Shipping & Commodities

Charles Kimmins KC is a respected silk with notable experience concerning charter parties, bills of lading and memoranda of agreement. He is known for his expertise across the full range of shipping and commodities issues. He has acted in a number of oil and gas disputes.

"Charles is a top-notch barrister. He is chatty in his advocacy style and is good at explaining things for everyone involved."

"Charles has an excellent reputation."

"He is the best commodities counsel around and a very good advocate. There is no one more knowledgeable on the law."

Christopher Hancock KC possesses a wide-ranging practice covering both shipping and commodities disputes and arbitrations, arising principally out of the offshore energy, mining and construction sectors.

"Christopher Hancock is a brilliant barrister. He is a master of his craft, his advocacy is fantastic and he zeroes in on the key issues."

"Christopher is strong in shipping insurance and cross-border work."

David Lewis KC operates a strong advocacy and advisory practice. He marshals his shipping and commodities knowledge in international arbitrations and court cases. Dry shipping and commodities are particular areas of focus.

"David is very clear and commercial in his advice and can turn it around quickly in pressurised circumstances. He processes complex issues and distils them into straightforward solutions."

"David is very available, analytical and a great advocate."

"David is the complete package. He knows the industry very well, and is clever, dedicated and good at the tactics."

Duncan Matthews KC has an established reputation as a leading silk at the shipping and commodities Bar. His busy practice incorporates a swathe of issues including dry bulk and tanker charter party disputes, the arrest of ships, contracts of affreightment, cargo claims and civil fraud.

"Duncan is a formidable advocate with exceptional mastery of detail. He is a very good cross-examiner and all round an exceptional performer."

"Duncan is a heavyweight practitioner who doesn't pull his punches and is good to have on side in complex cases."

"Duncan combines huge intellect, real drive and commitment. He is an all-rounder."

Michael Ashcroft KC is a distinguished barrister with an enviable reputation for his work across shipping and commodities, especially in disputes relating to superyachts and the petroleum industry. He has represented clients in the Supreme Court and is an expert in construction disputes. He is particularly highlighted for his ability in complex arbitrations.

"Michael is able to provide really good real-time advice to clients. He is a well-rounded silk, comfortable in insurance and shipping environments."

"Michael is a leading advocate and a brilliant mind. He is also clear, personable and accommodating. He is an excellent silk."

"Michael Ashcroft is a top shipping KC. He is extremely bright, very engaging and creative in his thinking."

Michael Collett KC manages an expansive commercial practice encompassing shipping, commodities, energy, insurance, international trade and shareholder disputes. Widely regarded as an advocate, he also accepts appointments as an arbitrator. He is experienced in cases relating to charter parties and bills of lading.

"Michael is a go-to in shipping and commodity law. He is available and user-friendly."

"Michael is an excellent silk. He is very knowledgeable and a great advocate."

"Michael has an excellent forensic mind, and he analyses each and every point with meticulous care."

Philip Edey KC is an exceptional advocate with considerable shipping and commodities expertise. His broad practice includes charter party disputes, cargo claims and bill of lading cases. He both litigates disputes and acts as an arbitrator. He has dealt with cases relating to both soft and hard commodities.

"Philip makes difficult things look simple. He is terrific in difficult matters, he is fantastically analytical and he explores difficult issues energetically."

"Philip is a consummate barrister. He is phenomenal and highly recommended."

"Philip is a very high-calibre barrister."

Timothy Hill KC is a highly skilled commercial litigator and arbitrator who has considerable expertise in shipping cases. His broad practice covers disputes relating to such subjects as charter parties, shipbuilding, ship collisions and bills of lading.

"Timothy Hill is truly superb. He is unmatched for his sophistication, creativity and ability to cut through the weeds with ease. Timothy is formidable, technically excellent and a passionate advocate."

"Timothy is a great advocate. He is very friendly with clients and is always available."

"The quality of Timothy's work is outstanding, as is his advocacy. He is extremely commercial and is a pleasure to work with."

Timothy Young KC is a highly esteemed barrister who combines marked ability in shipping and commodities matters with specialist expertise in several related areas including international trade and sale of goods. In addition to appearing in court, he also handles arbitrations.

"Timothy Young is top of the profession."

"Timothy Young is a legend. He is charming, very clear, very accessible and gets into the trenches with clients. He is the man for difficult cases and can find unique arguments."

"He is an excellent barrister and a fantastic arbitrator."

Alex Carless possesses experience of wet and dry shipping cases. He is regularly instructed in charter party disputes, bills of lading and shipbuilding contracts. He has experience acting at all levels of court including the Supreme Court.

"Alex Carless does excellent work, and is commercial and a team player. He has a keen sense of detail and shows an impressive ability to observe large amounts of information."

"Alex is very knowledgeable, responsive and user-friendly."

"Alex is a good senior junior. He is efficient, and useful in strategising."

Daniel Bovensiepen acts in shipping disputes involving various kinds of vessels including container ships, tankers, superyachts and cruise ships and relating to such matters as collisions, ship sales and shipbuilding. He has further experience of commodities arbitrations.

"Daniel is exceptionally able and a great pleasure to work with. His attention to detail is second to none."

"Daniel is an outstanding barrister. He is meticulous when it comes to detail and he is full of good ideas. He is a pleasure to work with."

"Daniel is very experienced, detail-oriented and the type of person you want in complex cases."

Julian Kenny KC is a commercial law specialist with an established reputation for shipping and commodities work. He is experienced in cases regarding marine insurance, derivatives and the international sale of goods.

"Julian is a go-to for commodities work. He is bright, able, and his written work is superb. He is an excellent advocate and is very clear and concise."

"Julian is sensible, measured and clever. He has great analysis skills and an ability to make the complicated simple."

"Julian is extremely bright and strong in shipping work. He is one of the top intellectual academic KCs and is very user-friendly."

Karen Maxwell is an experienced barrister recognised for her competencies in shipping and shipbuilding arbitrations, where she is particularly noted for her expertise in procedural issues and challenges.

"Karen is brilliant. She has an excellent legal mind, and is very calm and experienced. She engages in highly complicated and challenging issues."

"Karen is a pleasure to deal with. She instils absolute confidence and is fantastic to work with."

Michael Coburn KC is a highly regarded practitioner commended for his expertise in shipping and commodities matters and for his additional capability in international trade. Many of his cases relate to charter party agreements and shipbuilding contracts.

"Michael is excellent. He provides prompt, concise advice with clear views on the likely outcome and recommendations on strategy."

"Michael has excellent experience and is sharp and approachable."

"Michael provides quick, incisive and concise advice that is straightforward."

Sara Masters KC is an experienced barrister with a broad practice covering international trade and sanctions alongside shipping and commodities matters. She is especially well known for her advocacy in anti-suit injunctions and cross-border disputes. She also acts as an arbitrator and mediator.

"Sara Masters is a superstar."

"Sara is a very good KC who gets her hands dirty and supports solicitors and clients very well. She is dynamic, outspoken and forthright."

Susannah Jones is an experienced junior with a forensic grasp of shipping and commodities law. She focuses on energy-related matters, especially those relating to LNG carriers and offshore support vessels. She handles both litigation and arbitration proceedings.

"Susannah is magnificent. She is unbelievably diligent and really good with clients. She is always on time and she is rated very highly."

Henry Byam-Cook KC is a strong silk with a broad commercial disputes practice, spanning such issues as sale contracts, ship finance, charter party disputes, shipbuilding and supply agreements. He deals with both soft and hard commodities. He handles arbitrations as well as litigation.

"Henry is a charming and hard-working barrister. He is a pleasure to work with."

"Henry is a joy to work with. He takes the right points at the right time and manages to capture the ear of the tribunal."

Philip Riches KC possesses expertise in shipping disputes as well as mining, banking, energy and trade matters. He has dealt with a wide range of disputes in his time at the Bar, relating to both dry shipping issues and shipbuilding. His instructions originate in countries across the globe including China, Russia and those in South America.

"Philip is growing and becoming a top silk."

Tom Corby is a strong commercial barrister with noted proficiency in shipping disputes. He is called upon to represent clients in charter party disputes and shipbuilding and cargo claims, and is adept in handling arbitrations in many jurisdictions around the world.

"Tom is a really brilliant junior. He's very user-friendly, into the details and sees issues from a unique angle."

"Tom is a very good senior junior. He is clever, quick-witted and a thoroughly decent human being."

Andrew Feld has a broad practice within the field of shipping and commodities. His work covers areas such as marine insurance, energy and natural resources, and financial disputes.

"Andrew is excellent in commodities disputes. He has good analytical skills and is able to cut through the nonsense."

"Andrew is always brimming with good ideas. He is a great draftsman of pleadings, is user-friendly and very helpful regardless of commitments."

Angharad Parry is a junior with a noteworthy commercial practice. She demonstrates expertise in sale of goods, commodities and shipping matters. She is comfortable appearing in both domestic and international arbitrations.

"Angharad is a go-to for commercial shipping matters. She is robust, user-friendly and she is a good advocate."

"Angharad is a very safe pair of hands and a delight to work with."

"Angharad is incredibly high-quality and is really efficient in her writing."

Colleen Hanley has a strong reputation for her international shipping and commodities practice. She advises and appears on behalf of commodities traders and ship owners' defence clubs on a wide range of issues. She routinely appears before arbitral tribunals and the commercial courts.

"Colleen is wonderful to work with. She's bright, cuts to the heart of an issue quickly and is easy to discuss cases with."

"Colleen is very approachable, hands-on and fast."

"Colleen is wonderful to work with. She's bright and cuts to the heart of an issue quickly but is easy to discuss cases with."

Lawrence Akka KC has strong capabilities in the shipping and commodities space. He has significant experience in demurrage and charter issues among a wide array of other matters. He also sits as an arbitrator.

"Lawrence is very thorough, cautious in his advice and has a good manner with judges."

"Lawrence is a very impressive KC, strong in international arbitrations. He is low-key, courteous and on top of the law."

Luke Pearce KC is commended for his excellent advocacy and arbitration work. He deals with shipping and commodities matters as well as banking and derivatives issues. He regularly appears as sole counsel.

"Luke is an excellent mind. He manages highly complex matters with calm expertise."

"Luke is a very nice KC who does a good job. He is a good draftsman."

"Luke Pearce is very clever, good on his feet and good to work with."

Matthew McGhee has experience in a range of shipping matters, often appearing as sole counsel. He is regularly instructed in cases involving P&I clubs and charter party disputes as well as fraud cases.

"Matthew provides exceptional service, demonstrating a high level of expertise and a sophisticated approach. He is able to navigate intricate legal frameworks with ease."

"Matthew is an excellent lawyer. He is user-friendly, responsive, helpful, quick and altogether really good."

"Matthew is incredibly well prepared and impressive. He has a good manner with clients, and is very responsive and good value."

Sean Snook has a highly regarded shipping practice, representing clients in a range of dry shipping disputes. Snook's practice includes appearing before the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

"Sean is a fantastic lawyer. He is very experienced, great all round, and his written work is fantastic. He has an ability to clearly and concisely advise clients on the most complex issues."

"Sean is a great barrister who works seamlessly as part of a team."

Simon Milnes KC has extensive experience working in a wide range of shipping and commodities matters including contracts for specialised vessels and charter party disputes. He has been instructed in LMAA and SCMA arbitrations.

"Simon is excellent - a very responsive and proactive counsel."

"Simon is excellent both in advice and advocacy. He is very pleasant to work with and is pragmatic and effective."

"Simon is an excellent KC. He is user-friendly, helpful, enthusiastic and really on the money."

Socrates Papadopoulos is highly regarded for his expertise in shipping matters. Papadopoulos is experienced in charter party disputes.

"Socrates is very user-friendly and he provides concise advice on the most complex issues."

"Socrates is a very good and engaging advocate."

"Socrates is very commercially aware and excellent in complex legal issues."

Josephine Davies KC is regularly instructed in challenging commodities and shipping disputes. Her practice includes freight agreements, charter parties and bills of lading. Her technical background ensures she is often instructed in cases involving technical and complex scientific elements.

"Josephine provides excellent strategic analysis, balancing broad commercial and pure legal elements throughout."

"Josephine combines legal know-how with practical knowledge and understanding."

"Josephine is a great barrister, very strong on the law and collaborative."

Oliver Caplin KCis a well-thought-of barrister with substantial expertise in dry shipping, trade and commodities disputes. He represents clients in arbitration proceedings as well as in the Commercial Court and Court of Appeal.

"Oliver Caplin not only is a stellar advocate, but consistently produces powerful written submissions promptly and in a manner that reflects the commercial imperatives of the client's position."

"Oliver always looks calm and never stressed. He is very diligent and careful, which gives confidence to his client."

"Oliver is a great barrister who delivers his advice in a clear, straightforward style."