We recently caught up with Amanda Beattie, Head of Class Actions at Wotton Kearney, to learn more about her story and what drives her work.
Amanda has spent her career defending some of Australia’s most recognised institutions in class actions, including major banks, insurers and government departments.
In this Q&A, Amanda shares what why she enjoys working in class actions, how her team works alongside clients through high-stakes matters, a recent win she’s proud of, and the trends shaping the space right now.
Could you share a little about your career journey and what’s ahead for class actions?
I spent years in the commercial litigation at a large firm before finding myself leading the class actions team at Wotton Kearney. Class actions often involve challenging procedural questions which is one of the reasons I enjoy practising in the area. 2025 was a milestone year, and 2026 has been equally busy – with key hearings and judgments coming up, along with significant shifts in the landscape (including climate change litigation, which we’ll discuss more on below).
What does having the right team behind you mean for the clients you support?
It means everything. I’m lucky to work with people that clients genuinely trust – and that’s not something you can just manufacture.
When clients are going through litigation, especially a class action, knowing there’s a whole team in their corner makes a real difference to how they experience the process.
Can you walk us through a recent matter you’re proud of?
The KFC Rest Breaks class action stands out. We recently reached a settlement (pending court approval) and what made it meaningful was who we were doing it for: smaller businesses who had never been anywhere near a class action before.
It’s a daunting process even for seasoned litigants, so being able to walk them through it and come out the other side with a good result was really rewarding.
What trends or emerging risks are you watching closely right now?
Climate change litigation, without question. It’s moving fast and the implications for businesses are significant. The team and I have been tracking it closely – through our climate change litigation series which has considered the regulatory and risk implications, emerging trends in the Australian market, and the current international landscape.
I also had the opportunity to discuss it with judges and practitioners from the UK, US and Europe last month as part of a panel discussion which was a great opportunity to see how other jurisdictions are tackling it.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
I lived and worked in Hong Kong for six years – which was a great opportunity to switch things up from Sydney although I still don’t know how I dealt with the humidity for that long!
Connect with Amanda
If you would like to find out more about how Wotton Kearney’s Class Actions practice can support your organisation, please reach out to Amanda Beattie.