United Kingdom > London > Transport > Shipping
Index of tables
Shipping
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- Mills & Co Newcastle-upon-Tyne
- Norton Rose LLP
- TLT LLP
- Waterson Hicks
Leading individuals
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- Tony Allen Hill Dickinson LLP
- Ben Browne Thomas Cooper
- Julian Clark Campbell Johnston Clark
- Richard Crump Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
- Alex Davis Stephenson Harwood
- Colin de la Rue Ince & Co
- Lindsay East Reed Smith
- Patrick Foss Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP
- Paolo Ghirardani Stephenson Harwood
- James Gosling Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
- Edward Gray MFB
- Nick Graydon Clyde & Co LLP
- Richard Gunn Reed Smith
- Paul Griffiths Bentleys, Stokes and Lowless
- Paul Herring Ince & Co
- John Hicks Waterson Hicks
- Andrew Hughes MFB
- Andrew Johnson Hill Dickinson LLP
- Tim Kelleher Thomas Cooper
- Michael Kim DLA Piper UK LLP
- Mike Lax Lax & Co LLP
- Hugh Livingstone Holman Fenwick Willan LLP
- Guy B Mills Mills & Co
- Faz Peermohamed Ince & Co
- David Perry Waltons & Morse
- Ken Scott Winter Scott
- Nick Shaw Reed Smith
- Andrew Taylor Reed Smith
- Robert Wallis Hill Dickinson LLP
- James Wilson Ince & Co
- Glenn Winter Winter Scott
- Andrew Wright MFB
This section covers dry and wet work, across casualty matters, shipbuilding, bill of lading and charterparty disputes, and marine insurance. Ship finance matters are covered as part of Asset finance and leasing, in Finance, while ship-related personal injury matters are covered under Insurance.
Holman Fenwick Willan LLP has ‘outstanding in-depth knowledge of all marine matters’ and a ‘global reach and consistent work ethic’ that leave clients ‘certain the firm has all the resources to meet clients ’ requirements to their complete content’. Andrew Chamberlain advised Smit Salvage Americas as salvors following the blowout at Deepwater Horizon, while Hugh Livingstone and David Morriss successfully represented a shipowner in a $5m demurrage claim. Matt Illingworth has ‘vast experience of shipping litigation’; James Gosling is ‘very knowledgeable’; and Toby Stephens is noted for his expertise in salvage matters. Three partners left to set up Campbell Johnston Clark.
Clients can ‘rely on professional and well-experienced advice’ from Paul Herring’s team at Ince & Co, whose size and ‘high competence in all fields enable it to mobilise a well-qualified team immediately’. Marine casualty expert Faz Peermohamed has ‘excellent knowledge’ and provides ‘invaluable support on difficult claims’; Chris Kidd ‘understands client needs and always gives first-class advice’; James Wilson is ‘extremely competent and always provides good support’; and Colin de la Rue is ‘in a class of his own in the pollution field’. The team acted in TMT Asia v Oceanbulk, and represented the owners of Crystal Topaz following a collision with DN31, a small dredger.
Clyde & Co LLP’s ‘quick and responsive’ team represented Merle Wood & Associates in a leading shipbroking case regarding a 110-metre superyacht, and achieved the second-highest Lloyd’s Open Forum salvage award ever for Five Oceans Salvage. Andrew Preston’s ‘strengths are his knowledge of the law, speed of response and ability to assess commercial risk’; Nick Austin ‘explains technical issues with clarity’; and Hatty Sumption is ‘very thorough, commercially minded and persistent’. The firm’s ‘network of worldwide offices proves to be extremely useful’.
Hill Dickinson LLP’s Stuart Armstrong and Claire Messer ‘deal with claims in a commercial and sensible manner’. Robert Wallis is recommended for his ‘reliability and industry knowledge’, and Russell Gardner provides ‘clear, concise and well-balanced advice’. Highlights included advising the owners and insurers of MSC Chitra following a collision, and successfully representing superyacht broker Edmiston & Company in the biggest brokerage dispute in history. The group is rated for dry and wet shipping work, and has notable yacht expertise. Philip Wareham joined from Holman Fenwick Willan LLP.
Reed Smith’s ‘outstanding service’, ‘impressive business acumen/industry knowledge’ and ‘quick, reactive and knowledgeable responses’ prove ‘very good value for money’. Nick Shaw is ‘quick, commercial and proactive’; Richard Gunn is ‘user friendly and responsive’; Charles Weller is a ‘conscientious and responsive communicator, and extremely well connected globally’; Alex Andrews’ ‘vast knowledge of the law makes him an adviser with substance’; and Andrew Taylor’s ‘years of experience and excellent grasp of the industry mean he looks at matters from a different level’. The group advised Gulf Rocks in relation to the MSC Chitra collision.
MFB is best known for its dry shipping work, where it largely acts for operators and charters, but also has a strong wet shipping practice, which is led by Mike Mitchell and includes two other master mariners. Clients consider the group ‘very good at casualty and chartering work’, with master mariner and solicitor Jeff Lock recommended for the former and Peter Jago for the latter. Andrew Hughes, Andrew Wright and Edward Gray are recommended.
Stephenson Harwood’s ‘attraction is not only the international network but also the multi-disciplinary capabilities combined with good coordination’. Paolo Ghirardani is ‘pragmatic, responsive and commercial’; Stuart Beadnall and Sean Gibbons are ‘very bright, positive and diligent’; Duncan McDonald’s ‘ability to balance the legal and commercial aspects is first class’; and Ingolf Kaiser has a ‘thorough and thoughtful approach, and good tactical awareness’. The group advised in relation to an order of ten of the world’s largest container ships, with options for 20 more.
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP’s ‘case/time management abilities provide clients with overall better value for money’. The group has a well-established track record of acting for major insurers, and recently advised on the Elli crash in the Suez Canal, and won new clients such as Catlin Risk Solution and Ace American Insurance. Patrick Foss and Chris Zavos are ‘fully aware of the commercial implications facing insurers, as well as the technical legal aspects’.
Bentleys, Stokes and Lowless’ Jamie Wallace and Vernon Sewell are rated for their ‘friendly, tailored and expert approach’. The team is best known for handling marine insurance work, but also has a good reputation for handling all manner of work across international trade and transport law. William Chetwood, Paul Griffiths and Nicholas Wilson are recommended. The group acted in Dalwood Marine Co v Nordana Line A/S.
Niche shipping firm Thomas Cooper’s ‘level of service and ability compare favourably with larger and more expensive firms’. Highlights included advising Hyundai in a dispute with Rigel regarding sanction problems; acting in a $4m unpaid hire/damages case; and winning new clients such as Louis Dreyfus and Norwegian Hull Club. John McCaskill, who joined from Ince & Co, ‘always provides an honest, prompt and commercially useful response’, and Darryl Kennard ‘works tirelessly and imaginatively’.
Christopher Dunn and Mark Lloyd at niche shipping firm Waltons & Morse are ‘impressive’. The group, which largely acts for insurers such as Chartis and Travelers and is a leader in cargo matters, recently acted in Masefield AG v Amlin Corporate Member Limited, and represented insurers on cargo issues arising out of the grounding of the Dover Strait off St Lucia. The group has seen a rise in instructions relating to piracy.
Winter Scott is ‘a niche shipping firm par excellence’ that is ‘deservedly very busy, particularly for the Scandinavian clubs and Chinese clients’. Glenn Winter is ‘enormously experienced, calm and thorough’, and Tim Houghton ‘provides outstanding client service and has excellent drafting skills’. The firm rates highly for both wet and dry shipping.
Niche shipping and offshore oil and gas firm Curtis Davis Garrard LLP largely focuses on advising on the acquisition, sale and long-term employment of vessels, as well as resultant disputes. The team has seen an increasing number of instructions for the construction and conversion of superyachts, and successfully terminated shipbuilding contracts and recovered the pre-delivery instalments and interest for two product tankers. Simon Curtis is recommended.
Gateley’s team is ‘always prompt and knowledgeable’, and ‘gets directly to the point of the matter’. It defended the owners and insurers of grain cargoes against claims for general average contributions, and represented time charterers in two arbitrations under a chain of time charter that was cancelled due to an unseaworthy vessel. Nicholas Walser leads the team.
Jackson Parton focuses on dry shipping work, acting on charterparty, cargo and bill of lading disputes, and has a reputation for swiftly obtaining anti-suit injunctions in difficult situations. The team acts for North of England P&I Club and Charterers Club, and recently represented Japanese shipowners regarding the grounding of the Pasha Bulker. Nick Parton and Brian Roberts are recommended.
Mike Lax’s team at Lax & Co LLP represented the claimants in a High Court action regarding a loss of hire under an insurance policy, and acted for Hudson Shipping as owners in a dispute over a contract of affreightment for four separate voyages where the performance of the vessel was guaranteed by Stellar Shipping. Clients include West of England P&I Club and Tankers International.
Mills & Co’s 19-strong practice continues to act for Mediterranean Shipping Company regarding the grounding of the MSC Napoli, and is representing the owners of the Ebrus in a dispute arising out of an early redelivery of the vessel under a time charterparty. The firm regularly acts for a number of P&I clubs. Guy B Mills is the key contact.
Philip Roche’s team at Norton Rose LLP acts for clients such as P&O Ferries, The Standard Club and OSG Ship Management, and is currently advising on the cancellation of a long-term charterparty as part of the insolvency of the Bluestream Group. David McKie, who is ‘always available and gives the best advice’, joined from DLA Piper UK LLP.
Duncan Bateson’s six-partner team at TLT LLP has a reputation for handling dry shipping and superyacht work. The team’s client roster includes names such as Britannia P&I Club, Global Ship Lease and Maersk Line.
Waterson Hicks secured a $20m award for the owners of the Silva after the vessel was detained in Egypt for over two years; and successfully defended Frangos in the Court of Appeal against claims for over $80m. The firm largely acts for Greek shipowners, and is considered ‘good on all parameters’. John Hicks is recommended.
Dominic Ward heads Andrew Jackson’s dry shipping and cargo practice, while Andrew Oliver leads both the sea fisheries and marine environment unit, and the transactional, ship build and finance practice. Highlights included advising on demurrage/detention claims worth over $1m. Clients include Associated British Ports and Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance.
Arbis LLP focuses on commodities and shipping work in the oil and metal markets, and comes highly recommended for its expertise in charterparty and bill of lading disputes. Brian Isola is highly valued for his ‘diligence and legal excellence’. Mark Aspinall and Martin Wisdom are also recommended.
Birketts LLP is noted for its ability to ‘find the most efficient way to a solution’. The team counts Reliance Industries, Charterers Club and West of England as clients. Nicholas Woo has ‘a wealth of experience’. Former Lawrence Graham LLP partner Neil Everatt joined as a consultant.
Michael Kim’s team at DLA Piper UK LLP acts for a number of Korea’s largest ship-related companies, including Hyundai Merchant Marine, Sambo Shipbuilding and SK Shipping. Recent work includes representing BNP Paribas Fortis in a ship finance dispute, and acting for the charterers of a ship detained by pirates.
E G Arghyrakis & Co’s ‘level of specialist knowledge is first class’ in both wet and dry shipping. Louise Glover is ‘a true expert, with the ability to look at a problem from a tactical and commercial point of view, as well as a legal one’; and George Arghyrakis shows ‘strength and strategy in litigation’.
Elborne Mitchell is noted for its marine liability work, and its experience in handling charterparty and bill of lading disputes. James Sleightholme is a ‘very experienced lawyer with an eye for detail’, and Peter Tribe is also recommended.
Eversheds LLP represents shipowners, charterers and insurer clients concerning dry shipping matters. Stephen Mackin is noted in particular for advising P&I clubs in cases regarding the carriage of liquid cargoes by sea. Clients include Gard P&I, Thomas Miller P&I, and Steamship Mutual P&I.
Kennedys’ team, led by Martin Watson, largely focuses on cases involving hull and machinery insurance, acting for clients such as ACE, AXA and Charterers Club. The firm provides ‘a high level of service on every piece of correspondence/advice’.
Specialist shipping firm Mays Brown, Solicitors focuses on dry shipping work, and acts for P&I clubs, shipowners and operators. Founding partners Joe Mays and Tony Brown are ‘very good’ and highly recommended.
Swinnerton Moore’s track record includes acting in a charterparty dispute that resulted in a decision determining the extent of damages payable on the late redelivery of a vessel, and advising clients such as Diageo and China Ocean Shipping Company. Tony Swinnerton is a key contact.
The group at Watson, Farley & Williams LLP ‘exceeds expectations’. Andrew Savage’s team covers contentious and non-contentious ship finance and shipbuilding matters, and was recently successful in representing Lloyds TSB on the termination of a ship finance lease. Andrew Hutcheon produces ‘structured and convincing arguments’, and Charles Buss is ‘intelligent, with a deep knowledge of the law’. Robert Platt joined from Curtis Davis Garrard LLP.
Weightmans LLP acts for vessel and port operators, cargo traders and insurers. Mike Burns and Terry Donaghy are ‘honed to their clients ’ needs and provide incisive and timely advice’, and Phil James, who joined from Hill Dickinson LLP, ‘brings in-depth knowledge on all aspects of port/shipping business’.
Jonathan Campbell, Alistair Johnston and Julian Clark left Holman Fenwick Willan LLP to set up Campbell Johnston Clark in September 2010, and are expected to do well in the market.