James Gaffey

BA/LLB (ANU) LLM (Mon)
Grad Dip Banking and Finance Law and Policy (Melb)

I am the founding lawyer in Sustainability Lawyers.

I have extensive experience in Commonwealth governmental, financial institutional, non-governmental organisation (NGO) and private legal practice.

Governmental experience included legal support to successful prominent corporate criminal investigations in the late 1980s/early 1990s. These investigations spurred development of contemporary corporate governance standards and principles. This time also included action which precipitated the first finding of contempt of the Commonwealth Parliament against a statutory body and the second finding of contempt against individuals. A strong foundation in corporations and administrative law from that time is now applied to secure sustainable environmental, social and economic outcomes.

 

I am comfortable litigating commercial, planning and environment, administrative and employment matters in Victorian and NSW courts and tribunals.

My 12 recent years’ senior in-house counsel work in leading Australian financial institutions provides a sound foundation in the essentials of financial services regulation which compliments the Corporations Act capability of the practice. This enables the firm to assist you with your matters involving consumer, business, payments, trade finance and financial services law and policy and the associated industry rules or Codes. It also enables assistance with clean energy financing questions and broader sustainability, governance and business structure issues.

NGO, community and private environmental legal work at various times over the last 3-4 years has built on my earlier private planning and environmental experience. Matters covered include advice on NGO fundraising and taxation status, environmentally supportive service and alliance agreements, barrier reef navigation compliance options, embedded energy networking and electricity network environmental compliance.

The firm steamlines these key fields of expertise.