UK Bar 2020 – Shipping - Legal Marketplace Analysis

Most highly regarded

Silks

• Michael Ashcroft QC - Twenty Essex, London
• Alistair Schaff QC - 7 King’s Bench Walk, London
• Vasanti Selvaratnam QC - 36 Stone, London
• Timothy Young QC - Twenty Essex, London

Juniors

• Oliver Caplin - Twenty Essex, London
• Charles Priday - 7 King’s Bench Walk, London

Silks

Quadrant Chambers performs well in this chapter with 10 silks ranked.
Simon Rainey QC is “an excellent advocate” with “incisive analytical powers” and an ability to “think outside the box”.
David Goldstone QC is a standout advocate with deep experience of high-value shipping disputes.
James Turner QC is distinguished for his expertise in shipping-related contractual disputes and is singled out as “very pleasant to work with”.
Nigel Jacobs QC is an “extremely competent and very experienced advocate” who ranks highly for his adept handling shipping and insurance disputes.

7 King’s Bench Walk sees six silks highlighted here.
Alistair Schaff QC is a “real big-hitter” and “very impressive, especially for shipping arbitrations”.
Stephen Hofmeyr QC is “a very good commercial advocate” and “very highly recommended” for his profound knowledge of the shipping sector.
Jonathan Gaisman QC is “an all-round superstar”, commended for his considerable experience in commercial shipping disputes.
Rebecca Sabben-Clare QC is a “top-drawer practitioner”, renowned for the breadth of her experience in shipping litigation and arbitration proceedings.

Twenty Essex receives seven listings in this chapter for its silks.
Michael Ashcroft QC is commended as “super bright and authoritative” with an excellent track record handling various shipping disputes.
Timothy Young QC is “a charming and persuasive advocate” with “unparalleled experience” in the shipping sector.
Philip Edey QC is highly regarded as a “clear, incisive and formidable advocate” and “a pleasure to work with”.

At Essex Court Chambers, Huw Davies QC comes highly recommended for the breadth of his practice, and in-depth experience in shipping and shipbuilding matters.
Claire Blanchard QC wins high praise as a “tenacious advocate” who stands out for her profound understanding of maritime insurance.

Vasanti Selvaratnam QC at 36 Stone is a “very experienced commercial barrister” with “an incredible grasp and command of technical issues surrounding ship design, construction and operation”.
Elizabeth Blackburn QC is looked upon with enormous favour by sources who note she “has a lot of experience in wet shipping”.

Sean O’Sullivan QC at 4 Pump Court is a “standout advocate” with “excellent analytical skills”, as well as in-depth experience in all aspects of dry shipping matters.

Juniors

Oliver Caplin at Twenty Essex is “impressively bright” with strong experience in dry shipping disputes.
Clare Ambrose has “considerable expertise in shipping arbitrations” and is “extremely pleasant to work with” according to impressed peers.

Charles Priday at 7 King’s Bench Walk is “better than many silks in the field”, remark peers. He specialises in shipping and shipbuilding disputes.

Caroline Pounds at Quadrant Chambers is an “up-and-coming star” with experience in a vast range of dry and wet shipping disputes.
Nevil Phillips is highly regarded by impressed peers as “a silk in junior’s clothing” thanks to his work in shipping, commodities and trade.