Presenters

Dr Paul Vout KC, List A Barristers
Dr Paul Vout KC practices in corporate and commercial law (including insolvency), property and trusts, wills and estates. Before joining the Bar, Paul was the first chief representative in China of Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst) and a Senior Associate in that firm's Banking and Finance Group. Before joining that firm, Paul was an Associate to the Hon. Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG (then President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal). Paul was called to the Victorian Bar in 2002 and has since appeared in the High Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of Singapore, as well as most other Federal and State Supreme courts. He is co-editor of the ‘Commonwealth Law Reports’ and is editor and co-author of ‘Laws of Australia: Torts’; and ‘Laws of Australia: Unconscionable Conduct’. Paul is also a co-author, with Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC, Governor of New South Wales and former President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, of ‘Appeals and Appellate Courts of Australia and New Zealand’.


Huw Watkins, Barrister, Dever's List
Huw Watkins (BA(Hons); LL.B (Hons); FCIArb; FACICA), admitted in 2010 and called to the bar in 2019, practices from 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, and has extensive experience in international and domestic commercial disputes. His practice spans general corporate and commercial law, insolvency, building and construction, and arbitration matters, appearing across Australian jurisdictions and in domestic and international arbitrations. Huw, a fellow of ACICA and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, is listed as an arbitrator across the Asia Pacific region, teaches International Dispute Resolution at Keio University (LLM program), and is actively involved with Arbitration Victoria and related committees to promote arbitration in Victoria. Recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2022 and 2023 as a leading Junior Counsel in International Arbitration in Australia, Huw has acted in major arbitrations, including Ichthys project-related disputes, claims of frustration and force majeure, and post-acquisition disputes as sole arbitrator. Fluent in Japanese, Huw regularly handles matters involving foreign language evidence.


Matthew Harvey KC FCIArb, Owen Dixon Chambers West
Matthew Harvey's principal practice areas are shipping, international sale of goods, arbitration, conflict of laws, corporations, and corporate insolvency. He is recognised as one of Australia's leading barristers in the areas of shipping and maritime law and insolvency and reorganisation law. He is listed in Chambers Asia Pacific (2016), Who's Who Legal (2016) and Best Lawyers (2016). Matthew is also recognised as Leading Junior Counsel in the areas of Insolvency and Transport in the 2015/2016 Doyle's Guide of Leading Victorian Barristers. He is the immediate past President of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. He appears regularly in the Supreme Court, Federal Court, Court of Appeal and in international and domestic arbitrations. He has appeared in the High Court and the Supreme Courts of various States.

Presenters

Dr Paul Vout KC, List A Barristers
Dr Paul Vout KC practices in corporate and commercial law (including insolvency), property and trusts, wills and estates. Before joining the Bar, Paul was the first chief representative in China of Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst) and a Senior Associate in that firm's Banking and Finance Group. Before joining that firm, Paul was an Associate to the Hon. Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG (then President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal). Paul was called to the Victorian Bar in 2002 and has since appeared in the High Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of Singapore, as well as most other Federal and State Supreme courts. He is co-editor of the ‘Commonwealth Law Reports’ and is editor and co-author of ‘Laws of Australia: Torts’; and ‘Laws of Australia: Unconscionable Conduct’. Paul is also a co-author, with Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC, Governor of New South Wales and former President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, of ‘Appeals and Appellate Courts of Australia and New Zealand’.


Huw Watkins, Barrister, Dever's List
Huw Watkins (BA(Hons); LL.B (Hons); FCIArb; FACICA), admitted in 2010 and called to the bar in 2019, practices from 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, and has extensive experience in international and domestic commercial disputes. His practice spans general corporate and commercial law, insolvency, building and construction, and arbitration matters, appearing across Australian jurisdictions and in domestic and international arbitrations. Huw, a fellow of ACICA and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, is listed as an arbitrator across the Asia Pacific region, teaches International Dispute Resolution at Keio University (LLM program), and is actively involved with Arbitration Victoria and related committees to promote arbitration in Victoria. Recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2022 and 2023 as a leading Junior Counsel in International Arbitration in Australia, Huw has acted in major arbitrations, including Ichthys project-related disputes, claims of frustration and force majeure, and post-acquisition disputes as sole arbitrator. Fluent in Japanese, Huw regularly handles matters involving foreign language evidence.


Matthew Harvey KC FCIArb, Owen Dixon Chambers West
Matthew Harvey's principal practice areas are shipping, international sale of goods, arbitration, conflict of laws, corporations, and corporate insolvency. He is recognised as one of Australia's leading barristers in the areas of shipping and maritime law and insolvency and reorganisation law. He is listed in Chambers Asia Pacific (2016), Who's Who Legal (2016) and Best Lawyers (2016). Matthew is also recognised as Leading Junior Counsel in the areas of Insolvency and Transport in the 2015/2016 Doyle's Guide of Leading Victorian Barristers. He is the immediate past President of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. He appears regularly in the Supreme Court, Federal Court, Court of Appeal and in international and domestic arbitrations. He has appeared in the High Court and the Supreme Courts of various States.