A set with a ‘wide variety of talent’, Quadrant Chambers provides ’accessible and practical’ advice across all full range of matters, with parallels visible with the set's reputation on water visible in the air. John Kimbell KC offers cross-border advocacy and arbitration support in disputes involving aircraft sales, leasing and security issues, as well as fatal accidents. Amid a wave of litigation stemming from aircraft stranded and confiscated in Russia, Guy Blackwood KC is defending AIG and others in multi-billion-dollar proceedings brought by AerCap and others. Robert-Jan Temmink KC represents Merx Aviation Servicing Ltd in a $600 million claim against insurers over aircraft losses, while Matthew Reeve KC, supported by Joseph England, acts for Genesis Leasing in two high-value insurance claims arising from similar events. Tom Bird, well-versed in regulatory and product liability issues, continues to advise in the defence of Leonardo in the litigation over the 2018 helicopter crash which claimed the lives of, among others, Leicester City FC chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Koye Akoni has a commercial practice covering aviation leasing and finance matters, most recently acting in a $4m dispute over an aircraft lease novation agreement.
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Profile
Position
John Kimbell QC is a maritime and aviation law specialist. He is instructed on a regular basis to appear in the Admiralty Court, the Commercial Court and arbitrations in London (LCIA, ICC and LMAA) and in Hamburg (GMAA). His shipping work encompasses both 'wet' collision and other Admiralty Court matters and 'dry' bill of lading and charterparty disputes. He was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in September 2018 and is chair of the Admiralty Bar Group.
John has acted on a number of leading cases in the shipping arena over recent years including advising a number of Owners and Charterers in relation to proceedings arising from the insolvency of OW Bunkers – see e.g. Stena Bulk AB v Copley [2015] Lloyd’s Rep Plus 5. He further acted on Stolt Kestrel BV v Sener Petrol Denizcilik Ticaret AS; and CDE S.A. v Sure Wind Marine Ltd - [2015] All ER (D) 146 (Oct) two cases concerning collision actions in the Admiralty court, the claimant ship owners had been refused an extension of time for issuing their actions in personam. He was involved in the first West-African piracy case to be litigated in the High Court (“CAPE BIRD”). John also advises clients on jurisdictional, private international law and foreign law aspects to disputes. He successfully represented Thomas Cook in the Court of Appeal and in the Supreme Court in Stott v Thomas Cook [2014] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 207 on the exclusivity of the Montreal Convention. John is rare in the marketplace as a barrister who is fluent in, and accepts instructions in German. Since 2001 he has been qualified to practice as a lawyer ('Rechtsanwalt') in Germany. He uses his knowledge of German law to provide a specialist service not only to German, Austrian and Swiss clients but more generally to clients from civil law countries. He recently acted for in German insurer in Woodford v AIG [2018] EWHC 358 (QB) and for a German ship manager in Harms Bergung, Transport & Heavylift GmbH & Co KG v Harms Offshore AHT 'Uranus' GmbH & Co KG and others - [2015] All ER (D) 72 (May). He acts as an arbitrator in London and Hamburg. He is the joint editor (with Nigel Meeson QC) of Admiralty Jurisdiction & Practice (5th edition, 2017) Informa and one of the authors (with Michael Howard QC and John Knott) of Foreign Currency: claims, judgments and damages (2016) Routledge.
Career
Called 1995 (Inner Temple); Called to the German Bar (Rechtsanwalt) 2001. QC 2015; Deputy High Court Judge (2018).
Languages
Fluent German.
Memberships
COMBAR; supporting member LMAA; British-German Jurists’ Association; TechBar; Chancery Bar Association (Honorary); GRUR.
Education
Isleworth and Syon School; Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1990 BA Hons 1st; 1991 M Phil); Harvard University; Brasenose College, Oxford (BCL).
Content supplied by Quadrant Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Good all-round commercial chambers.'
- 'Very responsive, friendly, and will go the extra mile.'
- 'A great set.'
- 'Rival sets tend to be more commercial and less insurance-focused, and command higher rates. Quadrant Chambers is better value for money.'
- 'The best Aviation set.'
- 'The clerks are fantastic.'
- 'A leading set in the Aviation Bar with deep bench strength across Silk and Junior ranks. The quality of training is excellent and shows in how capable and consistent the barristers are.'
- 'Quadrant Chambers is a set with a wide variety of talent which is accessible and practical.'