Contact number
+33 1 4494 4050Chambers Review
HFW has a standout shipping practice covering both dry and wet matters. The team has extensive experience handling contentious matters, ranging from contaminated cargo disputes to collisions and the grounding of vessels. It is additionally active on a variety of shipping finance mandates, often representing banks or other investors. The law firm also maintains a strong aviation team working with a variety of insurers and national airlines on transactions, litigation and compliance.
Work Highlights
- HFW advised Air Corsica on its bid for the Public Service Obligation operations between Corsica and the mainland of France for the period 2024-2028.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team at HFW are very knowledgeable and the lawyers are experts in maritime and shipping law. I really like working with them and if ever I have a complex case in shipping law I would give it to them."
"They are available, reactive and well experienced for this type of transaction."
"The team at HFW are very knowledgeable and the lawyers are experts in maritime and shipping law. I really like working with them and if ever I have a complex case in shipping law I would give it to them."
"They are available, reactive and well experienced for this type of transaction."
Notable Practitioners
Guillaume Brajeux is a leading figure in the shipping market and handles a broad range of mandates, including collisions, pollution cases and shipbuilding disputes. He is highly sought after by insurers, ship owners and construction companies.
"Guillaume Brajeux is one of the French stars. He is a nice guy, he's smart and he has long experience in the industry."
"He is a key person in the market for maritime companies."
Jean-Marc Zampa routinely assists French banks with shipping finance mandates. He is particularly recognised for his expertise in French tax lease structures.
"Jean-Marc Zampa is very reliable, dependable and competent."
"He is very experienced and very available."
Stanislas Lequette moves up to the top band this year. Experienced in a range of shipping disputes, he assists clients with cargo claims, wreck removals and arbitration. He offers additional expertise in piracy matters.
"Stanislas Lequette is a formidable individual and one of the best French lawyers I have worked with."
Pierre Frühling assists insurers and airlines with regulatory, litigious and transactional matters.
Jean-Baptiste Charles demonstrates particular skills in litigious aviation matters, with work spanning crashes, damages claims and product liability issues.
Stéphanie Schweitzer operates across both contentious and non-contentious shipping mandates for ship owners and investment funds.
"Stéphanie Schweitzer is the best lawyer for crew and employment law matters."
Vincent Bénézech enters the rankings this year. He is qualified in France and England and assists clients with cargo damage disputes, with particular expertise in soft commodities cases.
"Vincent Bénézech is very calm and very knowledgeable."
Ranked Lawyers at
HFW
France