The Legal 500

With more than 20 partners, Rolmax Law Office is one of the most established and renowned firms in Shanghai for shipping work. The firm has a wealth of knowledge in maritime and admirality, fielding a dedicated team of specialists in this area. Clients include brokers, charterers, underwriters, P&I clubs and freight forwarding companies, both on contentious and non-contentious matters. It also acts for governing bodies such as the Ministry of Transport. Headquartered in Shanghai, it also has additional offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Ningbo. The shipping team includes founder and senior partner Lu Min, and Margot Luo who has successfully handled numerous disputes.

Shipping and marine work is a core practice area for Sloma & Co, and the firm has a strong track record having represented a number of well-known Chinese and foreign clients. These include shipping and shipbuilding companies, charter companies, shipowners, P&I clubs, and insurers. It is often called upon to advise on maritime accidents, marine pollution and engineering. Headquartered in Shanghai, the firm also has branches in Suzhou, Shenzen and Berlin. Clients recommend Y M Lin, whose expertise includes maritime matters and shipping finance.

Wang Jing & Co was established in Gangzhou and has a strong presence in Shanghai. The firm is historically known for its shipping expertise and has been involved in numerous disputes involving maritime, admiralty and insurance matters. Among its client list are a number of leading P&I clubs, shipowners and insurance companies based across all the major Chinese ports. It often advises on ship finance and port construction matters, and is strong in litigation with experience in charterparty disputes. Insurance department head Zhong Cheng is recommended.

Allbright Law Offices’ Frank Cao is a specialist in maritime and admiralty law as well as insurance. The practice is particularly strong in contentious work and shipping finance; it advised a minerals company on a chartering and sales dispute and acted for a major shipping company on a RMB2bn ship finance project. The firm is also legal consultant to COSCO.

H&Y Law Firm’s client roster includes a number of leading P&I clubs, shipowners, insurance companies and shipyards. The firm’s team of experts advises on matters such as carriage of goods by sea, marine insurance, fires and explosions, wreck removal and recovery. Additionally, it has strength in ship finance, ship sale and purchase, personal injury and crew claims. Senior partner James Xu has an excellent reputation and is particularly renowned for arbitration.

Led by Bo Qiao, Jade & Fountain PRC Lawyers has been increasing its focus and capabilities in this area. It has been representing Chinese shipyards and ship-owners in negotiating new-build transactions and ship finance arrangements and acted for shipbuilders in domestic and international disputes. Clients rate the firm’s ‘appropriate, cost-effective advice and highly practical solutions’.

Richard Wang & Co’s team is comprised of senior lawyers who advise on all facets of maritime practices including market access and regulatory and customs issues. It is strong in litigation and insurance and has a strong record of involvement in complex cases, having acted for Maersk, DSR, Jin Hai Jet Air, BDP Asia Pacific and BAX Global. The group is a trusted advisor to several government entities including the Shanghai Maritime Bureau and the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau. The team includes Richard Wang and Sam Ren.

Shanghai Kai-Rong Law Firm has a particular emphasis on cargo-related matters, acting for insurers and re-insurers in liability issues. The team has had a busy year, representing a cargo insurer in relation to an ocean carrier, and acting for a number of foreign insurers in the Chinese courts. Experienced litigator Jin Yu-Lai is highly recommended.

Shipping and maritime specialist Yao Liang Law Office is headquartered in Shanghai and has a strong reputation for contentious work in this space. Clients include China International Maritime Containers, which instructed the firm in relation to an equity transfer transaction. Other clients include Bohai Bank and a UK container company.

Clyde & Co’s team acts for the full spectrum of industry participants, and has grown its associate numbers. Ik Wei Chong is well-known in the field and leads on all matters which make up the team’s diverse caseload. Recent highlights include advising a major French insurer on a ground-breaking reinsurance CIETAC arbitration case, and advising a leading Chinese shipyard on the enforcement of a $25m ship mortgage.

Holman Fenwick Willan LLP specialises in all aspects of wet, dry and corporate shipping law. Master Mariner Julian Davies handles a wide range of cases encompassing admiralty, shipbuilding/repair, charterparty, cargo and energy matters. Jenny Chester specialises in salvage, collision and pollution, and Nick Poynder primarily assists in shipping disputes, acting for both Chinese and overseas clients.

Ince & Co provides the full range of maritime law advice and has a strong pedigree in the Shanghai office: Paul Ho has a broad practice covering international project and asset financing, ship finance, shipbuilding, ship sale and purchase, foreign direct investment, charterparty disputes and cargo claims. Peter Murray is an arbitrator of the Shanghai Arbitration Court of International Shipping. Vincent Xu and Wai Yue Loh were both promoted to partner.

DLA Piper has a strong focus on financing, and mergers and acquisitions within the shipping sector. The group also benefits from the in-depth knowledge of Shanghai managing partner Roy Chan, who is experienced in handling China-related shipping and insurance matters, and the ‘outstanding’ Kevin Chan (a ‘highly professional lawyer with dedication to his work’), who is well-known for his work in complex shipping disputes.

All members of Norton Rose LLP’s strong Asia-wide shipping practice are regularly involved in China-related shipping matters. The group has broad sector exposure, particularly in banking and finance, where highlights included acting for the Export-Import Bank of China and DnB NOR Bank as arrangers of a $200m loan facility to two leading Greek operators. The team also has experience of Sinosure supported financing. Jim James specialises in shipping litigation.

Stephenson Harwood’s practice incorporates a shipping litigation team, led by Jason Toms, and a non-contentious ship finance team, led by Stephanie Wong and new partner Hongkai Zhou. Although based in Hong Kong and Singapore, all members of the team are heavily involved in work out of China. In 2010, Zhou advised the Bank of China on the first ship financing backed by Sinosure lease insurance policies.

Wikborg Rein’s varied practice acts for major hull underwriters, P&I clubs, and ship owners. The ‘dedicated’ and ‘professional’ team has a growing local client base and is sole legal advisor to a number of major Chinese State-owned enterprises (SOEs). Other work included advising a Chinese oil major on an offshore oil and gas project in Brazil. Geir Sviggum has a ‘truly Chinese mind which is very tailored to local customers’, and Yafeng Sun is ‘prompt’, ‘calm’ and ‘professional’.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert welcomed Andrew Horton in 2010 from Reed Smith Richards Butler to lead its shipping practice from Hong Kong. Senior Solicitor Gary Yin arrived from DLA Piper, bringing extensive experience of litigation and arbitration matters in China.

Despite losing Andrew Horton to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert in 2010, Reed Smith Richards Butler has a strong Hong Kong-based shipping team covering ship finance, and contentious and non-contentious dry shipping work in China. Lianjun Li is the key contact.