Maria Yiasemides

Partner

Sydney + 61.2.8272.0770

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Maria Yiasemides is an experienced commercial litigator with a strong focus on complex cross-border disputes, fraud matters, banking litigation, privacy and cyber-related disputes, and insolvency-related proceedings. She advises and represents clients in high-stakes matters involving allegations of misconduct, director and shareholder disputes, multijurisdictional asset tracing, breach of fiduciary duties, data breach responses, and contested external administrations.

She advises financial institutions, corporate clients, and boards on regulatory inquiries, data breaches and enforcement actions, as well as matters where fraud, distressed companies, and privacy or cyber issues intersect. She is commercially focused and assists clients to navigate parallel civil, regulatory, and incident responses arising from suspected fraud, misconduct, governance failures, privacy breaches, or financial distress.

Her experience includes acting for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in relation to the Forum Finance fraud; defending ASIC regulatory proceedings in relation to alleged breaches of the National Credit Code; defending shareholder class action proceedings arising from alleged insider trading; advising a bidder in the restructure of Virgin Australia Airlines; acting for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia in its interests in Bell Resources; acting in complex disputes for Peabody, IBM, Sanofi, and Woolworths; and acting for external administrators in significant retail and business collapses, including Topshop/Topman, American Apparel, Payless Shoes, NewSat, and Maritimo. Prior to joining Jones Day, Maria worked on the restructure and collapse of Allco Finance Group.

Maria is a Fellow of INSOL International (turnaround and insolvency federation) and sits on various insolvency and restructuring committees, including the Insolvency and Restructuring Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

Maria is a Councillor of the Friends of the Australian Ballet and prior to that served on the board of Australia's largest not-for-profit running organization, Sydney Striders Running Club.

Experience

  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation successfully sues fraudster Bill Papas and related companies for largest banking fraud perpetuated in AustraliaJones Day represents Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC") and its commercial leasing and finance subsidiary, SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., in federal court proceedings commenced against Bill Papas and his Forum group of companies regarding the largest banking fraud perpetuated in Australia against SMBC L&F, Westpac Banking Corporation, and Société Générale.
  • Hornblower Group acquires Journey BeyondJones Day advised Hornblower Group, Inc. in its acquisition of Australia's leading experiential travel group, Journey Beyond.
  • SAP forms strategic partnership with Dediq for financial services industriesJones Day advised SAP in the formation of SAP Fioneer, a joint venture with the Munich based investor DEDIQ GmbH whereby SAP contributed its Financial Services and Insurance Services business and DEDIQ will invest more than €500 million.
  • ICWA and JN Taylor Finance (in liquidation) challenge liquidator's decision to review or re-adjudicate a proof of claim admitted over 20 years agoJones Day is acting for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA") in proceedings commenced by JN Taylor Finance Pty Ltd (in liquidation) and ICWA in the Supreme Court of Western Australia seeking to reverse a liquidator's decision to review or re-adjudicate a proof of claim that was admitted in the liquidation of The Bell Group Limited in the amount of approximately $291 million over 20 years ago.
  • ICWA protects its interests as creditor and funder in Bell Group liquidationsJones Day is acting for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA"), a Western Australian government entity, in proceedings commenced in the Supreme Court of Western Australia concerning the distribution to creditors of over $1.8 billion in the liquidations of the Bell Group.
  • Maritimo Offshore enters into Deed of Company Arrangement and files for Chapter 15 reliefJones Day acted for the administrators and subsequent deed administrators appointed to Maritimo Offshore Pty Ltd, an Australian yacht manufacturer, with global operations and dealerships.
  • NewSat Limited sues its CEO and Chairman for breaches of directors' dutiesJones Day is acting for NewSat Limited, a formerly publicly listed Australian satellite company, on the instruction of its receivers from McGrathNicol in relation to a claim against NewSat's CEO and Chairman for breaches of directors' duties. 
  • Senior officers of ICWA and State Solicitors Office of Western Australia obtain orders setting aside liquidator examination summonses and production ordersJones Day acted for the CEO and General Counsel of the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA"), and the State Solicitor and a senior lawyer of the State Solicitors Office of Western Australia, in a successful Federal Court of Australia application to set aside examination summonses and production orders obtained by the liquidator of Bell Group NV (in liquidation).
  • Payless Shoes appoints voluntary administrators and enters into Deed of Company ArrangementJones Day acted for and advised the voluntary administrators appointed to Payless Shoes Pty Ltd, including in relation to a sale of business campaign, the wind-down of the company's operations including with respect to employee affairs and claims, the entry into a deed of company arrangement, investigations into potential claims, and associated court applications.
  • Owners Corporation of Beau Monde North Sydney apartments obtain settlement from insolvent developer for defective worksJones Day successfully acted for the Owners Corporation of the Beau Monde North Sydney apartments in relation to its recovery of debts and claims against its insolvent developer.
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    January 2025 White Paper

    Global Enforcement and Asset Recovery Series: Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments and Arbitral Awards

    July 2024 Commentary

    Data Breach Update to Australian Securities Exchange Guidance on Continuous Disclosure Listing Rules

    March 2024 Alert

    Singapore Court Issues Landmark Decision Recognizing Indonesian Restructuring Plan

    March 2024 Commentary

    New Global Enforcement Regime: UK Signs Up to 2019 Hague Convention

    May 2023 Commentary

    Pay Now, Argue Later—Even if the Contractor is Going Bust: The NSW Security of Payment Regime and Distressed Contractors

    March 2023 Commentary

    Australian High Court: No Statutory Set-Off Against Unfair Preference Claims

    March 2023 Commentary

    Stick to the Statute: No "Peaking" Around in Australia

    January 2023 Commentary

    Australian Government Serious About Data Privacy: Substantial Increases in Fines and Enhanced Regulatory Powers

    November 2022 Commentary

    First in Line in Australia: Resolving Competing Priorities Regimes When Winding up Companies in a Partnership

    August 2022 White Paper

    An Update on Insolvency in the Australian Construction Industry
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