Mr Chris Grieveson > Wikborg Rein > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Wikborg Rein
30 Cannon Street
EC4M 6XH
England
Chris Grieveson photo

Work Department

Offshore, English Law, Corporate Criminal Liability, Investigation and Crisis Management, International Trade, Dispute Resolution, Contract Law and Construction, Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response, Oil and Gas, ESG, compliance and risk management, Insurance Law ,Trade Compliance and Sanctions, Shipping

Position

 

Chris is a Managing Partner at Wikborg Rein’s London office and is an English Solicitor. Chris specialises in shipping, oil & gas, and commodity trading law. Shipping He has extensive experience of all aspects of shipping law (both globally and especially within Asia having lived and worked there for 12 years). He has been involved in handling some of the world’s major casualties and pollution incidents. Chris regularly advises shipowners, charterers, P&I clubs and traders on all aspects of carriage of goods, charterparty and marine insurance law. Chris also has extensive experience of shipbuilding and S&P disputes. Offshore In the offshore industry Chris advises operators and contractors in the drafting and negotiation of proposed contracts; handling claims and disputes concerning contractual performance; accidents; and claims under insurance policies. His experience includes all aspects of the industry from the initial bid and tender process through commissioning, and in-field operation. He has acted for all sectors of the industry including EPC and EPCI contractors, drilling contractors, FPSO/FLNG operators, accommodation rig providers, supply boat /barge operators, and oilfield service contractors. Trading Chris’ trading experience includes advising commodities traders, especially metals, coal and oil traders with their sale and purchase arrangements, particularly for long term off take contracts and disputes. Chris has handled numerous disputes for traders arising out of delays, force majeure, quality issues and letter of credit problems. Commercial Fraud Chris has extensive expertise of acting in civil fraud claims in the shipping and offshore industry including asset tracing, he has particular expertise in cases involving Russia, the CIS, China, Indonesia and Vietnam as well as Europe. Compliance and Crisis Management Chris has significant experience advising clients on compliance, regulatory and investigations in the Marine Sector. In particular, he has been extensively involved in anti-bribery and corporate crisis management including the conduct of internal investigations and the handling of criminal law consequences and civil disputes triggered by potential misconduct.

 

Career

2018 – Managing Partner, Wikborg Rein, London
2013 – Partner, Wikborg Rein, London
2010 – 2012 Partner, Wikborg Rein, Singapore
1997 – 2010 Partner (from 2006), Ince & Co, London and Singapore

Education

1994 – 1995 Poitiers
1992 – 1996 MA (Law), University of Cambridge

Lawyer Rankings

London > Transport > Shipping

(Leading individuals)

Chris GrievesonWikborg Rein

Wikborg Rein is praised for its ‘ability to advise in English and Norwegian law’, which allows the firm’s shipping and offshore group to be a go-to outfit for multi-jurisdictional matters including those relating to casualties and sanctions. Practice head Chris Grieveson has a broad advisory portfolio that sees him dealing with work ranging from shipbuilding cases and contentious sale and purchase issues to wet shipping matters. The firm also has particularly strong connections to the Greek market, where Baptiste Weijburg took over as the group’s main contact following the retirement of Nick Shepherd in December 2022. Rob Jardine-Brown is the key name for contentious work, while Eleanor Midwinter has in-depth experience pertaining to dry shipping, marine insurance, and shipbuilding matters. The firm secured a major coup in September 2023 with the hire of a team of 17 fee earners from Ince including Michael Volikas and Ian Chetwood.

London > Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes

Wikborg Rein‘s shipping and offshore sector group, in which the commodities team resides, is best known for its work in the LNG sector, though it also handles disputes concerning agricultural commodities and alternative fuels. Practice head Chris Grieveson (who is ‘cool under pressure and knows how to build an attractive and robust case‘) plays a key role in the firm’s commodities work but the standout practitioner is up-and-coming partner Eleanor Midwinter, who is ‘an absolute star, incredibly responsive and commercial‘. Midwinter, who has significantly grown the firm’s work in soft commodities, recently advised a sustainable building materials enterprise in connection with disputes under a trading contract for by-products from fossil fuelled power stations.