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Joel Cockerell is a highly experienced lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience in the maritime industry. Dual-qualified as both a lawyer and a mariner, Joel advises clients across the full spectrum of maritime, offshore and shipping (both wet and dry) disputes, as well as related transactional and regulatory matters. He is recognised for his deep sector knowledge, measured approach and extensive experience in complex, cross-border matters.
Joel has managed numerous high-value and complex casualties worldwide, including container ship fires, collisions, groundings, wreck removals and explosions, with a particular focus on the Asia Pacific region. He regularly leads initial incident response, manages clients’ exposure to civil and criminal liabilities, and resolves ensuing disputes through litigation, arbitration and negotiated settlement.
In his “dry” shipping practice, Joel advises on charterparties, bills of lading, cargo claims, ship arrests, regulatory issues, and marine insurance matters (including both coverage and defence work).
He has extensive experience negotiating and resolving complex contracts and disputes in the offshore industry, including those relating to offshore drilling units, accommodation and construction vessels, subsea infrastructure, and support and service vessels such as seismic, anchor-handling, and heavy-lift units. He also advises on regulatory compliance, including AMSA and NOPSEMA requirements, as well as matters arising from pollution and other environmental incidents.
Prior to entering legal practice, Joel served for 12 years in the Royal Australian Navy as a maritime warfare officer. Following his time at sea, he completed his law degree with first-class honours and was awarded the Attorney-General’s Medal.
Joel regularly represents clients in litigation before courts in London and Australia, and in international arbitration proceedings, including under ICC, LMAA, SIAC and SCMA rules.
Emergency and Casualty Response
- Advising on casualty response incidents, such as groundings, collisions, capsize, fire and significant cargo incidents, including on-scene response, pollution liabilities, salvage, media response, dealing with government investigations, limitation of liability claims and subsequent legal proceedings.
- Acting for owners on the highest-value collisions within the Asian region in 2020 and 2021, including initial casualty response, advising on liability, quantum, salvage, pollution and limitation issues.
- Acting for both owners and charterers following container ship fires, including initial casualty response, advising on liability and exposure to other interests (cargo interests and charterers/owners) and associated defences to those claims.
- Acting for owners and charterers in relation to groundings, advising on liability and seaworthiness, exposure to other interests and government authorities and handling subsequent legal proceedings.
- Acting for owners following an explosion on a floating power production facility, including advising on liability, exposure to claims and associated defences to those claims (including managing local correspondents).
Dry Shipping and Commodities
- Advising and representing charterers and owners in relation to charterparty disputes.
- Acting for owners and cargo interests in relation to mis-delivery claims and other cargo claims.
- Advising and representing charterers and owners on safe port/berth disputes, including navigational analysis of the relevant port.
- Acting for owners and charterers in respect of claims arising out of collisions, groundings and fire incidents.
- Advising and representing clients on arrest of ships, including charterers, cargo interests and owners.
- Advising on a broad range of spot and long-term commodities sale contracts and contracts of affreightment.
Offshore Oil and Gas
- Advising and representing service providers (including vessel owners and rig owners) in disputes with oil and gas companies, primarily in arbitration.
- Representing and advising companies in relation to NOPSEMA investigations, including in relation to loss of containment onboard facilities.
- Advising parties on offshore oil and gas contracts.
- Advising oil and gas operators on offshore and marine activities.
Education
- University of Southampton, Maritime Law Short Course, 2017
- Australian National University, GDLP, 2014
- University of Western Australia, LL.B., 2013
- Charles Darwin University, LL.B., 2013
- University of New South Wales, B.A., 2004
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2022
- High Court of Australia, 2015
- Western Australia, 2014