Related services and key industries
Biography
Jo Feldman is an arbitration and litigation lawyer; with over 17 years' experience working with government and the private sector. She has broad experience in disputes under national laws and international law, and has acted for and against States in investment treaty arbitrations.
Jo is a highly regarded trade and investment lawyer. She was a senior member of the legal team defending Australia's first investor-State arbitration claim, Philip Morris Asia Ltd v Australia, and on Australia's subsequent ISDS claims. She also worked on investor-State arbitration cases while on a Barristers Exchange at Grey's Inn, London. She was a Senior Dispute Settlement lawyer at the World Trade Organization and has extensive experience in WTO disputes, including six WTO disputes brought against Australia and as a Third Party in disputes between the US and China over antidumping, rare earths, intellectual property, and digital products, and assisting the Panel on US – Large Civil Aircraft (2nd Complaint).
Jo has been a negotiator or advisor on most of Australia's Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, and FTAs with China, the EU, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK. She has provided advice across the entire range of trade law issues, including tariffs, anti-dumping, foreign investment, digital services, intellectual property, competition, environment, mining and energy. Jo has been invited by the APEC Secretariat to conduct trade negotiation courses.
Among her roles in government, Jo was the Director of the Investment Law Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Director of the Brexit Taskforce and Europe Trade Branch providing advice to government and business on the implications of Brexit for Australia. Jo was Australia's representative to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and negotiated on emerging issues in intellectual property, including traditional knowledge, vaccine access, and genetic resources. She worked on the Australia - EU Wine Agreement, and amendments to the Patent Act, wine labelling and registration regulations, and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
In Australia, Jo has acted as Counsel in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, District and Magistrates Courts of Western Australia, and State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia.
Jo is also experienced in human rights law, and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. She was Australia's lead on human rights at the United Nations in New York, and was Vice Chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, chairing the negotiation of the Political Declaration to mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Professional experience
Collapse all- Master of Laws, University of Cambridge (2007) (Chevening Scholar)
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of Western Australia (2003)
- Graduate Certificate in Economics, Murdoch University (2006)
- High Court of Australia 2005
- Supreme Court of Western Australia 2005
UK – Australia Free Trade Agreement
EU – Australia Free Trade Agreement
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership
Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement
China – Australia Free Trade Agreement
Japan - Australia Economic Partnership Agreement
Korea - Australia Free Trade Agreement
Malaysia - Australia Free Trade Agreement
Australia – UK Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
UK – Australia Mutual Recognition Agreement
Trade in Services Agreement
Australia - EU Wine Agreement
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Emissions Trading Scheme
Clean Energy Act
US - Large Civil Aircraft (2nd Complaint) - Recourse to article 7.9 of the SCM Agreement and article 22.7 of the DSU by the European Union, WT/DS353
Australia - Certain Measures Concerning Trademarks and Other Plain Packaging Requirements Applicable to Tobacco Products and Packaging, Disputes WT/DS434 (Ukraine), WT/DS435 (Honduras), WT/DS441 (Dominican Republic), WT/DS458 (Cuba), WT/DS467 (Indonesia)
British American Tobacco Australasia Limited and Ors v The Commonwealth of Australia [2012] HCA 43; JT International SA v The Commonwealth of Australia [2012] HCA 43
China - Measures Related to the Exportation of Rare Earths, Tungsten and Molybdenum, Dispute WTO/DS431/R
United States - Definitive Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties on Certain Products from China, Dispute WTO/DS379/AB
China - Measures Affecting Trading Rights and Distribution Services for Certain Publications and Audiovisual Entertainment Products, Dispute WT/DS363/AB
China - Measures Affecting the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights, WT/DS362/AB
Thailand - Customs and Fiscal Measures on Cigarettes from the Philippines (Panel), WT/DS371/R.
United States of America - Measures Concerning the Importation, Marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products (Panel), WT/DS381/R.
United States of America - Certain Country of Origin Labelling (Cool) Requirements, WT/DS384/R.
Tipperary Developments Pty Ltd v The State of Western Australia [2004] WASC 179
News
Three lawyers promoted to partnership in Australia
July 01, 2022
Insights
Global Outer Space Guide: Australia
Publication | September 20, 2023
Global Outer Space Guide: Detailing the commercial space industry
Publication | September 20, 2023
Australian Government imposes further sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities
Publication | September 18, 2023