Gavin Vallely

About Gavin

Gavin has more than 25 years’ experience advising on contentious and non-contentious matters concerning commercial shipping, offshore oil & gas installations and international trade. His work includes advising on all forms of charterparties, ship/offshore installation sale & purchase and construction, Australian regulatory schemes (including OH&S, environment, coastal shipping, quarantine, Customs and sanctions/anti money laundering) and port/terminal operations.

He has acted for the operators of offshore installations, vessels and terminals in respect of numerous casualty and pollution incidents, managing the response to investigations by governmental authorities and the defence of any related criminal and civil proceedings. He has also acted in major claims arising from offshore offtake and drilling operations, charter terminations, cargo & berth damage, industrial boycotts, HSE prosecutions and Port State Control issues.

Gavin has extensive experience advising on State and Federal regulatory & taxation matters arising from the trading foreign flagged tonnage on the Australian coast, including the Federal Government’s recent coastal shipping reform legislation. He also advises trading companies and banks in respect of their commodities contracts and related regulatory compliance and letter of credit/payment enforcement issues.

He is consistently recognised as one of Australia’s leading maritime lawyers. Gavin has been ranked as a Band l practitioner in Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide since 2019 and has been recognised in Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for Shipping since 2022. Clients said of Gavin in Chambers 2023, “Gavin’s knowledge and expertise in all matters relating to maritime law and how it applies and affects our business is exceptional. We couldn’t be in better hands.”

He is dual qualified in Australia and England & Wales.