Michael Fisher

About Michael

With over 30 years’ experience in providing legal services to the maritime and transport industries and their insurers, Michael manages all aspects of contentious and non-contentious maritime and transport law matters.

As the co-leader of Thynne + Macartney's Maritime + Transport group, he provides clients with a ‘safe pair of hands’ – a skilled technical expertise and service that helps clients with timely and commercially focused solutions.

With a focus on maritime commercial issues, Michael advises on carriage, towage, shipbuilding and repair contracts, as well as charterparties, sale and purchase of vessels and disputes. On the contentious side, he has acted for marine hull and liability insurers and other marine interests and has represented shipowners in many of the highest profile marine incidents in Australia.

Michael has also acted in arbitration and litigation involving highly technical marine issues concerning cargo handling, wharves and cranes, berth and channel depths, siltation, signals, tugs, ship handling, movement and interactions. Acutely aware of the impact on an organisation’s reputation stemming from legal issues, Michael has first-hand experience in media-intense situations and has acted for high profile shipowners implicated in environmental disasters.

In addition, Michael has expertise in relation to employment law and product liability, including employment contracts and their terms, the ways in which to deal legally with performance, severe malfeasance, redundancy and other forms of termination. As a result, Michael advises on all stages of the employment cycle, from hiring through ongoing employment to conclusion and post-employment. An expert in the dispute resolution of claims arising from dismissal for over 30 years, Michael has a track record of effectively resolving cases that should be resolved and winning cases that progress to hearing.

Awards & Recognition

Best Lawyers Australia

• Insurance (2013-2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year for Insurance (2020)
• Shipping & Maritime (2012-2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year for Shipping & Maritime (2021, 2024 & 2026)
• Transportation (2012-2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year for Transportation (2016, 2019 & 2024)

Chambers Asia-Pacific

• Shipping – Band 2 (2019-2024 & 2014-2015)

Legal 500

• Transport: Shipping

Doyle’s Guide Australia

• Admiralty, Shipping & Maritime – Leading (2016 & 2018-2025), Preeminent (2017), Recommended (2015)

Who’s Who Legal

• Shipping (Global) – Recommended (2015-2023)
• Shipping (National) – Recommended (2017-2022)

Qualifications

• Admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of Queensland in January 1992
• Bachelor of Laws - University of Queensland
• Bachelor of Arts - University of Queensland

Memberships & Appointments

• Queensland Law Society