HFW strengthens global shipping practice and continues Australia growth with hire of Partner and Consultant in Perth 

Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has further expanded its market-leading global shipping practice and continued the growth of its Australia business with the return of Joel Cockerell as a Partner and Hazel Brewer as a Consultant in Perth. 

Joel, who previously worked at HFW in Singapore, is a shipping and commodities lawyer and qualified mariner with more than 25 years’ maritime industry and legal experience, including over a decade of service in the Royal Australian Navy. 

Hazel, who previously served as a Partner and Perth Office Head at HFW, has more than 30 years’ experience advising clients across the shipping, admiralty, marine insurance, and international trade sectors. 

Joel and Hazel advise shipowners, charterers, P&I Clubs, hull underwriters, commodity traders, mining companies, offshore energy operators and marine service providers on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters. 

They are both returning to HFW from Squire Patton Boggs, and continue the significant growth of HFW’s global shipping group following the recent hires of transactional partners Anisha Franklin in Paris and Simon Petch in London, shipping disputes Partner Elizabeth Sloane in Australia, Master Mariner Partner Peter Glover in Singapore, and yacht partner Toby Joy in London, as well as the promotion of Senior Master Mariner Paul Miller in London. Joel joins HFW on 14 October and Hazel will join the firm on 2 November. 

Paul Dean, Global Head of Shipping, HFW: 

“I am delighted to welcome Joel and Hazel back home to HFW. Both are highly respected practitioners whose experience will add further depth to our shipping practice and enhance our ability to support clients across Asia Pacific and internationally.” 

Joel’s practice spans wet and dry shipping, marine insurance, and offshore energy, including litigation and arbitration, marine salvage and casualties, admiralty proceedings, charterparty and ship construction disputes, S&P, regulatory investigations and commercial advisory work. He also has extensive experience advising clients across the commodities sector, including grains, minerals and metals, and on sale and purchase contracts, arbitration disputes and repo structures. 

Hazel advises on commodities contracts, charterparties, contracts of affreightment, bills of lading and carriage issues involving LNG, petroleum, iron ore, nickel and copper. She also advises on offshore industry contracts and disputes, environmental and pollution matters, and has extensive litigation and arbitration experience, including proceedings under ICC, LMAA, SIAC and SCMA rules. 

Gavin Vallely, Managing Partner, Australia, HFW: 

“Joel and Hazel are excellent additions to our Perth and regional APAC practice. Western Australia is among the world’s leading producers of LNG, minerals and agriproducts, and a critical shipping hub for the export of these commodities and the import of high value project cargo, which often involve complex logistics arrangements. Joel’s seagoing and casualty investigation experience, and his and Hazel’s longstanding industry relationships, local knowledge and international connections will further strengthen our client offering across Australia.” 

Joel Cockerell, Partner, HFW: 

“HFW’s deep sector focus, international platform and longstanding reputation in shipping and commodities make it an excellent fit for my practice and my clients. Having previously worked at HFW, I know first-hand the strength of its people and culture, and I look forward to working with colleagues in Australia and across the wider global network to support clients across shipping, marine insurance, offshore energy and commodities.” 

HFW’s global shipping practice comprises more than 220 lawyers advising clients across dry shipping, admiralty and crisis management, marine insurance, international trade and commodities, financing and transactional matters. The team advises clients throughout the shipping industry, including shipowners, charterers, traders, commodity companies, insurers, financiers and offshore energy operators, on some of the sector’s most complex and high-profile matters. 

HFW was among the earliest international law firms to establish a presence in Australia, opening in Melbourne 20 years ago. The firm has continued to expand its national footprint, most recently with the launch of its Brisbane office in 2025, and now has 33 partners across four Australian offices. Since the start of FY24, HFW has added 16 partners nationally.