Clifford Chance
Dr Pat Saraceni is Director in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution team and is experienced in complex commercial and contractual disputes. Pat focuses predominately in the offshore and maritime, energy, mining and insurance sectors. Pat leads the Australian Maritime Team.
Pat is ranked in leading legal directories. She is a member of the team that won the ADC’s Arbitration Practice Group of the Year in 2023. The team is ranked Band 1 in Australia and Asia Pacific for international arbitration by Legal 500. Pat was awarded a Doctorate of Juridical Science (SJD) in Law and a Master of Laws. She is a member of the International Bar Association, the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration, the College of Law, WA Chapter Board, a past President and Honorary Member of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (MLAANZ) and co-chairs its WA branch. She is a member of several Law Society professional committees, and an executive member of AMTAC (ADR). In 2023 she was elected a Titulary Member of CMI, in recognition of her contribution to international maritime law. She is on the editorial board for the ANZ Maritime Law Journal.
- Acting for Apache Corporation (Houston) in its successful defence of the prosecution arising from the 2008 gas explosion on Varanus Island and defending various civil suits arising from that explosion.
- Acting for the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) in respect of a range of offshore oil and gas and maritime related matters including concerning the charter of a FPSO.
- Acting for Quadrant Energy on various offshore oil and gas and maritime related matters.
- Assisting on the Browse joint venture realignment of WA's maritime boundary.
- Assisting Hertel Model on a dispute concerning maritime facilities and product loading facilities on Wheatstone LNG project.
- Acting for Apache Corporation on various actions concerning the sale of its Australian assets.
- Acting for Synergy (Government owned corporation) on a confidential arbitration and associated litigation arising from price review under long term gas sale agreement.
- Acting for international oil and gas company on expert determinations.
- Advising a major iron ore company on range of issues including royalty disputes, partnership issues and constructive trust.
- Advising major nickel producer on royalty issues.
- Advising Port Authority on range shipping related matters.
- Advising freight forwarder on range of maritime related matters.
- Advising commodity exporter on long term trans-shipping contract.
- Advising company on possible floating port and supply base.
- Advising local contractor, Ausdrill on a range of matters concerning service and supply contracts.
- Acting for shipowners and operators on range of commercial maritime issues.
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Perth
- +61892625524
- Email me
- Practice area Litigation, dispute resolution & risk management
- Sector Insurance, Mining & metals, Oil & gas, Power & energy networks, Professional advisors, Shipping, Transport & logistics
Awards and citations
- "In 2023 Pat was elected a Titulary Member of the Comite Maritime International (CMI), in recognition of her contribution in furtherance of international uniformity of maritime law."
- Leading Admiralty, Maritime & Shipping Lawyer - Australia, Doyle's Guide 2022
- Next Generation Partner
Legal 500 – Transport: Shipping - Alternative Dispute Resolution
Best Lawyers Australia 2021 - Shipping and Maritime
Best Lawyers Australia 2021 - Litigation
Best Lawyers Australia 2021 - Pat has been named in The Best Lawyers in Australia for her work in shipping and Maritime law based on peer reviews.
- Pat leads the Australian Maritime Team, that won the 2016 Award for Maritime and Shipping Law Firm of the Year Australia, Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards.