Clyde & Co LLP, a powerhouse shipping team, leverages the deep bench strength of its global network (London, US, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Latin America, Australia) to assist a diverse spectrum of clients ranging from major insurers, P&I clubs, charterers and shipbuilders to shipyards, owners, governments and corporates in oil and energy. Led by maritime transport expert Gildas Rostain, the group advises on such major shipping matters as collisions, ship fires, standings, salvages, strandings and sinkings. A key figure is experienced litigator Olga Jefremova (promoted to partner in May 2022), who specialises in admiralty law, shipbuilding and marine employment legislation.

The maritime specialists at market-leading Paris boutique firm Lewis & Co AARPI advises insurers, P&I clubs, small business and individuals, on matters ranging from shipping, ship arrests, pollution and international trade to soft commodities, oil trading personal injury claims and international arbitration.  The team is headed by international trade expert Lars Lewis, with support from Leila Esnard, a seasoned shipping litigator, Peter Iglikowski, who brings strength to East European clients in international CMR road transport disputes, and Guillaume De Bascher, who assists with the handling of cargo claims and charterparty disputes.

Reed Smith is backed by the bench strength of a global network spanning the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia; its shipping group provides a comprehensive service, advising on matters ranging from ship arrests, environmental response and wreck removal to emergency response for yachts and private vessels, terminal damage and unsafe ports. The team’s services also extend to the terminal construction and operation, shipping sanctions and super yachts. The team is led by experienced arbitrator Ana Atallah, transportation and social infrastructure project finance expert Victoria Westcott and Andrew Tetley, who are both dually-qualified to practice under French and English law and counsel Florent Rigaud. The team is supported by counsel Emmanuelle Faivre, who has been a member of the Transportation Industry Group of Reed Smith Paris office since January 2005.

Stream – Avocats et Solicitors advises shipping and container transport companies (CMA-CGM, Corsica Linea), cruise ship operators (Ponant), shipowners (Louis Dreyfus Armateurs) and insurers (Helvetia), on charterparty disputes, shipbuilding contact disputes, cargo claims, vessel purchases and sales. Alexandre Besnard, Charles de Corbiere (who joined from Villeneau Rohart Simon in January 2022), Jérôme De Sentenac, Aymeric De Tapol, Vy-Loan Huynh-Olivieri and Patrick Evrard (promoted in January 2022) co-lead the shipping team at the Paris office. Freddy Desplanques and Mathieu Croix co-lead the practice in Le Havre. Fabien d’Haussy and Fabien d’Haussy manage the Marseilles group.

Nicolas & Associés, a Paris-based international firm, brings expertise to maritime matters, advising shipping companies (Grimaldi, Hapag-Lloyd), insurers (Zurich, Helvetia) and freight companies on ship purchase and acquisitions, marine insurance, yachting, pollution, marine casualty and contracts of carriage and charter parties disputes. Christophe Nicolas, a specialist in cargo claims and ship seizures, heads the team, and is supported by associate Thomas Godener.

Coordinating offices in Paris and Marseille, the shipping practice at specialist firm Tarin Lemarié provides advice on maritime matters to clients ranging from shipowners, cruise ship operators and corporates in logistics and financial services to insurers, cargo interests, port operators, freight forwarders and shipyards. The team is led in Marseille by founding partner Guillaume Tarin, who brings strength to collision and admiralty cases, and Alexis Lemarié in Paris, who brings experience to the negotiation and drafting of contracts for entire fleets.

Villeneau Rohart Simon, an independent transport and shipping firm, combines the bench strength of locations in Paris and Marseilles to assist ship owning companies, P&I clubs, classifications societies and corporates within the commodities trading industry, on a broad range of maritime matters. Patrick Simon brings expertise to admiralty issues, international arbitrations, charter party disputes, pollution cases and strikes and boycotts. Sébastien Lootgieter specialises in commodities market clients, and Jean-Serge Rohart manages classification society disputes. Bertrand Coste in Marseilles brings experience to work surrounding mega yachts. Charles de Corbiere left the firm in January 2022. All lawyers mentioned are at the Paris office, unless noted.