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Firms To Watch: Transport: aviation

Sparke Helmore Lawyers‘ team, led by Mark Sainsbury, counsels several large airlines, including Alliance Airlines, often defending clients in airside and landside personal injury claims.

Transport: aviation in Australia

Clayton Utz

Andrew Leece in Canberra heads up Clayton Utz‘s experienced team, which has an ‘excellent understanding of aviation and aviation business‘ and an ‘ability to respond to requests and issues quickly and effectively‘. James Kendal and senior associate Sarah Jones are prominent figures in the team and the pair are praised as ‘responsive and easy to work with, as well as being good technical lawyers’. More generally, the group is known for its expertise in the realm of transport and infrastructure projects, as well as having ‘a strong practical knowledge of the aviation industry‘.

Responsables de la pratique:

Andrew Leece


Autres avocats clés:

James Kendal; Sarah Jones


Les références

‘Excellent understanding of aviation and aviation business. Easy to deal with, responsive and strong legal rigour.’

‘Andrew Leece has extensive experience both working in house for an airport and also in a law firm. He has a practical, business-minded approach with a detailed understanding of commercial requirements and legal obligations including statutory frameworks and legislation’.

From our perspective, having a former airport general counsel leading a team providing advice to an airport/airport general counsel is a point of distinction. This brings both legal and commercial insights that would not readily be apparent from lawyers without this experience.’

Principaux clients

Rail Projects Victoria


Transport for New South Wales


Moorabbin Airport Corporation Pty Ltd


Wagga Council


Essendon Airport Pty Ltd


Darwin Airport


DoorDash Technologies Australia Pty Ltd


Principaux dossiers


  • Acting for the Victorian Government on the development and negotiation of agreements with both the Commonwealth and Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd, and the provision of strategic and regulatory advice in respect of the development and operation of a new rail link to the Airport site.
  • Assisting Transport for NSW in relation to key infrastructure upgrades which interface with Sydney Airport.
  • Advising Moorabbin Airport on all matters relating to airport planning and development.

HWL Ebsworth

HWL Ebsworth‘s large and experienced group has substantial experience in working closely with several capital city, regional and GA airports. In Sydney, Joe Hurley is the national head of firm's transport practice and Matthew Brooks is head of aviation. Recent standout mandates include handling airport use agreements with airlines, building and construction mandates, and commercial property and leasing issues, acting for a client base of major international, domestic and regional airlines and their insurers. Among the other active practitioners in the team is Richard Davis, who is often engaged in matters relating to the purchase, sale and financing of all types of aircrafts, and Kristin Hibbard, who is a key contact for aviation liability claims and recovery matters. Simon Liddy has retired.

Responsables de la pratique:

Joe Hurley; Matthew Brooks


Autres avocats clés:

Richard Davis; Kristin Hibbard


Principaux clients

Western Sydney Airport


Sydney Airport


Perth Airport


Newcastle Airport


Gold Coast Airport


Singapore Airlines


Fiji Airways


Scoot Airline


Major Asian Carrier


Australian Air Operators


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised a major new airline commencing services to Australia.
  • Advised on the purchase of a high-value business jet.
  • Advised a foreign carrier on the negotiation of code-share agreements with airlines in North America and Asia.

Allens

Allens‘ aviation team is well known for its airport advisory work, leveraging its bases nationwide to assist a variety of national airport clients including Sydney airport, which is a key client of Julian Donnan. Former practice head Paul Telford and Emma Warren retired in December and July 2022 respectively; projects expert David Donnelly now heads up the team and also leads the national projects and development practice at the firm. Victoria Holthouse is another key partner in Sydney and specialises in real estate development work.

Responsables de la pratique:

David Donnelly


Autres avocats clés:

Julian Donnan; Victoria Holthouse


Principaux clients

Sydney Airport


Multiplex


Melbourne Airport


Perth Airport Pty Limited (PAPL)


NSW Rural Fire Service


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Sydney Airport on its acquisition.
  • Advising Perth Airport on the expiry of domestic terminal leases and arrangements with Qantas.
  • Advised NSW RFS on its acquisition of a number of aircraft including a large air tanker aircraft, two lead aircraft and three helicopters.

Clyde & Co LLP

The aviation practice at Clyde & Co LLP ‘draws on a broad range of experience across transport and insurance’ to assist clients, including governments, with a range of complex, multi-jurisdictional matters. Melissa Tang stands out for her ‘extensive knowledge of aviation law, particularly the Montreal Convention‘. Since the research has concluded, Maurice Thompson departed the firm in January 2024.

Autres avocats clés:

Ernest van Buuren; Melissa Tang; James Cooper


Les références

‘They have specialists who know the law and the practicalities of the law.’ 

‘Good to work with. Work well as a team.’

‘Draw on a broad range of experience across transport and insurance. Deep knowledge of the industry itself and also the insurance side of the industry.’

Principaux clients

Alpha Flight Services Pty Ltd


Emirates


Dnata Catering


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Emirates in the defence of claims arising from an incident in which a worker sustained a serious injury while moving freight on one of Emirates’ aircraft.
  • Defending Alpha Flight Services Pty Ltd and its two employees alleged to have been involved in an incident.
  • Acted for the aircraft lessor in successfully applying for and obtaining an urgent injunction order in the Federal Court of Australia allowing for the arrest and seizure of two of the client’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft on lease to an international passenger airline based in Southeast Asia.

Colin Biggers & Paisley

Colin Biggers & Paisley‘s Melbourne-based transport and logistics practice has a range of experience across a variety of areas throughout the aviation sector. The group's diverse client roster incorporates insurers, airlines, aircraft and airport operators, freight forwarders, regulators, cargo exporters and importers. Andrew Tulloch, who leads the team, has a special interest in transport insurance mandates, and aviation insurance issues are also handled by the wider group. Tulloch is well supported by associate Tim Coghlan, who has a strong track record of dealing with claims stemming from aircraft accidents.

Responsables de la pratique:

Andrew Tulloch


Autres avocats clés:

Tim Coghlan


Les références

‘Very customer-centric.’

‘Andrew Tulloch is a premier specialist in Australia, and especially Victoria.’

Principaux clients

QBE Insurance


HDI Global Specialty Ltd


AIG Insurance


NTI Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Acting for QBE Insurance on an accident at Essendon Fields on 21 February 2017 when a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air with a pilot and four Texan passengers on board crashed shortly after take-off into a shopping complex adjacent to the airfield, killing all on board and leading to numerous claims.
  • Acting for QBE Insurance defending a claim brought against Moira Shire Council in relation to various proceedings brought by dependents arising from a fatal aviation accident during the filming of “The Amazing Race Vietnam 2016”.
  • Advising HDI Global Specialty in relation to various aircraft accident claims, including a fatal accident at Serpentine WA.

K&L Gates

K&L Gates‘ aviation offering, which is primarily based in Brisbane, encompasses ‘team members who are knowledgeable and approachable‘. At the helm is Tom Young, who ‘has a strong understanding of the drivers for operators within the tourism industry’. The group has undertaken prominent work in the aviation market for airports and aviation clients relating to the aviation industry's recovery from the impact of Covid-19. The group also works on innovative space-based solar power solutions, leveraging the knowhow of its offices across the world. Young is well supported by associate Julie Brown.

Responsables de la pratique:

Tom Young


Autres avocats clés:

Julie Brown


Les références

‘The teams’ knowledge of the tourism industry separates them from other legal firms. They have unique understanding of the industry and challenges facing operators in our market. They excel at delivering advice in a way that is understandable to SME operators.’

‘All team members at the firm are knowledgeable and approachable. Tom Young has a strong understanding of the drivers for operators within the tourism industry.’

‘The team has developed an excellent understanding of the industry over the years that has helped our business.’

Principaux clients

Cairns Airport Pty Ltd


Sydney Airport Corporation


Mackay Airport


Brisbane Airport Corporation


TAE Aerospace Pty Ltd


American Express International Inc.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised TAE Aerospace on its acquisition by Australian defence manufacturer ASDAM Operations Pty Ltd.
  • Acted for American Express International Inc. on the restructure of PT Garuda Indonesia through its use of the Bankruptcy and Suspension of Debt Repayment Obligation (PKPU) process in Indonesia.
  • Advising Brisbane Airport Corporation on its strategic redevelopment plans at the International Terminal of Brisbane Airport.

Mills Oakley

Mills Oakley‘s lawyers are particularly engaged in leasing work, especially practice co-heads Gavin Douglas, who is a member of the corporate advisory team, and Rechelle Brost, who sits within the projects and construction teams. Douglas is experienced when it comes to operational contracts, investment issues and M&A, while Brost is a key practitioner in relation to the construction of buildings and infrastructure in the aviation industry. The group also offers clients access to specialist knowledge of the legislative requirements under the Airports Act.

Responsables de la pratique:

Gavin Douglas; Rechelle Brost


Principaux clients

Qantas Airways Limited


Cobham Aviation Services Australia Pty Ltd / National Jet Systems Pty Ltd


Babcock Mission Critical Services Australasia Pty Ltd


Dovetail Electric Aviation Holdings Pty Ltd


Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd


Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia


Oil Search Limited


South Star Aviation Pty Ltd


Brisbane Airport Corporation


Archerfield Airport Corporation


Sunshine Coast Airport


Regional Express Holdings Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Dovetail Electric Aviation Holdings Pty Ltd on its partnering arrangements with Regional Express Holdings Limited.
  • Advised National Jet Systems Pty Ltd on contractual and tax matters relating to its cross-border aircraft leasing arrangements with GE Capital Aviation Services under a master lease agreement following the restructure of GE Capital Aviation Services with AerCap Holdings N.V.
  • Advised Sunshine Coast Airport on its terminal expansion which will see the airport double in size and affect both landside and airside operations.