Quentin Bargate

Practice Areas

Quentin is the Founder and CEO of Bargate Murray, based in Mayfair, London, an award-winning Luxury Asset Law firm he founded 20 years ago, in 2004. Quentin began his career as shipping lawyer and litigator at Lovell, White and King (now Hogan Lovells), and was a litigation partner, head of the Trade and Shipping Group, and arbitration specialist for 14 years at Simmons & Simmons. Like the firm he founded and bears his name, he enjoys an excellent reputation as a trusted advisor and more recently, as an maritime arbitrator.

Quentin advises on everything to do with superyachts and other assets, including ownership, operations and dispute resolution. He is also a renowned and fearless litigator who has successfully handled many large high court and arbitration matters with consummate skill and attention to detail.

He specialises in advising UHNW clients, family offices, yacht managers, and other professionals about superyacht issues and transactions, including new build construction contracts, operational and regulatory matters, sale and purchase contracts, insurance, taxation, management agreements and seafarer employment agreements.

Quentin solves problems through skilful negotiation, but is not afraid to fight a client’s corner, when necessary, in order to achieve the best possible result.

He is a member of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands Shipowners Advisory Committee, yachts (CISAC-YC) assisting with and helping to shape the maritime policies of this key yachting jurisdiction. He inspires considerable loyalty amongst his clients, with many having retained Quentin’s services for over 20 years.

As well as his work with superyachts and aviation, Quentin also advises on other luxury asset classes such as fine art and classic cars.

Aside from yachts, Quentin has handled heavyweight banking, insurance and commercial dispute resolution work and he sits as a maritime arbitrator under London Maritime Arbitration Association (LMAA) Terms.

Career

Quentin was admitted as a Solicitor of England and Wales in 1981. Prior to founding Bargate Murray in 2004, Quentin was litigation Partner and Head of the International Trade and Shipping group at Simmons & Simmons (1990 – 2004) and before that he was an Associate at Lovell White & King (now Hogan Lovells) (1983 – 1987).

Professional Memberships

Quentin is actively involved in the industry and is a member of several organisations. He is a member of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands Shipowners Advisory Council (Yachts) (CISAC-YC). He is a supporting member of the London Maritime Arbitrator’s Association (LMAA), a member of the Nautical Institute (MNI), a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb), a member of the Baltic Exchange, a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club and a Freeman of the City of London. Quentin is also an IYAC accredited Arbitrator and a frequent appointee as an arbitrator on current LMAA Terms.

Publications

Quentin regularly comments and writes for the national, legal and trade press concerning superyachts and marine law and also hosts and moderates conferences at which industry leaders speak. A few examples include:

• Moderating the 2050 Superyacht Pioneers conference hosted by the Mare Forum

• Moderating a panel at “The Future for Superyachts, Business Jets and Luxury Property” conference hosted by Quaynote

• Moderating a panel at the “"Opportunities in Superyachts" conference hosted by Quaynote

• must be reclaimed in the UK” published in Law360

• “Superyachts are great, but we need to keep it real” published in SuperyachtNews

• “Keep informed on confidentiality” published in the FTAdviser

• “Superyachts don’t automatically mean supervillains” published in The Times

A skilled photographer, he is an associate of the Royal Photographic Society, and in April 2008, Quentin wrote, "Microstock Photography" published by Elsevier, under his pen name, Douglas Freer.

Personal

Quentin read law at Middlesex (1974-1977) and took his Masters in Marine Law and Policy at Cardiff (1983).

As an experienced litigator and arbitrator, Quentin has his own arbitration website – www.bargarb.co.uk – and Bargate Murray continues to handle complex and novel cases, mainly but not exclusively, in the maritime and superyacht sphere.