The 'responsive and professional' transport and shipping practice at Birketts LLP 'gives clear and sensible advice'. The Ipswich office is home to experts in road transport, logistics, marine cargo, and multimodal carriage, as well as regulatory and licensing matters, customs and duty issues, employment matters and the drafting of commercial contracts. Head of shipping and international trade Henry Adams is a dry shipping specialist. Head litigation Alex Davey frequently handles cargo disputes. Head of regulatory and corporate defence Matthew Gowen is key adviser to operators and trade bodies. Emerging partner talent Tom Hodges frequently assists clients from Asia with dry shipping and marine insurance matters, while legal director Sarah Holsgrove handles charterparty disputes and cargo recoveries. Mediator and dry shipping litigation specialist Nicholas Woo is regarded as an expert in his field.
Transport and shipping in East Anglia
Birketts LLP
Practice head(s):
Henry Adams; Alex Davey; Matthew Gowen
Other key lawyers:
Nicolas Woo; Tom Hodges; Sarah Holsgrove; Charlotte Hunt
Testimonials
‘Tom Hodges – excellent team player and communicator, who is able to get into the detail provide right-hand man support. Consistently gives sound and reliable legal advice.’
‘The Birketts team was constantly on the ball – combining sector-knowledge and effective (and time-efficient) advice. You really felt you were in safe hands.’
‘We worked with Tom Hodges. Tom grasped the issues swiftly and was able to advise us promptly, concisely and effectively – a real added-value.’
‘An extensive range of professionals with an abundance of comprehensive knowledge and experience. Specialists in relevant fields have good local as well as industry knowledge. Information and advice is clear and concise.’
‘Competent, experienced, knowledgeable and importantly personable and friendly professionals. Good communication. Tom Hodges in particular has always been excellent to deal with.’
‘Charlotte Hunt is a hardworking individual, with great client care and an understanding of transport matters that has few parallels. She has built a niche practice and is able to give common sense and practical solutions to complex matters.’
‘Charlotte Hunt is extremely well qualified in the Transport Law/Compliance sector. ’
‘Charlotte Hunt is extremely personable/likeable and has extensive knowledge of transport law. I’d have absolutely not hesitation in referring Charlotte to my clients/contacts.’
Key clients
U-Ming Marine Transport Pte Ltd
Atlantis International Service NV
Tradhol Internacional
Filhet-Allard Maritime
Diot-SIACI
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
HDI Global SE
Inspectorate International Ltd
Total Energies Trading and Shipping SA
Kolmar Group AG
Barbuss Global
Work highlights
- Advising and guiding U-Ming Transport Marine Transport Pte Ltd, in respect of a cargo being detained in Latvia due to allegations it belonged to a sanctioned individual.
- Successfully represented Atlantis International in a High Court action concerning the applicable York-Antwerp Rules in CONGENBILL 1994.
- Representing Hull & Machinery insurers Barbuss Global in an ongoing, high-value High Court claim concerning carriage of a dangerous cargo which is alleged to have resulted in the sinking of the vessel.
Ashtons Legal
In the transport sector, Ashtons Legal is 'a highly regarded regional law firm with some outstanding lawyers'. Lead partner Tim Ridyard in Bury St Edmunds is 'one of the very best transport and regulatory lawyers there is', and clients remark on his 'genuine and extensive wealth of experience'. His expertise lies in providing regulatory advice and representation to operators in the goods and passenger road transport sectors, focusing predominantly on operator licensing matters. He frequently represents road transport operators at Public Inquiry hearings at the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.
Practice head(s):
Tim Ridyard
Testimonials
‘Ashtons Legal is a highly regarded regional law firm with some outstanding lawyers.’
‘Tim Ridyard is one of the very best transport and regulatory lawyers there is. He has a genuine and extensive wealth of experience which he utilises very well within his field. He is very approachable and clients like him.’
Key clients
RSK Group Ltd
Mick George Limited
Roger Warnes Transport Ltd
FA Hawkins Ltd
Nick Brown Transport Ltd
B P Mitchell Haulage Contractors Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising a very large Group with turnover in excess of £1bn comprising numerous companies in diverse environmental, waste and engineering activities. The work centres on due diligence, reviewing and auditing compliance and applying for new operator’s licences for subsidiaries.
- Retained by regional construction company Mick George Limited to advise on road building, construction projects, ground works and aggregates to 300 goods vehicles and other types of vehicles/plant. Advice on all aspects of operator licensing, driver licensing, drivers’ hours and maintenance systems.
- Representing four different operators in the past 12 months at Traffic Commissioner public inquiry hearings in relation to haulage of foreign-owned trailers with recurring legal issues. All were being represented on the same legal points.
Prettys Solicitors LLP
Prettys Solicitors LLP
in Ipswich has a multi-disciplinary team that advises key clients in the transport sector on a range of corporate, commercial, employment, data protection and property matters. Senior partner Ian Waine leads the practice, in which employment partner Matthew Cole and corporate partner Daniel Billson are the main practitioners. Corporate partner Sarah Lewis and property specialist Rebecca Cleal also play key roles in the practice. Cleal recently assisted Maritime Transport Ltd with the acquisition of freehold land in Essex, which involved the complex negotiation of existing commercial lease conditions.
Practice head(s):
Ian Waine
Other key lawyers:
Matthew Cole; Daniel Billson; Sarah Lewis; Rebecca Cleal
Key clients
Call Assist Ltd
Maritime Transport Ltd
Trinity House Corporation
Chassis Cab