Band 3
Provided by Ashwin Nair
With several years of industry and private practice experience, including as partner at a global law firm, Ashwin set up Nair Legal in 2024 to serve clients’ needs effectively, with a focus on high quality service.
His practice covers a range of contentious and non-contentious matters, and marine casualty management.
He previously worked at an International Group P&I Club, handling the gamut of P&I claims and several defence claims. He is consistently ranked in the leading legal guides, including Chambers Asia-Pacific (most recently in the 2026 Asia-Pacific rankings for Shipping), and Doyle’s Guide (most recently among the Leading Admiralty, Shipping & Maritime Lawyers in Australia in 2025).
He is a member of the Admiralty Rules Committee that advises the Commonwealth Attorney-General on matters relating to the operation of the Admiralty jurisdiction in Australia.
He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Australia and New Zealand Maritime Law Journal, and between 2022 and 2024, was a federal Board Member of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. He is admitted to practice in Western Australia, and in the High Court and Federal Court of Australia.
Key strengths
• Combining thorough legal knowledge with a strong practical and commercial focus aimed at producing swift and cost-effective outcomes
• Significant marine casualty management and shipping litigation experience
• Significant transactional and regulatory experience, particularly in maritime and trade sectors
Recent industry presentations / publications
• ‘US levies on Chinese shipping to hit Aussie Exporters’, Op-ed, Daily Cargo News, March 2025
• ‘Dali – Treatment of crew following a major marine casualty’, Company of Master Mariners (WA) – Perth, October 2024
‘Restraining maritime actions: an evolving treatment of juridical advantage’, Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand 49th Annual Conference – Queenstown, NZ, October 2024
• ‘Recent developments in Australian carriage of goods by sea law’, Client seminar – Singapore, November 2023
• ‘Charterers’ pollution liability in Australia’, Client seminar – Singapore, November 2023
• ‘Recent developments in Australian consumer law: impact on carriage of passengers’, Client seminar – Singapore, November 2023
• ‘Electronic trade documents and their implications for Australian carriage of goods arbitrations – Crossing the river on shifting stones?’, Australian Arbitration Week AMTAC seminar – Perth, October 2023
• ‘Navigating the regulatory matrix of operating ships in Australia’, seminar for offshore industry operators – Singapore, April 2023
• ‘(Marine) Casualties – Liability, Communications, Privilege’, P&I Week seminar – London, UK, November 2022
• ‘Remote Pilotage – Legal and practical challenges’, WA Branch Seminar, Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand – Perth, May 2022
• ‘EVER GIVEN – Where to from here: Limitation of Liability’, WA Branch Seminar, Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand – Perth, June 2021
Provided by Chambers
Ashwin Nair of Nair Legal is based in Perth, where he focuses on marine casualty and risk management, often advising P&I clubs, owners and underwriters on shipping accidents.
Provided by Chambers
Ashwin Nair is very attentive and solution-oriented; his technical understanding of shipping law in Australia is very good.
Ashwin has always delivered outcomes that meet or exceed client expectations. He is solution-focused, pragmatic and demonstrates commercial sensibility.
Ashwin Nair is very attentive and solution-oriented; his technical understanding of shipping law in Australia is very good.
Ashwin has always delivered outcomes that meet or exceed client expectations. He is solution-focused, pragmatic and demonstrates commercial sensibility.