<ref name="spbbio">{{cite web |title=Bio |url=https://1npdf9.onenorth.com/pdfrenderer.svc/v1/ABCpdf9/GetRenderedPdfByUrl//amandabanton.pdf/?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.squirepattonboggs.com%2fen%2fprofessionals%2fb%2fbanton-amanda%3fpdf%3dtrue&attachment=false |publisher=Squire Patton Boggs |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref>
Amanda acted for the Dr and Mrs Dyczynski in a case which arose for the shooting down of MH17. The Full Federal Court has upheld the appeal brought by Dr and Mrs Dyczynski, the parents who lost their daughter on board the MH17 Malaysian Airlines crash, against their exclusion from a class action settlement brought by LHD Lawyers on behalf of family members of victims of the crash.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Whitbourn|first=Michaela|date=2020-07-09|title=Law firm apologises for 'letting down' parents of MH17 crash victim|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/law-firm-apologises-for-letting-down-parents-of-mh17-crash-victim-20200709-p55agl.html|access-date=2020-07-10|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref>
In the Australasian Law Awards 2021, Banton was awarded an Excellence Award in the Law Firm Leader of the Year and Banton Group was awarded an Excellence Award in the Law Firm of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EXCELLENCE AWARDEES 2021 {{!}} Australasian Law Awards|url=https://auslawawards.com.au/excellence-awardees/excellence-awardees-2021|access-date=2021-11-16|website=auslawawards.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Australasian Law Awards 2021 crowns the winners of the industry and firm categories|url=https://www.thelawyermag.com/au/news/general/australasian-law-awards-2021-crowns-the-winners-of-the-industry-and-firm-categories/257972|access-date=2021-11-16|website=www.thelawyermag.com|language=en}}</ref>
== Biography == Banton completed bachelor's degrees in Commerce and Law at the University of Adelaide in 2002. (B.Comm, LLB).<ref name="goliath" /><ref name="spbbio" />
Banton commenced her legal career at Piper Alderman in 2002 where she practiced in corporate litigation and restructuring & insolvency. She was appointed Partner in 2007. In 2015 Banton and a team of 11 lawyers plus support staff left the firm and joined Squire Patton Boggs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whealing |first1=Justin |title=Exclusive: Pipers lose leading light |url=https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/appointments/15926-pipers-lose-leading-light |website=Lawyers Weekly |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=9 Dec 2014}}</ref>
Banton is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.<ref name="spbbio"/>
In 2000 Banton worked at KPMG Consulting (Later BearingPoint<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perez |first1=Juan |last2=Han |first2=Helen |title=KPMG Consulting becomes BearingPoint |url=https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/30059/kpmg_consulting_becomes_bearingpoint/ |publisher=ComputerWorld |access-date=6 May 2019 |date=4 October 2002}}</ref>) in the Public Sector Consulting Group.<ref name="goliath"/> She advised on a range of projects including process reengineering, change management and performance improvement and reporting.
Between approximately 1992 and 2000 she worked for the Commonwealth Government. Banton's roles included being a senior officer with responsibilities in respect of the education budget at the Department of Finance<ref name="smartest"/> and senior roles at a statutory organisation engaged pursuant to the Commonwealth's purchaser provider framework. Banton's role at the statutory organisation included developing the performance framework and reporting processes for the provider contract.
=== Awards === *2021 Excellence Award in Australasia Law Awards - Law Firm Leader of the Year *2020 Elite Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution - Class Actions *2020 Lawyers Weekly - Partner of the Year Awards - Finalist - Dispute Resolution *2020 Ranked in Chambers - Asia Pacific *2019 Elite Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution - Class Actions *2019 The Legal 500 Asia Pacific - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolutions: Class Actions - Squire Patton Boggs *2019 Australian Dispute Resolution Partner of the Year (finalist) – Lawyers Weekly<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Emma |title=Partner of the Year Awards finalists revealed |url=https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/25415-partner-of-the-year-awards-finalists-revealed |website=Lawyers Weekly |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=9 April 2019}}</ref> *2018 Elite Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution - Class Actions *2018 The Legal 500 Asia Pacific - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - Squire Patton Boggs *2018 Australian Dispute Resolution Team of the Year (finalist) – Lawyers Weekly<ref>{{cite web |title=Australian Law Awards finalists revealed |url=https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/23624-australian-law-awards-finalists-revealed |website=Lawyers Weekly |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=12 July 2018}}</ref> *2017 Elite Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution - Class Actions *2017 The Legal 500 Asia Pacific - Leading individual - Dispute Resolution - Squire Patton Boggs *2016 Australian Insolvency Partner of the Year (winner)– Lawyers Weekly<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bullock |first1=Lara |title=Partner of the Year Awards |url=https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/features/18814-partner-of-the-year-awards |website=Lawyers Weekly |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=20 June 2016}}</ref> *2014 Hot 40 Private Practice Lawyer - Australasian Lawyer<ref>{{cite web |title=Australasian Lawyer's Hot 40 for 2014 |url=https://www.australasianlawyer.com.au/special-reports/australasian-lawyers-hot-40-for-2014-187317.aspx |website=Australasian Lawyer |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=1 May 2014}}</ref> *2013 Australian Dispute Star for Restructuring and Insolvency - Euromoney's Benchmark, Asia Pacific<ref>{{cite web |title=Leading Australian Insolvency and Litigation Partner Joins Squire Patton Boggs |url=https://www.squirepattonboggs.com/en/news/2014/12/leading-australian-insolvency-and-litigation-pa2__ |publisher=Squire Patton Boggs |access-date=3 May 2019 |date=8 December 2014}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://bantongroup.com/about-us/ Banton Group website] * [https://linkedin.com/in/amandabantone Amanda Banton LinkedIn Profile]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banton, Amanda}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:University of Adelaide alumni Category:21st-century Australian lawyers Category:21st-century Australian women lawyers Category:People associated with Squire Patton Boggs