Full Profile
Jacob regularly advises multi-national clients in relation to shipping and maritime disputes (both in international arbitrations and Australian courts), marine safety and incident investigations, trade and customs related investigations, and various international trade matters in the finance, oil and gas, and infrastructure industries. He is experienced in dealing with international maritime regulators across the globe including in the Netherlands, the United States, New Zealand and Australia.
Jacob's clients benefit from his strong technical expertise as well as his industry knowledge and commercial experience gained from secondments in the United Kingdom and Australia as in-house counsel in global oil and gas companies advising on mergers and acquisitions and a range of commercial and franchising issues, transport, distribution and related regulatory issues (WH&S, environment, marine safety and dangerous goods).
As part of his trade compliance experience, Jacob regularly advises international finance and energy companies on business ethics and anti-corruption, and business human rights. Jacob actively contributed to the Parliamentary Inquiry into establishing a Modern Slavery Act for Australia, as well as participated in the Attorney-General's Department industry consultation in the development of the Act and Guidance. He regularly advises clients in Australia and globally on modern slavery risk management and reporting, as well as broader business and human rights advice on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, IFC Performance Standards, and the Equator Principles.
Jacob is considered a "rising star" by Legal 500, clients and peers as an expert in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious international trade.
Experience
- Advising defence materiel exporters regarding the export and supply of controlled technology and software and the impact of Australian Government export controls, International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and the US-AU Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty.
- Representing clients in anti-dumping investigations by the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission.
- Advising clients on international trade sanctions risk and compliance including on US management of oil and gas projects/M&As impacted by trade sanctions.
- Advising international shipping companies involved in maritime safety & incident investigations with regulatory engagement across multiple regulatory authorities and agencies.
- Undertaking investigations into maritime incidents and advising on remedial works and compliance.
- Representing clients in specialist maritime arbitrations relating to vessel groundings and salvage.
- Undertaking supply chain mapping, compliance and verification systems for multinational companies in Finance, Energy and Agri-business to identify and prevent instances of modern slavery and adverse human rights impacts.
- Advising clients on Modern Slavery Act (UK and Australia) compliance systems and reporting.
- Undertaking bribery and corruption investigations for international companies operating in high risk jurisdictions.
- Creating and advising on whistleblowing, anti-bribery and corruption, human rights compliance programmes (risk assessment, policies, training and whistleblowing platforms) for international companies to ensure compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
