Nilan Ekanayake

Principal Associate

Nilan is a Principal Associate at Bennett, specialising in commercial litigation and dispute resolution.

Nilan has worked in international commercial law firms, government, and as Principal Solicitor for a not-for profit organisation. Nilan also spent a number of years at the Bar where he honed his skills as an advocate.

Nilan has experience across a wide range of civil and commercial matters and has appeared as counsel in both the Federal Courts and Western Australian State Courts, from the Magistrates Court to the Court of Appeal, as well as a number of Tribunals.

Nilan has appeared as counsel in significant matters, including appearing before the Western Australian Supreme Court relating to the construction of the Retirement Villages Act 1992 (WA) (Retirement Care Australia (Hollywood) Pty Ltd v Commissioner for Consumer Protection [2013] WASC 219) and before the Full Federal Court in relation to advocates’ immunity. Nilan was also instructing solicitor on the leading aviation case of Fugro Spatial Solutions Pty Ltd v Cifuentes [2011] WASCA 102.

  • Whilst sitting as an arbitrator in the Workers’ Compensation Arbitration Service Nilan published a number of decisions upheld on appeal (see, for example, Engine Protection Equipment Pty Ltd v Miller [2017] WADC 71 (and [2018 [WASCA] 55 on appeal to the Court of Appeal) and Woodside Energy Ltd v Kieronski [2019] WADC 64).

Outside of work, Nilan is an avid sports fan, having sat on both the Football West (Soccer) and Rugby WA disciplinary tribunals.