Harris & Co. Maritime Law Office > Haifa, Israel > Firm Profile

Harris & Co. Maritime Law Office > Firm Profile

The firm: Representing an accumulation of 70 years of experience the firm of Harris & Co. specializes in shipping and maritime law and commercial and corporate litigation. Established by Adv. John Harris a graduate of the law faculty of the University of Cape-Town, 1963 and managed by Adv. Yoav Harris a graduate “cum laude” of the Law Faculty of Haifa University 1999. Harris & Co  is active in the sale and purchase  of vessels including the financing thereof, ship arrests, cargo claims, charter-party disputes, general average matters, agency and representation agreements, marine insurance, shareholder disputes, arbitrations and general commercial litigation.

The firm is known for its high standard of pleadings and cross examination and its prompt filing of vessel arrest applications and interlocutory proceedings. Harris & Co. has a top tier rating from independent international rating organizations. The firms presence in professional publications is well known and includes articles published in the quarterly “Arrest News” issues of https//shiparrested.com and  www.arbitrationwatch.com. Adv. Harris’s articles related to the Haifa Maritime Court’s authorization to act as a Prize Court were cited both by the Haifa Maritime Court ant the Supreme Court.

The firm receives instruction from the foremost shipping and maritime law departments of international law firms. It’s contacts with these firms enables Harris& Co. to provide it’s clients with legal services in all the major jurisdictions. The firm keeps abreast of English and other jurisdiction’s maritime law judgments and publications and utilizes them in support of its pleadings and arguments when litigating maritime and commercial law in Israeli courts.

The firm represents inter alia, shipowners, agents, freight forwarders, non vessel operators shipping departments of Israel’s two major oil refineries, bunker suppliers, and commercial enterprises.

Areas of practice:

• Representation in a ship purchase in the sum of US$26m and the financing thereof.
• Arrest of a vessel prior to its sailing for the cargo damage in the sum of US$3.8m coupled with an application to have the vessel’s chief engineer examined under oath to establish the lack of sea worthiness of the vessel.;
• Arresting vessels and calling at Haifa and other Israeli ports on regular basis either for wages, bunkering and supplies and other maritime liens.
• Regularly advising on agreements for the purchase and sale of oil and oil products.
• Handling and advising on cargo claims and maritime insurance matters.
• Providing clients with legal advice and an Opinion enabling them to receive compensation in excess of Euro 1.3m relying on USA Federal anti boycott legislation.
• Handling an Arbitration on behalf of a minority share holder and recovering for him compensation of US$2.6m.
• Acting as Receivers over equipment and machinery left behind in Israel by a foreign company which entered insolvency in a foreign jurisdiction. Under the Receivership we transported and exported the equipment and machinery and recovered for creditors with US 0.400m covering 80% of their losses.

Articles:

“Barratry and Exceptions of Owners Liability” – By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #34

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/TheArrestNews-Issue34.pdf

“Ever Given arrest – a legitimate lawsuit or extortion?” – By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Special Editon

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MV-EVER-GIVAEN.pdf

“The Hamas/Israel Conflict, is it an ‘Act of War’?”- By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #33

 https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheArrestNews-Issue33.pdf

“Disclosure of IMO’s Marine Incident Reports in Arbitral/Court’s Proceedings” – By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #30

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/TheArrestNews-Issue30.pdf

“Wrongful Arrest” – By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #27

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TheArrestNews-Issue27.pdf

““Against the Ship” or “Rooted in Personal Liability”- The Maritime Lien Vs. The Owners”- By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #23.

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TheArrestNews-Issue23.pdf

“The Naval Prize Before The Haifa Maritime Court”- By Yoav Harris (Adv.) & John Harris (Adv.)
Shiparrested.com- Issue #15

https://www.lawships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TheArrestNews-Issue15.pdf

Lawyer Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Mr Yoav Harris	Managing Partner	View Profile

Comparative Guides

• Israel: Shipping

  Published: December 2023

  Authors: Adv. Yoav HarrisAdv. John HarrisAdv. Domiana Abboud

  This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Shipping laws and regulations applicable in Israel.