Aviation & Aerospace
Melissa has returned to Clyde & Co’s Sydney office as a Partner in the Marine and Aviation team after spending nearly 6 years in the firm’s Singapore office. Melissa has extensive cross-border experience across the maritime, aviation and aerospace sectors.
Regional experience
Full Profile
On the contentious side, Melissa has handled high value multi-party litigated disputes for operators and their insurers in respect of major aviation/shipping incidents, cross-border aviation and maritime disputes, subrogated recoveries and regulatory investigations/ prosecutions.
In non-contentious matters, Melissa has advised the wider aviation and maritime industry on commercial and regulatory matters often with a focus on treaty and statutory interpretation. This includes negotiating and drafting a variety of commercial agreements for the transport sector. As part of her major emergency and casualty response, she has also advised clients on emergency response planning and incident media response. Melissa also has a deep interest in the burgeoning commercialisation of space having undertaken 2 specialist space law courses in her spare time.
Melissa focuses on achieving practical, bespoke commercial solutions to deliver on her clients’ business strategies and objectives.
Melissa was recognised as a Transport Rising Star in Doyle’s Guide, 2022.
Experience
- Assisting international cruise line in the Special Commission of Inquiry investigation into the transmission of COVID-19 and the ensuing high profile class action proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia relating to the passenger tort and Australian consumer law claims relating to COVID-19 transmission
- Advising ACT Airlines/myCargo Airlines and their insurers on the airplane crash in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 16 January 2017
- Advising Malaysian Airlines and its insurers regarding claims arising from loss of flight MH370 on 8 March 2014
- Advising Malaysian Airlines and its insurers regarding claims arising from the shoot down of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014
- Advising Air Blue and its insurers on claims arising from major loss in Pakistan in 2010
- Advising Emirates Airlines and their insurers in relation to recoveries against Singapore Civil Aviation Authority following aircraft damage
- Advising "B Oceania" interests and "Xin Tai Hai" collision in Malacca Strait in 2011 and subsequent liability proceedings in Chinese and Australian courts
- Advising multiple operators and their insurers in passenger injury, cargo claims and recovery claims following aircraft damage and product liability claims (such as damaged engines and ship design construction claims)
- Acting for airlines and the appointed administrator for recovery of unpaid aircraft rental fees
- Advising clients on ship sale and purchase agreements and ship registration
- Advising and representing clients on arrest of ships and judicial sale of ships
- Advising on regulatory and compliance issues involving all aspects of the maritime and aviation sectors, including contractual liability, ticketing, general operational safety, marine pollution, modern slavery and anti-corruption obligations, dangerous goods and international sanctions risks
- Acting on governmental inquiries and regulatory enforcement investigations and prosecutions involving Australian Border Force (Customs) investigations, Australian Anti-Dumping Commission investigations and coronial matters
- Drafting charterparties, conditions of carriage, including passenger and cargo, emergency response manuals, and other commercial agreements such as the commercial contracts for military and commercial participants for the Singapore Airshow. She has also assisted colleagues in London to advise major Asia Pacific airline on the review of their GDS agreements