Twenty Essex is ‘a first-rate chambers for commodities and shipping disputes, with excellent depth of quality at all levels of seniority’. The set ‘certainly has the greatest depth of coverage of the commodities field of any other chambers’, with members well versed in major arbitrations under the rules of GAFTA, FOSFA and the other well-known commodity associations.Michael Ashcroft KC is currently involved in LCIA arbitrations concerning multiple sale contracts between mine operators, sellers of metals and Swiss traders concerning the compliance of metal products with contractual specifications. The ‘highly responsive, commercially savvy and incisive’ Oliver Caplin KC, who specialises in dry shipping and commodities disputes, is among the market’s most prominent juniors.
Commodities in
London Bar
Twenty Essex
Testimonials
‘Practice Manager Anthony Carroll does a fantastic job in keeping clients happy and in arranging for counsel schedule. He serves as a constant point of contact which is appreciated, especially when members of the clerking team may change from time to time.’
‘The clerks are excellent and very helpful and always try to assist and accommodate instructions. Arron Zitver is always very helpful.’
‘I have always found the clerks of Twenty Essex to be very fair in fixing brief fees and in pricing work generally. They have been able to advise me well on availability of barristers and in making alternative arrangements when there are issues of maternity or paternity leave.’
‘Aaron Zitver and Christopher Theobald are incredibly helpful and a pleasure to deal with. They really go the extra mile in terms of support and assistance.’
‘A first-rate chambers for commodities and shipping disputes. Excellent depth of quality at all levels of seniority.’
’20 Essex has the depth of skill given the sheer number of members in Chambers. Clerks and members are all extremely user-friendly and responsive. I have not experienced any difficulty when it comes to availability of counsel, so the clerks are doing a great job in managing the schedule.’
‘The set as a whole is excellent, and almost all the barristers are very efficient and intelligent and provide a good service.’
‘Twenty Essex for me has some of the best and broadest expertise in international trade, shipping and insurance, whether amongst skills and juniors as advocates or amongst members of their chambers who appear as arbitrators or mediators.’
Work highlights
7 King's Bench Walk
At 7 King’s Bench Walk, ‘many members have impressive commodities practices, and it is one of chambers’ core areas of work’. The set, which has ‘a good range of counsel at different levels’, is highly regarded for its work at the intersection between commodities and insurance, and many members also have extensive experience in the associated area of shipping. Their work encompasses all aspects of the trade of goods, including cargo damage, cargo theft, bill of lading fraud, and breach of obligations under contracts of international sale and purchase, and they work for high-profile clients, among them the leading global commodities trading houses and leading financial institutions. Siobán Healy KC recently acted for Edge in a $33m dispute concerning whether cargoes of cocoa beans stored in warehouses which turned out to be of less value than declared or did not exist were covered under a transaction premium clause in a marine cargo policy.
Testimonials
‘The clerks’ room at 7KBW is first-rate. From the perspective of a member of chambers, I enjoy working with all the clerks, all of whom are immensely supportive. I particularly enjoy working with Eddie Johns and Joe Clayton.’
‘The clerking team is excellent. The senior team have been at 7 KBW for, quite literally, decades. I think that says it all.’
‘The clerks are always helpful and responsive.’
‘Many members of 7KBW have impressive commodities practices. It is one of chambers’ core areas of work.’
‘7KBW is a leading commercial set which deals with commodities on a daily basis.’
‘7KBW has a good range of counsel at different levels.’
Quadrant Chambers
Quadrant Chambers is ‘a first-rate, go-to set for shipping and commodities disputes with a large number of excellent and extremely capable barristers’. The large number of members skilled in shipping and trade matters frequently act for buyers, sellers and other interested parties in commodities disputes, whether in the courts of England and Wales or in international arbitration. Their work spans matters under the rules of many arbitral institutions, among them LCIA and ICC, as well as trade associations such as GAFTA, FOSFA and the RSA, acting also for large corporates, including many of the world’s leading commodity trading houses. Chirag Karia KC, who recently acted for the claimant in Sharp Corp Ltd v Viterra BV, a section 69 arbitration appeal from the decision of the GAFTA Board of Appeal. Among the juniors, Benjamin Coffer recently assisted the claimant in CM Biomass Partners v Stanley’s Biomass Limited, a dispute concerning failure to supply the contractual quantity of wood pellets.
Testimonials
‘The clerks are always prepared to go the extra mile to assist in finding counsel at short notice and to provide the practical help that is often needed.’
‘Simon Slattery is a very effective clerk.’
‘A great team to deal with. Daniel Westerman stands out in my mind.’
‘Simon Slattery is very accommodating and a pleasure to deal with.’
‘First-rate, go-to set for shipping and commodities disputes with a large number of excellent and extremely capable barristers.’
‘Quadrant is light years ahead of other sets in terms of marketing and quality of case reports, teaching sessions, etc.’
‘I am a big fan of Quadrant chambers – lovely people to deal with, quick response time and really like their informative legal updates and Quarterly reviews.’
‘A good set of shipping and trade counsel.’
The 36 Group
The 36 Group has ‘an unbeatable reputation in shipping and international trade law’ and clients note that it is ‘an excellent set, professional and approachable’. A dedicated commodities, shipping and international trade set, its members are known for their expertise in commodities issues arising in shipping contexts and their work spans many commodities markets, among them metals, petroleum products, grain and foodstuffs. Vasanti Selvaratnam KC is the set’s most prominent silk and she has recently been involved in numerous commodities and shipping disputes arising out of the inability of vessels to discharge their cargos in Ukraine, including RTI Ltd v Cargill Ocean Transportation Singapore Pte Ltd and Cargill International SA, in which she acted for the claimant. Ravi Aswani is a leading junior in the commodities space and was recently instructed by the claimant in an arbitration concerning an attempt to export crude oil out of Venezuela, which gave rise to novel sanctions-related issues.
Testimonials
‘Always getting strong and efficient support from the clerks.’
‘Fantastic clerks team. Client focused and always ready to assist.’
‘The clerks are generally easy to contact, overall good service.’
‘Unbeatable reputation in shipping and international trade law.’
‘Excellent chambers, professional and approachable.’
’36 Group is always our preferred choice.’
Twenty Essex
Testimonials
‘Practice Manager Anthony Carroll does a fantastic job in keeping clients happy and in arranging for counsel schedule. He serves as a constant point of contact which is appreciated, especially when members of the clerking team may change from time to time.’
‘The clerks are excellent and very helpful and always try to assist and accommodate instructions. Arron Zitver is always very helpful.’
‘I have always found the clerks of Twenty Essex to be very fair in fixing brief fees and in pricing work generally. They have been able to advise me well on availability of barristers and in making alternative arrangements when there are issues of maternity or paternity leave.’
‘Aaron Zitver and Christopher Theobald are incredibly helpful and a pleasure to deal with. They really go the extra mile in terms of support and assistance.’
‘A first-rate chambers for commodities and shipping disputes. Excellent depth of quality at all levels of seniority.’
’20 Essex has the depth of skill given the sheer number of members in Chambers. Clerks and members are all extremely user-friendly and responsive. I have not experienced any difficulty when it comes to availability of counsel, so the clerks are doing a great job in managing the schedule.’
‘The set as a whole is excellent, and almost all the barristers are very efficient and intelligent and provide a good service.’
‘Twenty Essex for me has some of the best and broadest expertise in international trade, shipping and insurance, whether amongst skills and juniors as advocates or amongst members of their chambers who appear as arbitrators or mediators.’
Work highlights
7 King's Bench Walk
At 7 King’s Bench Walk, ‘many members have impressive commodities practices, and it is one of chambers’ core areas of work’. The set, which has ‘a good range of counsel at different levels’, is highly regarded for its work at the intersection between commodities and insurance, and many members also have extensive experience in the associated area of shipping. Their work encompasses all aspects of the trade of goods, including cargo damage, cargo theft, bill of lading fraud, and breach of obligations under contracts of international sale and purchase, and they work for high-profile clients, among them the leading global commodities trading houses and leading financial institutions. Siobán Healy KC recently acted for Edge in a $33m dispute concerning whether cargoes of cocoa beans stored in warehouses which turned out to be of less value than declared or did not exist were covered under a transaction premium clause in a marine cargo policy.
Testimonials
‘The clerks’ room at 7KBW is first-rate. From the perspective of a member of chambers, I enjoy working with all the clerks, all of whom are immensely supportive. I particularly enjoy working with Eddie Johns and Joe Clayton.’
‘The clerking team is excellent. The senior team have been at 7 KBW for, quite literally, decades. I think that says it all.’
‘The clerks are always helpful and responsive.’
‘Many members of 7KBW have impressive commodities practices. It is one of chambers’ core areas of work.’
‘7KBW is a leading commercial set which deals with commodities on a daily basis.’
‘7KBW has a good range of counsel at different levels.’
Quadrant Chambers
Quadrant Chambers is ‘a first-rate, go-to set for shipping and commodities disputes with a large number of excellent and extremely capable barristers’. The large number of members skilled in shipping and trade matters frequently act for buyers, sellers and other interested parties in commodities disputes, whether in the courts of England and Wales or in international arbitration. Their work spans matters under the rules of many arbitral institutions, among them LCIA and ICC, as well as trade associations such as GAFTA, FOSFA and the RSA, acting also for large corporates, including many of the world’s leading commodity trading houses. Chirag Karia KC, who recently acted for the claimant in Sharp Corp Ltd v Viterra BV, a section 69 arbitration appeal from the decision of the GAFTA Board of Appeal. Among the juniors, Benjamin Coffer recently assisted the claimant in CM Biomass Partners v Stanley’s Biomass Limited, a dispute concerning failure to supply the contractual quantity of wood pellets.
Testimonials
‘The clerks are always prepared to go the extra mile to assist in finding counsel at short notice and to provide the practical help that is often needed.’
‘Simon Slattery is a very effective clerk.’
‘A great team to deal with. Daniel Westerman stands out in my mind.’
‘Simon Slattery is very accommodating and a pleasure to deal with.’
‘First-rate, go-to set for shipping and commodities disputes with a large number of excellent and extremely capable barristers.’
‘Quadrant is light years ahead of other sets in terms of marketing and quality of case reports, teaching sessions, etc.’
‘I am a big fan of Quadrant chambers – lovely people to deal with, quick response time and really like their informative legal updates and Quarterly reviews.’
‘A good set of shipping and trade counsel.’
The 36 Group
The 36 Group has ‘an unbeatable reputation in shipping and international trade law’ and clients note that it is ‘an excellent set, professional and approachable’. A dedicated commodities, shipping and international trade set, its members are known for their expertise in commodities issues arising in shipping contexts and their work spans many commodities markets, among them metals, petroleum products, grain and foodstuffs. Vasanti Selvaratnam KC is the set’s most prominent silk and she has recently been involved in numerous commodities and shipping disputes arising out of the inability of vessels to discharge their cargos in Ukraine, including RTI Ltd v Cargill Ocean Transportation Singapore Pte Ltd and Cargill International SA, in which she acted for the claimant. Ravi Aswani is a leading junior in the commodities space and was recently instructed by the claimant in an arbitration concerning an attempt to export crude oil out of Venezuela, which gave rise to novel sanctions-related issues.
Testimonials
‘Always getting strong and efficient support from the clerks.’
‘Fantastic clerks team. Client focused and always ready to assist.’
‘The clerks are generally easy to contact, overall good service.’
‘Unbeatable reputation in shipping and international trade law.’
‘Excellent chambers, professional and approachable.’
’36 Group is always our preferred choice.’