Profil complet
Ernest is a leading international transport and trade lawyer, specialising in shipping, aviation, and logistics. With more than 30 years of legal experience, and prior career as a qualified Master Mariner, he brings a rare combination of operational insight and legal expertise to complex, cross-border disputes and transactions.
He is recognised for his work on major casualty response, regulatory investigations, and high-stakes multi-party litigation, as well as for guiding clients through strategic commercial transactions across the maritime, aviation and energy sectors. Clients turn to Ernest for his ability to navigate liability exposures, recoveries, and regulatory risks while keeping commercial objectives front of mind.
Ernest regularly advises shipping companies, cruise lines, freight forwarders, terminals, charterers, mortgagees, intermediaries, and energy and commodity companies. He is also trusted by international insurers and reinsurers on high-value disputes and recoveries, often leading strategy and managing regulator engagement across Australia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific and New Zealand.
Consistently recognised in Chambers, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers, Ernest combines industry experience as a Master Mariner with an LL.M. in Admiralty from Tulane University, USA.
Expérience
Litigation & Disputes
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Represented an international cruise line in the Special Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 transmission and defended subsequent Federal Court class action proceedings. This work required managing parallel tort claims and consumer law allegations while coordinating closely with insurers.
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Acted in subsea pipeline litigation, achieving a world-first successful recovery by breaking limitation of liability under Article 6 of the Limitation Convention.
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Represented insurers and insureds in a wide range of marine and aviation disputes, including freight forwarder liability, cargo recovery and defence, P&I and hull claims, ship repairers’ liability, charterers’ liability, and harbour and marina risks.
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Handled significant vessel collision cases, running parallel proceedings in Chinese and Australian courts, where competing liability regimes and forum considerations directly affected insurance recoveries.
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Acted for engine manufacturers and repairers in product liability claims across the marine and energy sectors.
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Represented insurers in complex indemnity disputes in the energy sector involving high-value claims, multiple proceedings, and contested cross-border recoveries.
Regulatory & Investigations
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Acted for hull and liability insurers for helicopter casualty in New Caledonia
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Advised on passenger illness outbreaks and weather-related incidents on cruise ships, helping operators and insurers mitigate liability exposure, respond to regulatory investigations, and manage reputational risk.
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Acted for pilotage providers and their insurers in AMSA investigations and prosecutions following marine incidents, including safety compliance, pollution, and pilot liability issues.
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Represented clients in governmental inquiries and regulatory enforcement proceedings, including Australian Border Force investigations, Anti-Dumping Commission inquiries, and coronial matters.
Commercial & Contracts
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Drafted and negotiated charterparties, conditions of carriage, emergency response manuals, and commercial agreements, ensuring liability regimes were consistent with insurer, client, and regulatory expectations.
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Advised on cargo contamination disputes, balancing compliance obligations with commercial recovery strategies while protecting supply chain interests.
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Assisted clients with emergency response planning, including drafting manuals, conducting crisis simulations, and participating in casualty drills to test preparedness.
Projects & Transactions
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Advised on shipping contracts supporting major infrastructure projects, including airport and runway developments, covering dredging, vessel charters, cargo carriage, and supply chain logistics.
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Conducted due diligence and advised on acquisitions of maritime businesses, including Sydney Harbour cruise companies, offshore FPSO operations, and cargo shipping companies in PNG and Australia.
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Provided shipping advice on large-scale oil and gas projects in Australia, including the Gladstone LNG projects, Gorgon and Wheatstone, covering operational issues, offshore facility importation, registration and regulation by AMSA and NOPSEMA.
