Hill Dickinson LLP

Partner – Head of Singapore office

I have been with Hill Dickinson LLP since starting as a trainee in 2001, initially under the guise of the de-merged Hill Taylor Dickinson which re-merged with Hill Dickinson in 2006.

I spent my third seat as a trainee in Dubai, UAE and was invited to join the Dubai office on qualification (August 2003) where I stayed until the last quarter of 2004. It was in the UAE where I started developing the broad practice I have now – at that time, there were only a handful ofEnglish law firms in the jurisdiction. Accordingly, we were instructed on a very wide range of work which enabled me to gain broad experience and to become adaptable.

When I returned to London as an associate I joined a group of lawyers including two master mariners with a heavily ‘wet’ case load. I also started developing my own ‘dry’ practice, which grew exponentially with the financial crisis in 2008.

In 2008 the firm was making plans to open an office in Singapore. I was asked to open the office with Tony Goldsmith (now head of the firm’s marine division) both as a second casualty lawyer and also to try to build a dry shipping practice in Asia – Singapore was then to be our only office in Asia. The timing was good, we were commercial, hard-working and competitive and we quickly developed the Singapore practice.

I was promoted to partner in 2010. In 2020, Tony relocated back to London as head of the firm’s marine team and I took over as managing partner of the Singapore office.

I have developed a broad practice in maritime law.

Shipping disputes

My predominant practice is as a shipping disputes lawyer. In this regard I am moderately unusual in that I work on ‘wet shipping’ (casualties) and ‘dry shipping’ (contract disputes) in almost equal measure.

On the ‘wet’ side, I have considerable experience in relation to collisions, allisions, cable damage, groundings, fires, salvage (LOF, common law and commercial terms) and wreck removal. I have been involved in substantial related litigation including major disputes concerning jurisdiction and limitation of liability.

On the ‘dry’ side, I have a very substantial disputes-advisory and arbitration practice in respect of shipping contracts. The majority of disputes relate to charterparties (these being the most commonplace disputes). I am an expert on matters relating to seaworthiness and cargo-worthiness matters, off-hire disputes, termination, late redelivery. I am recognised by clients for my particular expertise in relation to unsafe port cases and bunker claims.

I am also instructed in relation to bill of lading, contract of affreightment, Shipmanagement, shipbuilding, bunker supply and joint venture disputes.

Offshore disputes

I have gained particular knowledge of offshore matters and contracts and I am instructed on substantial, often very technical contractual disputes, usually subject to arbitration, on these contracts.

My practice includes matters involving towage, offshore construction, air and saturation diving, dynamic positioning, cable laying, wind farms, oil production and storage.

I have particular expertise in relation to disputes involving knock-for-knock.

Commodities disputes

I assist clients with disputes, again usually subject to arbitration, in relation to a wide range of commodities including quality disputes, non-purchase under long-term supply agreements and alleged force majeure matters.

Shipping and Commodities transactional matters

I regularly advise clients on their transactions and advise on and assist in the drafting of their contracts. In particular I regularly advise and assist on:

• Shipbuilding contracts and related agreements such as design agreements, supervision agreement and refund guarantees. • Long-term commodity supply agreements (including in respect of LNG and coal).

English - native

Law Society, England & Wales

Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators

I obtained my LLB (2:1 hons) from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1998.

I obtained my LPC from the Colleage of Law, Chester in 1999.

I am married and I have two daughters (18 and 13) and a son (2).

In my spare time I enjoy sailing (yachts and dinghies, racing and cruising) and playing club polo.