The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > France > Shipping

The 'efficient' team at Clyde & Co LLP assists with the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious wet and dry shipping matters, and is recommended for 'all types of cases, simple or very complicated'. The practice advises an equally broad client base, assisting oil companies, shipowners, traders and insurers. The team is particularly valued for its expertise in relation to insured liability claims. Practice head Gildas Rostain represents clients in high-value litigation, both in France and internationally. Rozenn Lopin is noted for 'her pragmatism'.

HFW's team handles a range of wet and dry shipping matters and has extensive knowledge of matters related to cruises and tourism, and commercial yachting. Stanislas Lequette is currently advising on various matters following major collisions, including carrying out investigations, handling cargo claims, and reviewing salvage/wreck hire issues. Other key names to note at the firm are practice head Guillaume Brajeux, Stéphanie Schweitzer, Timothy Clemens-Jones and associate Mona Dejean.

Anglo-French practice Lewis & Co AARPI is 'unique in being able to respond to queries on French law with an understanding of requirements from an English law perspective'. The 'responsive, proactive and helpful' team demonstrates its proficiency in handling maritime casualty work by advising several P&I clubs following vessel collision. Other key focuses for the firm include international commercial disputes arising from shipping contracts. 'Experienced and savvy' practice head Lars Lewis is praised for his 'excellent strategic mind'. Leila Esnard is noted for 'delivering excellent service urgently at very short notice' and for her 'excellent attention to detail'. Guillaume de Bascher and Peter Iglikowski are other names of note.

Multinational clients, particularly those with a link to the African market, regularly instruct the team at Reed Smith to assist with various wet and dry shipping matters, including advising on relations with charterers, contract negotiations, dispute resolution, and tourism law regulatory and non-regulatory issues. The team, consisting of practice head Ana Atallah, and counsels Luc Grellet, Andrew Tetley and Emmanuelle Faivre, also frequently handles contentious matters, representing clients before the ICC Court of Arbitration and the Paris Maritime Arbitration Chamber.

The team at Stream – Avocats et Solicitors handles a wide range of matters, both contentious and transactional. Recent work includes representing the owner of CSL Virginia and the P&I club following a collision between the vessel and Ulysse. On the non-contentious side, the practice showcased its strength in assisting with acquisitions by advising Valloeby Investments and brokerage house Affinity Shipping  on their purchase of French shipowner Sea Tankers in a cross-border matter. Key names to note are Aymeric de Tapol, Alexandre Besnard, Jérôme de Sentenac, Mathieu Croix and Vy-Loan Huynh-Olivieri.

The team at Richemont Nicolas & Associés assists clients, including shipowners and insurers with various wet shipping matters. Christophe Nicolas, who heads the practice jointly with Henri de Richemont, is assisting private shipping company Grimaldi with various issues including pollution, cargo claims, and limitation of liability following the sinking of its vessel Grande America, in a high-stakes matter. Other work includes representing Skuld Oslo, the insurers of a ship which is accused of having cut an electrical cable linking France and England, in a matter worth €70m.