Thomas John ACIArb

Thomas is a German (civil law) and Australian (common law) trained Barrister (Qld, Adm) and co-founded Grotius Chambers.  He specialises in international private law, with a particular focus on international commercial, investment and transactional law as well as international dispute resolution, including commercial litigation and arbitration.

Thomas has more than 20 years of experience in working with clients on complex issues, including managing the risks associated with their international commercial and investment dealings. Thomas is recognised for his clear strategic legal and policy advice and strong representational skills.

During his career, Thomas held positions in private practice, government and in the international civil service. He served as Attaché and Principal Lawyer at the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), lead the Private International Law and Commercial Arbitration unit of the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, and acted as Counsel for the Federal Government of Australia and the Queensland Government.

Thomas is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London) and holds a postgraduate degree in international commercial and sports arbitration. He lectures at the Sigmund Freud University in Vienna and is a widely published author who regularly appears as a key speaker at international conferences.