Sean Gibbons > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Stephenson Harwood Offices
1 FINSBURY CIRCUS
LONDON
EC2M 7SH
England
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Sean Gibbons
Work Department
Marine and international trade.
Position
Sean advises a diverse range of clients, including shipowners and charterers, P&I and defence clubs, shipyards and banks. He has extensive experience of High Court litigation and arbitration (LMAA, LCIA and ICC) in relation to disputes under charterparties, bills of lading, MoAs and shipbuilding contracts covering vessels/superyachts and offshore structures of all types. Sean also advises in contract negotiations relating to newbuildings.
He is regularly instructed in matters involving investigation and defending of fraudulent cargo claims made against shipowners, insurers and banks and has spent extensive time in West African countries investigating such claims. As a result, Sean is a specialist in obtaining freezing/inspection/disclosure orders and anti-suit injunctions in the English courts, especially as a part of the asset tracing process.
Sean also advises ship finance banks in relation to enforcement of mortgages. This includes the provision of both legal and practical advice on the strategic options available to enforce the lenders’ security.
Sean is a core member of the Stephenson Harwood yacht and superyacht team and regularly advises on contentious and non-contentious matters in the sector.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Transport > Shipping
(Leading individuals)Stephenson Harwood is regularly involved in casualty and charterparty disputes, as well as non-contentious matters spanning transactional work and shipbuilding matters. The team, led by Alex Davis, also handles issues involving charterparties, shipbuilding work, casualty matters, and marine insurance. Particular expertise within the group also exists in relation to FPSO disputes and offshore construction work; the latter is a central component of Max Lemanski‘s practice. Shipbuilding and contentious offshore matters constitute key areas of experience for Sean Gibbons, while litigator Kirsty MacHardy is praised for her ‘strong legal advice’ and ‘keen awareness of the commercial issues.’ Managing associate Nikki Chu is experienced in shipping contracts as well as dry and LNG disputes.
South Korea > Shipping: foreign firms
Stephenson Harwood is sought after for its special expertise in shipbuilding, and the team frequently advises clients such as Korean global corporates, international banks, and shipping and shipbuilding trading companies in this sphere. Practice head Michael Kim has extensive experience in ship finance and offshore mandates, as well as in general commercial litigation with a nexus to the industry. The group also includes Stuart Burrell, who acts for clients such as shipowners and shipbuilders in multi-jurisdictional litigation and international arbitration, and Stuart Beadnall, who is a shipping and energy specialist with particular expertise in contract negotiation. Sean Gibbons, who is regularly instructed to defend fraudulent cargo claims made against shipowners, and shipping and offshore financing specialist Gregg Johnston are also key contacts.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Transport > Rail
Firm Rankings
- Transport > Aviation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Employment > Employers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Employment > Senior executives
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Real estate > Property finance
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers