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Joel Cockerell
Partner
Joel Cockerell is a highly experienced lawyer and mariner in the Singapore office. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the shipping industry and handles all types of maritime and shipping disputes (both wet and dry) and non-contentious shipping matters.
He has managed significant and high-value casualties (including container ship fires, collisions, groundings, wreck removal and explosions) throughout the world, with a focus on the Asia region. This involves initial response, managing clients' exposure to civil and criminal liabilities, and resolving the subsequent disputes.
In addition to handling marine casualties, he has significant experience advising on all aspects of admiralty law, international trade, the regulation of shipping, cargo disputes, marine insurance (both coverage and defence work) and charterparty disputes.
Joel became a lawyer after spending 12 years in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) 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’s dispute resolution expertise includes court litigation and international arbitrations, 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 owner interests in relation to the highest value collisions, within the Southeast Asia region, in 2020 and 2021, including initial casualty response, advising on liability, quantum, salvage, pollution and limitation issues.
- Acting for owners and charterers in relation to container ship fires, including initial casualty response, advising on liability and exposure to other interests and associated defences to those claims (both cargo interests and charterers/owners).
- Acting for owners and charterers in relation to groundings, advising on liability and exposure to other interests and government authorities, claims and subsequent legal proceedings (including associated unseaworthiness aspects and claims).
- Acting for owner interests following an explosion of a floating power production facility, including advising on liability, exposure to other interests and associated defences to those claims (including managing local correspondents).
International Arbitrations and Litigation
- Acting for owners and charterers in respect of claims arising out of collisions, groundings and fire incidents.
- 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 claims arising under bills of lading.
- Advising and representing charterers and owners on safe port/berth disputes, including navigational analysis of the relevant port.
- Advising and representing clients on arrest of ships, including charterers, cargo claimants, ship owners and associated interests.
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
- High Court of Australia, 2015
- Western Australia, 2014