Philippa Hopkins KC KC > Essex Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Essex Court Chambers Offices
24 LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS
LONDON
WC2A 3EG
England
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Philippa Hopkins KC KC
Position
Advises and acts in a wide range of commercial disputes, both in court and arbitration. Specialises in particular in dry shipping and commodities/international trade and in insurance/reinsurance disputes, but is also involved in more general commercial disputes and in aviation, professional negligence, sale of goods and associated matters (including commodities contracts, letter of credit disputes, commercial agency disputes and computer/information technology disputes) and banking matters. Has a particular interest in private international law issues. Also sits as an arbitrator. Publications: co-author, Colman, Lyon and Hopkins’ ‘The Practice and Procedure of the Commercial Court’ (6th ed); was also contributing editor to 17th edn of ‘Arnould on Marine Insurance’.
Career
Called 1994, Middle Temple.
Memberships
COMBAR; London Maritime Arbitrators Association (supporting member); LCIA.
Education
Merton College, Oxford (BA jurisprudence; joint winner of the Martin Wronker prize for best performance in Final Honour Schools; BCL with distinction); Eldon Scholar, University of Oxford; Queen Mother’s Scholar of the Middle Temple.
Leisure
Family, walking, cooking, poetry, theatre, gardening.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Commodities
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 5Philippa Hopkins KC – Essex Court Chambers ‘Philippa is exceptionally intelligent and has the ability to express this with concision and clarity.’
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Philippa Hopkins KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘Philippa is very impressive in cross-examination and is often the power behind the scenes in the running of big cases.’
London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3London Bar > Shipping
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 5Philippa Hopkins KC –Essex Court Chambers ‘Philippa is exceptionally intelligent and has the ability to express this with concision and clarity. She has an excellent grasp of the legal aspects of the disputes we work on. She is a powerful advocate and well prepared.’
At Essex Court Chambers, shipping remains a core area of expertise, reflected in the set’s ongoing involvement in complex and high-profile cases along the full range of maritime disputes. Steven Berry KC continuous to be tied up in a number of major shipping cases including MT Phoenix Vanguard about the collapsed purchase of a crude oil tanker; he leads Bibek Mukherjee in this case, a junior experienced in both wet and dry shipping. The interpretation of contractual force majeure clauses in relation to sanctions lies at the core of MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd, handled by Nigel Eaton KC on behalf of the shipowners, where he led Adam Woolnough. Elsewhere, Philippa Hopkins KC represents insurers in The Win Win, a ship that was seized by the Indonesian Navy on allegations that she illegallty entered the country’s waters. David Walsh and Freddie Onslow are juniors with active shipping practices and are both frequently instructed by leading law firms in LMAA arbitrations and before various courts.