Shipping & Commodities

Sean O'Sullivan KC is a highly commended barrister with expertise in dry shipping matters including demurrage, charter party and sale of goods disputes. He stands out for his deft handling of shipbuilding disputes in litigation and arbitration.

"Sean is in a league of his own. He is second to none when it comes to oral advocacy."

"Sean is a rising star. He is an immaculate practitioner and a go-to guy for difficult cases. Sean is very sound on the law, very commercial and user-friendly."

"Sean is an excellent barrister and a brilliant advocate."

Andrew Stevens is a respected junior in demand for his capabilities in international shipping arbitrations. He possesses additional expertise acting in superyacht cases.

"Andrew is excellent at getting on top of the detail in a case quickly and provides clear, succinct advice."

"Andrew has fantastic organisational skills and attention to detail."

"Andrew is very clever. He has an engaging style and is collegiate in his approach to clients."

Ed Jones is a well-regarded junior who is sought out by shipping firms for salvage and frustration cases. He is experienced in representing clients in both the Admiralty and Commercial Courts, and frequently appears as sole counsel.

"Ed is very responsive and has a calm authority about him. He provides a reassuring, confident and calming presence on clients, and is very user-friendly."

"Ed is an excellent all-rounder and is very user-friendly. He is quick to respond and staggeringly intelligent."

"Ed has outstanding drafting skills. He is very knowledgeable and extremely user-friendly."

James Leabeater KC is an excellent silk with notable capability across dry shipping, shipbuilding and offshore construction disputes. He regularly appears in both the Commercial Court and arbitration forums. His caseload concerns a diverse selection of matters including shipbuilding, charter parties and cargo contamination.

"James is a fantastic all-rounder and a pleasure to work with."

"James is very experienced, super bright and very affable."

"James is very good in maritime arbitrations."

James Watthey has a recognised capacity in both wet and dry shipping matters. He is particularly notable for his work in superyacht disputes and his close relationships with shipping lines, P&I clubs and overseas clients. He is also increasingly active in commodities disputes.

"James is responsive, commercially savvy and a pleasure to work with."

"James has a deep knowledge of the law, and is extremely user-friendly, commercial, efficient and always available. He always provides concise and clear advice."

"James is a go-to because of his flexibility. He is charming and clients love him, but he can also be a ferocious advocate when he needs to be."

Nick Vineall KC is often highlighted for his technical acumen. He has particular experience in offshore construction and shipbuilding disputes. He has recently been involved in a growing number of arbitration appeals.

"Nick is engaged in complex matters and is very knowledgeable."

Rani Noakes is an adroit junior noted for her expertise in shipping and commodities matters. She regularly acts in complex arbitrations and court proceedings, frequently as sole counsel. She has experience handling charter party and bill of lading disputes along with a plethora of wet shipping and shipbuilding concerns.

"Rani is a great junior, gets involved very well and is easy to work with."

Thomas Steward has an expansive practice that includes instructions relating to shipbuilding, charter parties and cargo disputes. He handles both wet and dry matters, as well as cases concerning international trade issues. In addition to being an effective litigator, he regularly appears in arbitration proceedings.

"Thomas is a punchy advocate who conveys his points forcefully. He is strong both on his feet and in written advocacy. He is very calm and doesn't get frazzled."

"Thomas is a really good barrister. He is down to earth, pragmatic, very capable and focused."

"Thomas is very good to work with and particularly commercial in coming up with legal solutions to resolve claims."

Alexander Wright KC is an outstanding silk with a dynamic practice covering matters such as charter party, contract of affreightment and international carriage of goods disputes. He is also instructed in complex shipbuilding disputes and a range of wet shipping matters. He maintains an impressive practice in China, acting for shipyards.

"Alexander Wright is exceptionally bright, hard-working, charming and user-friendly."

"Alexander is an extremely good barrister who gets the grasp of details extremely quickly. He is very good at finding inventive arguments and he is a very solid pair of hands."

"Alexander is fantastically quick, very user-friendly and on top of the law. He is very easy to deal with and clear."

Gideon Shirazi's practice spans both wet and dry shipping work, and he often represents ship owners and manufacturers. He is also experienced in complex commodities contract work. Shirazi is very well versed in shipping-related arbitrations.

"Gideon is really impressive. He is extremely bright and proactive."

"Gideon is a fierce advocate, well known for his technical work."

Robert Scrivener is a notable junior with a practice that spans multiple jurisdictions. He is acts on a range of matters in the shipping industry such as vessel construction issues, charter party disputes and FPSO arbitrations.

"Robert is very meticulous, responsive and user-friendly."

"Robert is fantastically hard-working and never lets the ball stop. He manages huge amounts of technical detail and is the backbone of cases. He is technically excellent and legally very good."