The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - The Bar > London Bar > Shipping

Provide Your Feedback on Law Firms

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar

Back to United Kingdom - The Bar

Shipping

1
Quadrant Chambers
2
7 King’s Bench Walk
Essex Court Chambers
Twenty Essex
3
4 Pump Court
The 36 Group

Leading Silks

1
Michael Ashcroft KC –Twenty Essex 'Very well-regarded by clients and opponents alike for his incisive analysis and appealing court manner. Industrious in his legal research, Michael thinks every point through - often further than his opposition.'
David Bailey KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk  'He has a most attractive and highly persuasive advocacy style.'
Steven Berry KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Continues to perform at the highest level.'
Elizabeth Blackburn KC –The 36 Group ‘Without a doubt one of, if not the, leading practitioners on Lloyd's Open Form salvage cases.’
Robert Bright KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Robert is ferociously intelligent and extremely good at breaking down a complex web of issues and devising an effective strategy in legal proceedings.'
Simon Croall KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Simon is an absolutely excellent advocate who is at the top of his game.'
Dominic Kendrick KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Luke Parsons KC –Quadrant Chambers 'A highly effective trial advocate whose involvement in a case can make the difference between winning and losing.'
Lionel Persey KC –Quadrant Chambers
Simon Rainey KC –Quadrant Chambers 'The go-to senior shipping silk. First class.'
Alistair Schaff KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Clear advice delivered in a collaborative way and sees points others might not.'
Timothy Young KC –Twenty Essex
2
David Allen KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Graham Dunning KC –Essex Court Chambers 'One of the best in his field.'
Jonathan Gaisman KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Christopher Hancock KC –Twenty Essex ‘One of the cleverest and nicest people at the Bar.’
Timothy Hill KC –Twenty Essex 'Clever and commercial. Quick on his feet in court and understands business.'
Nigel Jacobs KC –Quadrant Chambers
Richard Lord KC –Brick Court Chambers 'Very good at giving quick advice 'off the cuff' and exceptionally strong knowledge of case law.'
Peter MacDonald Eggers KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Duncan Matthews KC –Twenty Essex 'Duncan is extremely bright and his advocacy is very persuasive.'
Sean O'Sullivan KC – 4 Pump Court
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC–The 36 Group ‘An extremely gifted advocate who is tenacious and fights her corner with gusto.’
Robert Thomas KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Very smart and approachable.'
3
Nigel Cooper KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Just brilliant on his feet. Also very good with clients and down to earth and easy to engage with.'
Philip Edey KC –Twenty Essex
Stephen Hofmeyr KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'A measured and authoritative advocate, particularly in relation to shipbuilding. Also a highly respected arbitrator.'
Charles Kimmins KC –Twenty Essex  'Very good on his feet, and quick. Excellent on cross-examination, and a superb advocate.'
James Leabeater KC –4 Pump Court  ‘His principal strength is his written advocacy, which is clear, concise and persuasive. His oral advocacy is similarly clear, and he is very good at obtaining information from witnesses in cross-examination.’
David Lewis KC –Twenty Essex 'Simply fantastic - superb on jurisdiction.'
John Russell KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Excellent grasp of the key points and an ability to put them clearly and succinctly in advocacy.'
Christopher Smith KC –Essex Court Chambers
Richard Southern KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Nicholas Vineall KC –4 Pump Court
Richard Waller KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk
4
Michael Coburn KC –Twenty Essex 'Very competent, well prepared, most helpful, and a deep thinker.'
Michael Collett KC –Twenty Essex 'Very effective as counsel. He knows his charterparty law extremely well and has a very strong intellect. His advocacy is well presented in a calm manner which goes down well with judges and arbitrators.'
Michael Davey KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Absolutely excellent.'
Jeffrey Gruder KC –Essex Court Chambers 'A very calm and relaxed advocacy style that rises above the more aggressive approach adopted by opponents.'
Siobán Healy KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Thorough and meticulous analysis. User-friendly and commercially minded. Can see issues from the client’s side, the solicitors’ and also the tribunal which is a very useful skill.’
Gavin Kealey KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Very smart and quick, articulate and forceful.'
Stephen Kenny KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'He is hugely reassuring to have on board for difficult, high value cases, where clients will listen and respect his view.'
John Passmore KC –Quadrant Chambers 'John is an intelligent barrister who communicates in a clear and straightforward manner.'
Nathan Pillow KC –Essex Court Chambers 'A leading star at Essex Court – tremendously able as an advocate with a wonderful style and a huge pleasure to work with.'
James Turner KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘James is efficient and responsive, with comprehensive knowledge of all kinds of factual and technical disputes under shipbuilding contract.'
5
Simon Birt KC –Brick Court Chambers 'Simon is very calm under pressure, and gets into the detail of matters, providing well-considered advice.'
Claire Blanchard KC –Essex Court Chambers
Stewart Buckingham KC –Quadrant Chambers
Henry Byam-Cook KC – Twenty Essex ‘Henry is a very clear and polished advocate. His arguments are always well-structured and carefully pitched.’
Nigel Eaton KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Nigel offers superb clarity and can always be trusted to give a reliable, neutral guidance on the prospects of a case where others can sit on the fence or give overblown advice.'
Philippa Hopkins KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘A well-prepared and convincing advocate, managing to distil and convey her knowledge and grasp of the facts with consummate authority.'
Michael Howard KC –Quadrant Chambers
Chirag Karia KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘Very bright, organised and puts his points across to tribunals and clients alike effectively but with charm.'
Julian Kenny KC –Twenty Essex ‘A first choice silk for shipping and commodities disputes. Excellent at advising on complex issues of law in a way that is readily understandable by clients. Very good on his feet.’
John Kimbell KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Eminently sensible and very easy to work with.'
Yash Kulkarni KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Approachable, knowledgeable and committed. Astonishing powers of recollection coupled with an affable demeanour. The complete package.'
Thomas Macey-Dare KC – Quadrant Chambers 'He is fantastic with highly complex, highly technical or detailed, and document-heavy cases. He has a superb ability to distil huge amounts of evidence into concise and logical arguments.'
Sara Masters KC –Twenty Essex
Poonam Melwani KC –Quadrant Chambers
Michael Nolan KC –Quadrant Chambers ‘There are no weaknesses.'
Thomas Raphael KC –Twenty Essex 'He is very bright intellectually and knows his field of law extremely well. His advocacy is incisive and well presented in a calm manner.'
Philip Riches KC – Twenty Essex
Christopher Smith KC –Quadrant Chambers 'Strong all round - on paper and as an advocate. Very approachable and down to earth.'
Nigel Tozzi KC –4 Pump Court

2021 Silks

David Davies KC –Essex Court Chambers
Michael Holmes KC – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Leaves no stone unturned, thinks outside the box and challenges things. Michael has an extraordinary ability to grasp complex foreign law concepts.'
Nichola Warrender KC –Quadrant Chambers 'A very clear thinker. She is on top of issues very quickly and then expresses views with concision and clarity.'

2022 Silks

Jeremy Brier KC –Essex Court Chambers 'Very enthusiastic.'
Neil Hart KC –Essex Court Chambers
Simon Milnes KC – Twenty Essex 'Combines legal skills such as writing, analysis, deduction, and legal knowledge with pure genius.'
Alexander Wright KC - 4 Pump Court ‘ A very bright and committed barrister, with good knowledge of the area and great attention to detail. ’

Leading Juniors

1
Ravi Aswani –The 36 Group ‘Ravi is a sharp barrister, fights every corner as if it was his own and always goes the extra mile.’
Daniel Bovensiepen –Twenty Essex ‘Exceptionally bright.'
Oliver Caplin –Twenty Essex
Benjamin Coffer –Quadrant Chambers ‘Ben is very considered and a reliable pair of hands.'
Ruth Hosking – Quadrant Chambers ‘Ruth is very knowledgeable and technically proficient. She is able to master vast amounts of evidence quickly and thoroughly and does not shy away from addressing complex technical or expert issues.’
Marcus Mander – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Nevil Phillips –Quadrant Chambers ‘Able to win the minds of judges and arbitrators by precise and clear argument supported by a friendly and persuasive demeanor.’
Caroline Pounds –Quadrant Chambers 'Caroline is an extremely thorough lawyer with a very sharp mind. She is always on top of the documents in a case and provides balanced and commercial advice.'
Charles Priday – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Charles is extremely experienced, knowledgeable and hard-working. Identifies solutions to otherwise intractable problems.'
Richard Sarll – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Very concise, accurate and to the point with his advice. Calm and impressive advocate, who goes down well with judges. Always reliable and easy to work with, which is an advantage with pressured cases.'
Rachel Toney –The 36 Group ‘Responsive and effective. Her submissions are focused and compelling.’
David Walsh –Essex Court Chambers ‘His advice is always well presented and commercial and his advocacy formidable. A joy to work with for solicitors and lay clients alike.'
2
Koye Akoni –Quadrant Chambers ‘Koye has very considerable intellectual and technical skills. He is extremely diligent and hard-working.'
Tom Bird –Quadrant Chambers 'Remarkably articulate and intelligent. Tom is unfazed by being put up against people many years his senior.'
N G Casey – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Noel is wonderfully approachable, highly intelligent and brilliant at drafting.'
Thomas Corby –Twenty Essex 'Super bright, inspires confidence, excellent on paper. A real star.'
Charles Debattista –The 36 Group 'Charles has an outstanding intellect and his submissions carry real authority.'
Ben Gardner –Quadrant Chambers
Gavin Geary – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'A trustworthy and reliable barrister whose advice is very clear, logical and easy to understand. He is straight to the point and persuasive.'
Colleen Hanley –Twenty Essex 'She approaches her work in a straightforward, decisive manner but with attention to detail and a keen understanding of commercial aspects, which makes working with her an efficient, as well as helpful, process.'
Sandra Healy – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'High-quality analysis, very thorough and clearly written advice.'
Paul Henton –Quadrant Chambers ‘He is very assured, has an incredible eye for detail and is very keen to do a great job.'
Mark Jones –The 36 Group 'He sees and helps with both the legal and commercial issues -an advantage of having been a solicitor before becoming a barrister.'
Alexander MacDonald – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Gemma Morgan –Quadrant Chambers 'Very strong on technical understanding and case theory, excellent case leader and completely remarkable with clients and experts.'
Rani Noakes –4 Pump Court ‘She is responsive, articulate and highly intelligent.'
Benjamin Parker – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘He is user-friendly and responsive, and very clever. His advocacy is effective and thoroughly planned. He is one of the few juniors with solid wet shipping experience.'
Luke Pearce –Twenty Essex 'One of the brightest juniors around and a rising star. Very high quality written work and a polished advocate.
Matthew Reeve –Quadrant Chambers
James Shirley – Quadrant Chambers ‘Perceptive, strategic and unflappable under pressure. His advocacy is first class and the easy manner he adopts in making submissions finds favour with arbitrators and judges alike.’
Peter Stevenson –Quadrant Chambers 'Peter is excellent on his feet, calm, persistent and very persuasive.  He is also always a pleasure to work with - very alert, attentive and resolution-driven.'
Paul Toms –Quadrant Chambers 'Paul is a talented and effective advocate, and is clearly respected by judges. He quickly gets to the heart of the issues and gives first-rate advice.'
Adam Turner – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Adam is fiercely bright, very strong on the law and an excellent written advocate.'
James Watthey –4 Pump Court 'He is personable and a stickler for detail - in a good way. He is also very good with clients in that he engages with them. That also translates to his advocacy.'
3
Sushma Ananda – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Stephanie Barrett –Quadrant Chambers ‘Stephanie has a highly forensic mind and absorbs relevant information very quickly. Her analysis is precise and no-nonsense.’
Clara Benn – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Adam Board –Essex Court Chambers 'His advice is always well presented and commercial and his advocacy formidable. A joy to work with for solicitors and lay clients alike.'
Alex Carless –Twenty Essex
Josephine Davies –Twenty Essex ‘Impressive grasp of technical and financial details. Has widened her skill set to include a range of sectors.'
Stephen Du – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Excellent knowledge of black letter law and impressive written skills. A strong advocate. Very good at coming up with interesting arguments and happy to get stuck in on the detail.'
Henry Ellis –Quadrant Chambers  'Henry is extremely bright, imaginative and responsive. He has an agile mind and a great sense of humour.'
James Hatt –4 Pump Court 'He is very calm, thorough and user friendly.'
Malcolm Jarvis –Twenty Essex 'Malcolm is extremely thorough, always on top of the minutiae of matters, and very quick to put all the pieces together.'
Christopher Jay –Quadrant Chambers  'He is exceptionally bright, enormously diligent and industrious, always willing to go the extra mile for his leader and his clients, and forward-thinking - with the result that he plans ahead in order meet the needs of those around him.'
Tim Jenns – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Ed Jones –4 Pump Court 'Ed is articulate, an excellent critical thinker and brilliant on his feet.'
Andrew Leung –Quadrant Chambers  'Andrew is an incredibly sharp-witted barrister, with a particular knack for being able to see the bigger picture. He does not pull his punches when it is necessary to do get firm with recalcitrant opponents, and his drafting is second to none.'
Sarah Martin – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Natalie Moore –Quadrant Chambers 'Natalie is extremely intelligent, knows the details of a case and understands commercial needs.'
Angharad Parry –Twenty Essex ‘She understands the issue very quickly and clearly and she is a very effective advocate. She gives careful thought to presenting her written arguments.’
Saira Paruk –Quadrant Chambers 'Very thorough and hard-working with no stone left unturned. Intelligent and persuasive on paper and on her feet.'
John Robb –Essex Court Chambers ‘A powerhouse of an advocate.'
Jason Robinson – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Able to deal with complex issues in a straightforward way. Grasps the problems quickly and has a fast turnaround. Very commercially minded.'
John Snider –Essex Court Chambers ‘Thorough and easy to work with. A very experienced junior and good on paper.'
Sean Snook –Twenty Essex
Andrew Stevens –4 Pump Court ‘Very clever and extremely detailed in his work. Also prepared to be commercial when necessary. A good advocate.’
Thomas Steward –4 Pump Court 'He has a practical, approachable style, and really embeds himself in a team. He is a relaxed advocate.'
Mark Stiggelbout –Quadrant Chambers ‘Mark punches above his weight and can hold his own against much more senior opponents.’
Jessica Sutherland – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘A good drafter who knows her brief.’
4
John Bignall – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Andrew Carruth – Quadrant Chambers ‘An outstanding junior, very bright and hard-working, with great instincts.’
Max Davidson –Quadrant Chambers ‘A great legal mind with an appreciation of clients’ commercial requirements. A star at all levels.’
Andrew Dinsmore –Twenty Essex 'Highly intelligent, commercially aware, and exceptionally efficient.'
Jocelin Gale – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'No weaknesses. Very able, thorough and clever with incomparable attention to detail. Excellent command of the law and drafting.'
Richard Greenberg –Twenty Essex 'Strengths include excellent attention to detail and an ability to give a well informed and practical view.'
Dominic Happé –The 36 Group
Emma Hilliard – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Charles Holroyd  – 7 King’s Bench Walk 'Charles is very thorough and diligent.'
Francis Hornyold-Strickland  – The 36 Group 'Incredible attention to detail and thinks outside the box. A solution-focused individual.'
Susannah Jones –Twenty Essex
Thomas Lazur –Keating Chambers
Elizabeth Lindesay – 7 King’s Bench Walk
Karen Maxwell – Twenty Essex ‘Extremely bright and knowledgeable.’
Emily McWilliams –Quadrant Chambers
Andrew Pearson – 7 King’s Bench Walk ‘Intelligent and approachable. Very good at understanding the bigger picture and commercial issues.'
Robert Scrivener –4 Pump Court
Gideon Shirazi –4 Pump Court 'An effective advocate under pressure, always very well prepared and on top of the details.'
Charlotte Tan –Brick Court Chambers 'Charlotte has a sharp intellect, is very client-centred, and prepared to put in a huge amount of work on a case.'
Alexander Thompson –Twenty Essex 'A joy to work with and a fierce intellect.'
Adam Woolnough  – Essex Court Chambers ‘Promising junior and pleasant to work with.’

Rising Stars

Stephen Donnelly –Essex Court Chambers ‘Very hard working, clever and professionally competent.'
Michal Hain –Twenty Essex 'Michal is incredibly smart and always has the most relevant case, or excellent strategic suggestions on the tip of his tongue.'
Jamie Hamblen –Quadrant Chambers 'He punches above his weight.'
William Mitchell  – Quadrant Chambers 'Offers great insights into quantum arguments in particular in relation to multi-jurisdictional banking disputes. Extremely numerically literate.'
Bibek Mukherjee  – Essex Court Chambers 'Bibek is hard working and very bright. He is a major asset to any litigation team.'
Tom Nixon –Quadrant Chambers 'Excellent attention to detail with out-of-the-box and razor sharp thinking.' 
Freddie Onslow – Essex Court Chambers

Shipping in London Bar

Quadrant Chambers

With long-standing experience in the maritime sector, Quadrant Chambers is seen by many clients as the ‘go-to set for shipping work.’ Silks and juniors alike are regularly instructed in market-leading matters across the full spectrum of wet and dry shipping. Simon Rainey KC and Nigel Jacobs KC appeared in the Supreme Court in Evergreen Marine v Nautical Challenge – after becoming the first appeal in a collision case to come before the highest court for almost half a century, the matter has been remitted back to the Admiralty Court. Rainey also led Tom Bird on The Eternal Bliss, which examined demurrage under voyage charterparties. Another Supreme Court case, the CMA CGM Libra, was handled by John Russell KC and Benjamin Coffer  , and concerned if a defective journey plan renders a vessel unseaworthy. Coffer continued to have a strong year in 2021 and was led by Robert Thomas KC on Holyhead Marina Ltd v Farrer, which considered the right of harbours, docks, and marinas to limit their liability for damage done to vessels at their facilities and which also featured Nigel Cooper KC acting on behalf of the defendants. Thomas Macey-Dare KC and Stewart Buckingham KC were both instructed on a number of high-profile wet and dry shipping disputes before various courts and arbitration fora. Gemma Morgan acted as sole counsel in the Commercial Court in Havila Kystruten AS v Abarca Companhia de Seguros SA opposite silks.

Testimonials

Set

‘Quadrant have a good pedigree of juniors and are the premier chambers for shipping matters.’

‘Quadrant is a strong set for shipping work. Broad set of experience across silks and junior counsel.’

‘ There is a great variety of counsel across the levels of seniority, with differing skill sets.’

‘A good set in the shipping space. A lot of talent.’

‘Quadrant Chambers are the go-to set for shipping work. They have excellent availability of counsel for any magnitude of dispute.’

Clerks

‘Absolutely top notch, approachable, and efficient. Special praise must be reserved for Mike Wright.’

‘Excellent clerking service. Special mention to Simon Slattery.’

‘Daniel Westerman is an excellent clerk. He is responsive and skilled at suggesting a barrister to suit the particular issues of a case.’

‘Excellent service. Some of the best clerks around.’

‘Really helpful and commercial. Assist in finding the right person for the job. Gary Ventura is absolutely top of the class.’

‘John Walters is recommended.’

Work highlights

    7 King's Bench Walk

    Offering ‘plenty of good barristers at all levels’, 7KBW’s silks and juniors were instructed on numerous high-profile shipping disputes in 2021. Robert Bright KC led Charles Holroyd in OCM Maritime v Courage Shipping, a successful claim by shipowners which involved accusations of terrorism by the United States government and the subsequent sanctions affecting charterparties and possession of vessels. Elsewhere, Richard Sarll had a strong year due to his involvement as sole counsel in The Ever Given as well as another Suez Canal case concerning a three party collision near the port of Suez, where he also acted as sole counsel against a silk. A number of barristers, including Stephen Hofmeyr KC, Alexander MacDonald, and Marcus Mander, appeared in CV Stealth, a landmark case arising from the detention of a vessel attempting to illegally ship crude oil out of Venezuela. Hofmeyr was also instructed in Argentum Exploration Limited v Silver, where he acted for clients seeking an award of salvage following the recovery of silver from a shipwreck. The collision between a cruise ship and a river cruise vessel in Venice in 2019 gave rise to River Countess B.V. v MSC Cruise Management, in which Tim Jenns represented the claimants.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘7 KBW remain a strong set in insurance and shipping, and their pool of talent remains as deep as ever.’

    ‘A go-to set for shipping.’

    ‘Solid shipping set, with plenty of good barristers at all levels, from excellent silks down to some promising junior juniors.’

    ‘Good set across the board.’

    ‘A sound set with barristers specialist in their areas of expertise.’

    Clerks

    ‘Joe Clayton was particularly helpful.’

    ‘Clerks at 7KBW are always accessible and willing to assist. Greg Leyden recommends the right barrister for the case, he is always open to discussing fee arrangements and highly responsive.’

    ‘Joe Clayton and Gary Rose are excellent.’

    ‘Gary Rose and Ed Johns are both extremely friendly and effective.’

    Work highlights

      Essex Court Chambers

      Fielding ‘high-level professional services’, Essex Court Chambers is known for its strong barristers on both junior and silk level.  The set handles disputes, arbitration, and litigation on the full spectrum of maritime matters. Christopher Smith KC appeared for the South African government in Argentum v The Silver - the case, concerning the recovery of silver bars from a 1942 shipwreck, was the first to consider the State Immunity Act in relation to an in rem claim. Sanctions were  a central part of OCM Nile and OCM Kama v Courage and Amethyst, in which Graham Dunning KC led for the defendants. Philippa Hopkins KC regularly appears in various courts and arbitration fora in relation to ship arrests, shipbuilding, and marine insurance. 2021 was another strong year for David Walsh, who was involved in the charterparty claim Container Schiffahrts-Gmbh & Co. KG MS “MSC Flaminia” v MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. about an onboard explosion caused by cargo. Jeremy Brier KC and Neil Hart KC are both 2022 Silk appointments.

      Testimonials

      Set 

      ‘Essex Court Chambers offers high-level professional services.’

      ‘First-class chambers with in-depth strength in many areas.’

      ‘Very impressive Chambers. Strength in depth. Tenancy really is a hallmark of good quality.’

      ‘Essex Court has a fantastic reputation.’

      ‘These are first-rate chambers with real strength in depth across the board.’

      ‘Essex Court Chambers is the best for shipping and commodities matters.’

      Clerks

      ‘All of the clerks are very user friendly and eager to please.’

      ‘The clerks room is very good and they communicate well.’

      ‘The clerks are amiable and very accommodating.’

      ‘Good team of available clerks. Joe Ferrigno, Ben Perry, Dave Mansfield And Jack Wood are all very pleasant to deal with.’

      ‘They are well-clerked, and the clerks make real efforts to make your preferred counsel available.’

      Work highlights

        Twenty Essex

        Praised as a ‘premier set in shipping and commodities with strength in depth at all levels’, Twenty Essex  supports clients in disputes across the whole gamut of maritime matters. Timothy Hill KC, Alex Carless, and Michal Hain all acted on the CMA CGM Libra, which proceeded to the Supreme Court in 2021 and held that a defective passage plan renders a vessel unseaworthy. Elsewhere, Timothy Young KC acted for the Spanish government in London Steam-Ship Owners’ Mutual Insurance Association Ltd v Spain opposite Alexander Thompson; the case concerns one of the largest oil spills in Europe caused by the sinking of the Prestige off the coast of Galicia in 2002. Henry Byam-Cook KC and Philip Riches KC continue to receive instructions on high-profile disputes, with the former involved in two cases arising out of the insolvency of a trading company and a subsequent ship arrest which will be heard concurrently in the Commercial Court. Oliver Caplin, who specialises in dry shipping, has also had a strong year, including acting as sole counsel against silks.

        Testimonials

        Set

        ‘Premier set in shipping and commodities with in-depth strength at all levels.’

        ‘Twenty Essex is a top-notch set for shipping matters.’

        ‘One of the premier shipping sets.’

        ‘Very strong commercial set with both breadth and depth.’

        ‘Twenty Essex is an incredibly strong commercial Chambers with barristers who are at the top of their field. They are incredibly user friendly and accommodating.’

         

        Clerks

        ‘Arron Zitver has always been helpful and responsive on new instructions. Darcey Bourne recently is also very responsive and helpful.’

        ‘Very responsive and helpful. Special mention for Arron Zitver. Everything a good clerk should be.’

        4 Pump Court

        With a deep bench of practitioners, 4 Pump Court remains a go-to set for clients in the shipping sector and handles disputes in the Commercial and High Court as well as in arbitration. . James Leabeater KC and Rani Noakes acted on behalf of the appellant disponent owners and Alexander Wright KC, who took silk in 2022, was instructed by the respondent voyage charterers in The Tai Prize, where the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court decision that voyage charterers are not liable towards owners for losses caused by an inaccurate bill of lading. Whether a marina as a whole could be defined as a dock for the purposes of limitation was the central question in Holyhead Marina Ltd v Farrer and Others, in which James Watthey acted on behalf of insurers and owners of damaged vessels. Sean O'Sullivan KC continues his involvement in a number of high-profile cases, including CV Stealth about a vessel that was detained in Venezuela after an attempt to export oil from the country, which the government alleges was a breach of local law. Thomas Steward, whose practice encompasses international arbitration and commercial litigation in shipping and shipbuilding, joined the set from The 36 Group in 2022, while Neil Henderson left for an in-house position at Gard AS the same year.

        Testimonials

        Set

        ‘4 Pump Court have some first-class leading silks and junior counsel. With an excellent mix of counsel with wet and dry shipping experience they always have excellent quality on hand to assist with a range of shipping matters.’

        ‘4 Pump Court is the set of choice for shipping related work. The barristers are always very much part of the team. The strength and breadth of experience is up there with the best.’

        ‘Top-rate shipping set.’

        ‘Very talented bunch of juniors, especially the recent crop. The chambers has a very bright future.’

        Clerks

        ‘The clerks are generally efficient and friendly, particularly Carl Wall.’

        ‘The clerks are first class and represent chambers superbly. James Tanner and Paul Bloxham are always on hand to recommend members of chambers for any case.’

        ‘Excellent service and particulalrly from senior clerk, Carl Wall. James Tanner is responsive and always willing to go the extra mile.’

        ‘Very responsive, in particular James Tanner. Always able to recommend the right barrister for the job.’

        The 36 Group

        Shipping and international trade set The 36 Group features extensive experience representing clients involved in maritime matters including bills of lading, charterparties, and contracts of affreightment. The set is also known for its sanctions work as well as issues arising in the offshore and energy sectors. The infamous incident of the Ever Given, a container ship which got stuck in the Suez Canal in March 2021 to much media attention, is present in both the practices of Elizabeth Blackburn KC and Vasanti Selvaratnam KC, the latter is also involved in the Evergreen Marine v Nautical Challenge, the first maritime collision liability case to reach the Supreme Court. Elsewhere, Mark Jones represented commodities trader Guvnor and their cargo underwriters in Herculito Maritime Ltd & Ors v. Gunvor International BV & Ors, a case in the wake of the hijacking and holding of a tanker and crew by Somali pirates.

        Testimonials

        Set

        ‘They remain a solid choice especially for wet work.’

        ‘A friendly, skilled and first class set. They have in particular an exceptional depth of talent in the admiralty and salvage market.’

        ‘The range of expertise is impressive and well varied.’

        ‘A strong shipping set.’