Daniel Moulis is the founder and chairperson of Moulis Legal.
Daniel is recognised internationally as an expert in advising and representing clients on their cross-border matters, international contracts, transaction structuring and major projects. Clients rely on his deep knowledge and experience to introduce clarity and order to difficult challenges and in complex situations, and to help them achieve the best outcomes. He is well-regarded world-wide for his high-level involvement in the study and practice of international trade law throughout his now close-to 40 year legal career.
Internationally, Daniel has served clients in industries encompassing agriculture, building products, chemicals, energy, food processing, footwear, ICT, medical, mining, paper, steel and consumer goods. He has deep expertise in WTO trade rules and disciplines, free trade agreements, and international dispute resolution. He has been particularly active in the fields of anti-dumping, countervailing, safeguard measures, customs and excise, country of origin, export controls, quarantine, and trade related aspects of intellectual property rights.
Daniel is also well-known for his representation of clients in their major investments and projects in Canberra and nationally, in many cases with foreign participation. He was Australian counsel for the US corporation that undertook the historic Maralinga nuclear test site clean-up. He has worked on complex property transactions for sovereign funds, national property owners, institutional investors, national tenants, developers with triple-A pre-commitments, and renewable energy developers. He has advised on the development of Canberra’s major town centres, on construction and land usage for the Capital Metro Light Rail, and on the legal implications of the take-up of hydrogen in the Australian Capital Territory.
Daniel also handles dispute resolution in his fields of practice. He has argued cases before many Federal administrative and adjudicative bodies in Australia, including the Federal Court, and has directed proceedings in the European Court of Justice. He has been called upon by the World Trade Organisation as a Dispute Settlement Body panellist on six occasions and is regularly acknowledged to be amongst the world’s leading international trade lawyers. He is a listed arbitrator under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU and under the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Southern Africa Development Community.
Daniel is a former Chair of the Trade and Customs Law Committee of the International Bar Association Section on Business Law and has lectured for the International Development Law Organisation. His past board appointments have included directorships of The Sixth Australian Masters Games, the Johnny Warren Football Foundation, and Football Federation Australia.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Sydney (1983)
Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory (1984)
Member of Roll of Legal Practitioners of High Court of Australia (1984)
Unrestricted Practising Certificate issued by the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory (current)
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
In Chambers and Partners international lawyer rankings, Daniel Moulis is ranked as the leading individual for WTO/International Trade in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Moulis Legal is one of only two Australian firms awarded Band 1 status for International Trade/WTO by Chambers and Partners.
In the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading International Trade Lawyers, he has been the top-ranked trade lawyer outside Brussels, Geneva and Washington. In the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in Australia, Daniel was ranked in three categories: customs and excise law, regulatory practice, and trade law. In addition to being ranked in the mentioned categories, Daniel has also been ranked as Lawyer of the Year in regulatory practice.
MEMBERSHIPS AND APPOINTMENTS
Ad hoc panellist, WTO Dispute Settlement Body
Member, Strategic Alliance on WTO and Trade Remedies Law (SAWTR)
Member, Greenlane Trade Lawyers
Chair, Capital Football Appeals Tribunal
