Michelle Taylor
PartnerAbout Michelle
Michelle leads the leads the Maritime & Transport practice at Sparke Helmore and features as a leading shipping and transport practitioner in Chambers Asia-Pacific, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Best Lawyers, Doyle’s Guide and Who’s Who Legal (Lexology). She has won the Australasian Lawyer Elite Women Lawyers’ award .
Michelle is a Board member of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the Commonwealth authority responsible for maritime safety and protection of the marine environment. Michelle is the Immediate Past President of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (MLAANZ) and remains a member of the Board of MLAANZ. In this role, she contributes to working committees that provide national and international submissions regarding legislation and conventions related to maritime law, in particular: the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, the Beijing Convention on the International Effects of the Judicial Sale of Ships and the laws on the carriage of goods by sea.
Michelle is also an executive of the Australian Maritime and Transport Arbitration Commission (AMTAC) and was a founding member of the Port of Brisbane Seafarers’ Welfare Committee.
What she does
Michelle has been recognised internationally for her extensive shipping experience and of casualty and pollution matters, which includes some of the most significant maritime incidents in the Asia Pacific region. Michelle is skilled in admiralty litigation and has been involved in training workshops for the Admiralty Judges of the Federal Court of Australia. She has depth of experience in all areas of marine insurance including P&I, hull, and cargo claims for Australian and London insurers. Michelle also has expertise in ship building and charterparty agreements, including for projects in Singapore, Vietnam, China, Germany and Papua New Guinea.
Who she works with
Michelle works with marine insurers, P&I Clubs, shipowners and charterers, transport and logistics operators, as well as government, including international governments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Qualifications
Michelle holds a Master of Laws (Maritime) from the University of Queensland (Dean's Honour Roll for outstanding academic excellence).
Life outside of Sparkes
Michelle spends every spare moment with her family. She has combined her love for travel and the ocean by learning to dive on shipwrecks. She also enjoys cello concerts and running with her two sons.
