BIOGRAPHY

Most lawyers arrive at the law by a fairly conventional path. Ash Shanks did not.

Before joining Ellison-Whyte Law, Ash completed a 40-year career in the Royal Australian Navy as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer — one of the most demanding and disciplined roles in the Australian Defence Force. He led complex operations, managed high-stakes projects, commanded teams under pressure, and developed a precision-oriented approach to problem solving that most lawyers spend a lifetime trying to acquire.

When Ash turned to law, he brought all of it with him. He completed a Bachelor of Laws with Distinction — a result that reflects the same rigour he applied throughout his military career. He is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula Legal Association, and he specialises in family law — an area where his capacity for clear thinking, calm under pressure, and focus on practical resolution genuinely makes a difference to the people he advises.

Born in Benalla and drawn to the Mornington Peninsula over years of visits, Ash has now made it home. He is a skipper with the Volunteer Coast Guard at Safety Beach, conducting rescues in Port Phillip Bay, and an active member of Point Leo Surf Life Saving Club. He is the kind of person who shows up — in uniform, in the water, and in the office.

Clients working with Ash will find a lawyer who listens carefully, advises clearly, and approaches their matter with the same methodical discipline that defined four decades of service. He does not overcomplicate things. He finds the right path and pursues it with purpose.

To book a consultation with Ash or to make an enquiry, contact him directly at ash@ellisonwhytelaw.com.au

QUALIFICATIONS

  Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with Distinction
  Certificate IV Maritime Operations
  Advanced Mine Warfare

  Master of Management in Defence Studies 
  Master of Project Management 
  Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Physics and Mathematics) 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

 Member of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV)
 Member of the Clearance Divers Association
 Member of Mornington Peninsula Legal Association (MPLA)



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