Mr Paul Henton > Chambers of Poonam Melwani KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Quadrant Chambers
QUADRANT HOUSE, 10 FLEET STREET
LONDON
EC4Y 1AU
England
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Mr Paul Henton
Work Department
Commercial litigation and arbitration.
Position
Paul’s practice focuses on shipping, international trade, commodities, energy, banking, aviation and insurance. His recent and reported cases include Vitol v JE Energy Ltd [2023] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 558 (FOB sales, Letters of Credit, termination dispute); Havila Kystruten AS v Abarca Companhia De Seguros SA [2022] EWHC 3196 (Comm) (shipbuilding, refund guarantees, termination dispute); “Columbus” and “Vasco da Gama” [2021] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 323 (Admlty) (in rem claims, bunkers); Maersk A/S v Mercuria Energy Trading SA [2022] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 95 (anti-suit injunction, container fraud); First City Monument Bank Plc v Zumax Nigeria Ltd [2019] EWCA Civ 294 (CA), [2022] EWHC 2885 (Ch) (trusts, international banking); “ALEXANDRA I” v “EVER SMART” [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 130 (collision, damages, impecuniosity); Heiser v Republic of Iran [2019] EWHC 2074 (QB), [2019] EWHC 2398 (QB) and [2020] 12 WLUK 267 (State Immunity; foreign judgments); “CAPE BARI” [2016] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 469 (contracting out of statutory tonnage limitation); S v A & B [2016] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 604 (commodities arbitration; s. 68/69 challenge/appeal); “ASTIPALAIA”[2014] EWHC 120 (Admlty) (damages; loss of oil major approvals); Taurus Petroleum v Oil Marketing Company of Iraq [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 432 (commercial enforcement; letters of credit; State immunity); Vitol v Sterling Oil Trading [2012] EWHC 3108 (Comm)(oil supply contract dispute); ‘CENK KAPTANOGLU’ [2012] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 501 (Charterparty; economic duress) and “PRINCESS 7” [2011] EWHC 3940 (Comm) (Marine insurance; jurisdiction; conflict of laws).
Career
LLB (UCL); LLM (Cantab), 1st Class. Called 2004
Education
University College London (2003 LLB Hons); Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (2005 LLM 1st class).
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Aviation and Travel
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4London Bar > Shipping
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1Paul Henton –Quadrant Chambers ‘Paul is very user-friendly and happy to assist in all aspects of a case. He is very strong technically and in writing.’
Quadrant Chambers continues to be involved in market-leading cases in shipping, with the set fielding a large number of silks and juniors specialising in maritime matters. In FMG SYDNEY c/w MSC APOLLO, Nigel Jacobs KC acted for the owners of the FMG Sydney in a rare a decision by the Admiralty Court to contribute full liability to one vessel, the MSC Apollo, regarding a collision between the two ships in the approaches to Tianjin in 2020. James Shirley appeared on behalf of RTI in the Supreme Court in MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd, a case dealing with a force majeure clause in a contract of affreightment in light of Russian sanctions. Robert Thomas KC led Paul Henton in High Court limitation proceedings arising out of the high-profile grounding of the Ever Given which obstructed the Suez Canal in 2021, opposite a number of other Quadrant silks including Stewart Buckingham KC, John Russell, James Turner KC, and Michael Davey KC. Damaged undersea electricity cables running under the English Channel were the subject of claims in the Bremen Fighter, in which Caroline Pounds was instructed on behalf of the owners of a tug which had transported a dumb barge to the location where its anchor, dragging during a storm, resulted in the damage to the cables.
London Bar > Commodities
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2Paul Henton – Quadrant Chambers ‘Paul is very clear and concise in putting forward his client’s position, which he does with the right degree of force.’
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Paul Henton – Quadrant Chambers ‘Very good both in drafting and on his feet, he is approachable and engaged while proceedings are underway.’