Thomas Gaffney

Based out of our Canberra and Sydney offices, and a member of the firm's Disputes, Investigations and Advisory Division and Global Arbitration Group, Thomas advises commercial and government clients on the strategic resolution of complex disputes and, where necessary, in the management of litigation and arbitrations. His practice areas include procurement and contract disputes, public and administrative law, the energy and resources sectors, construction and infrastructure, and digital/cyber disputes.

Thomas' practice focusses on managing risk by providing forward-looking advice and assisting clients with:

· correspondence and negotiations before and during contractual and administrative law claims processes to avoid escalation to disputes/litigation;
· resolving commercial and contractual claims in respect of private contracts and public sector procurement;
· compliance and risk, including appropriate private and public sector responses to cyber security breaches and regulation of digital data, transactions and assets; and
· where necessary, addressing commercial, contractual, statutory and administrative law claims by negotiation, mediation, expert determination, arbitration (international and domestic) and in litigation in tribunals and superior courts.

Thomas has acted for government and commercial clients in civil and commercial litigation, and in administrative review proceedings, in the Australian and English High Courts, the Federal Court, and the NSW, Victorian, Queensland, ACT, Tasmanian, WA and Norfolk Island Supreme Courts. He has also acted for Commonwealth Government and private sector clients in international and domestic commercial and investor-state arbitrations under LCIA, ICC, LMAA, ACICA, ICSID, Resolution Institute and ad hoc rules.

Thomas is the chair of the ACT Committee of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA).

Thomas is also a director and treasurer of the Minds Count Foundation (formerly the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation).