Prominent British legal academic Nick Gaskell has joined UQ's TC Beirne School of Law as Professor of Maritime and Commercial Law.
Professor Gaskell took up his position at the School of Law earlier this month and will be presenting the Annual Richard Cooper Memorial Lecture as his inaugural professorial lecture on October 28.
Head of School and Dean of Law Professor Ross Grantham said Professor Gaskell's appointment strengthened the School's existing and emerging areas of research expertise.
"With more than 30 years experience as an active research academic, Professor Gaskell brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the areas of commercial, contract, international trade, and maritime law not only to the School of Law but also to Australia," Professor Grantham said.
"He is internationally recognised as a leading authority on maritime law and has lectured widely to the maritime professions and academic community throughout Europe and in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Japan, South Africa, Singapore, Korea and New Zealand.
"We are delighted to have Professor Gaskell as a member of our staff and look forward to his contribution to the research and teaching and learning endeavours of the School."
Prior to joining UQ's TC Beirne School of Law, Professor Gaskell held (from 1994) the position of David Jackson Professor of Maritime and Commercial Law at the University of Southampton School of Law in the UK.
From 2003-2007 he was Head of that School and from 1996-1999 was Director of its Institute of Maritime Law.
Professor Gaskell has represented the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) at the International Maritime Organisation's Legal Committee, and at the meetings of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds.
He has attended and participated in many diplomatic conferences which have produced international maritime law conventions, including the Salvage Convention 1989, the 1992 Protocol to the Civil Liability Convention for Oil Pollution Damage, the Hazardous and Noxious Substances Convention 1996, the Bunker Pollution Convention 2001, the Athens Convention on the Carriage of Passengers 2002, and the liability Protocol to the Antarctic Convention.
Professor Gaskell has written books and articles on a wide range of maritime and related commercial law subjects and his work on carriage of goods by sea (bills of lading) has been cited in courts internationally, including Australia (High Court, Federal Court, Supreme Court of Victoria), Hong Kong, Singapore (Court of Appeal), New Zealand (High Court) and the UK (including the House of Lords).
Professor Gaskell is a Titulary Member of the Comite Maritime International (CMI), a qualified UK barrister and is a part-time member of Quadrant Chambers, a leading set of maritime law chambers in London.
Media:
Professor Ross Grantham, 07 3346 9776, r.grantham@law.uq.edu.au
Lynda Flower, School of Law Marketing, 07 3365 2523, l.flower@law.uq.edu.au
Richard Cooper Memorial Lecture: www.law.uq.edu.au/richard-cooper-memorial-lecture-series
