Quadrant Chambers remains the leading set for shipping matters, with formidable bench strength across silks and juniors, handling the full range of wet and dry shipping disputes. Guy Blackwood KC successfully represented the shipowners in Herculito Maritime Ltd v Gunvor International BV, marking the first detailed Supreme Court ruling on the incorporation of non-jurisdiction clauses into bills of lading, in a case in the wake of a general average claim by shipowners who paid a ransom to Somali pirates. Another significant Supreme Court case, Sharp Corp Ltd v Viterra BV, saw Chirag Karia KC leading Ben Gardner, with the court affirming the ‘principle of mitigation’ as a fundamental tenet of the English law of damages. Unled, Saira Paruk represents the owners of the Asia Ruby III in a claim against the Ever Given limitation fund; after the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal, the Asia Ruby III suffered damage to avoid running into the back of another vessel. Andrew Stevens – Quadrant Chambers joined from 4 Pump Court in September 2025, having appeared in Amyr Trading v Eternus Group, successfully obtaining the discharge of an ex parte injunction preventing the sale of a cargo of Venezuelan oil products.
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Profile
Position
Commercial litigation and arbitration, shipping, commodities, energy, insurance/reinsurance and international arbitration. Cases: GTLK v Aviation Reinsurers (lead counsel in US$2.2 billion aviation insurance claim following Russian seizure of leased aircraft); Sharp v Viterra 2023] 2 All E.R.(Comm) 457(CA) (GAFTA Default-Clause construction); Stema Barge II [2022] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 170 (CA)(meaning of “operator” in Limitation Convention); OCM v Gulf-Petrochem (2022)(LOI enforcement); Maersk v Mercuria [2022] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 95 (2021)(anti-suit injunction in US$45 million fraud); Hin- Leong/Ocean- Tankers Fraud (US$800 million oil fraud); Sakizaya Kalon [2021] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 70 (100% recovery in 3-vessel Suez Canal collision); Setana v Hafesa (2021)(trigger-pricing in term diesel- sale); Tenacity (2020) (impecuniosity defence to LOI); Arbitration (contaminated bunkers); Arbitration (lien-on-sub-freights); Arbitration (bunker-fraud); Committeri v ClubMed (CA)(Rome I vs. Rome II Regulations); Sea Master [2019] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 101 (switch bills; arbitral jurisdiction); Yusuf Cepnioglu [2016] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 641(CA)(contractual anti-suit injunction vs. 3rd party); Ramburs [2016] Bus.L.R. 135 (GAFTA Substitution Clause); Crudesky [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 1(CA)(force majeure; novus actus); Proton [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 100 (contract formation); Merwestone [2013] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 131 (“perils of the sea” & Inchmaree insurance cover; fortuity requirement); Lehmann Timber [2013] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 541 (CA)(GA; lien exercise costs); Ratna (CA)(US$60M oil dispute; state immunity); Arbitration (subsea blowout preventer defects); Choil v Sahara (hedging losses).
Career
Called 1988, Lincoln’s Inn (Denning Scholar); Queen’s Counsel 2012; MA(Cantab.), Slaughter & May Prize (top 1st in Law at Cambridge University); LL.M. (UC Berkeley), Harkness Fellow; Attorney practising in California (1990-2000).
Joint Editor, “Butterworths Commercial Court and Arbitration Pleadings”
Languages
Gujarati (spoken); basic French.
Memberships
COMBAR; State Bar of California.
Education
Cambridge University (1987 MA Hons); Slaughter and May prize for top 1st in Law at Cambridge University (1987); Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn (1988); University of California, Berkeley (1990 LLM); Harkness Fellow, Commonwealth Fund of New York (1989-90).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- "Simon Slattery leads the clerking team with aplomb, and is particularly cognisant of the needs of clients in Asia. "
- "A top set. My go-to chambers when I need an English barrister."
- "The clerks are always helpful and keen to assist."
- "Top quality and top service!"
- "Quadrant Chambers is the No. 1 chambers for shipping disputes."
- "There is no one better for shipping disputes. Their expertise covers all aspects of shipping."
- "The depth of talent within chambers is impressive, with experienced barristers providing strategic and commercially focused advice across a wide range of dry shipping disputes, including charter parties, cargo claims, and shipbuilding matters."
- "They’ve always been a strong set for shipping, with real depth and availability – a reliable set."