Boutique legal firm Campbell Johnston Clark (CJC) has strengthened its wet and dry practice with the promotion of two new directors.

Duncan Ealand and James Clayton were previously senior associates in the London office.

"Both bring considerable insight to their new roles and exemplify the firm’s readiness to promote young talent from within," the firm said.

"The promotions expand and develop the firm’s core business areas in dry and wet shipping disputes and in transactional work."

Ealand has been with CJC for seven-and-a-half years, and has a background in wet and dry litigation across a broad range of protection and indemnity work.

He specialises in time/voyage charterparties, contracts of affreightment and bills of lading and marine insurance issues, including collisions, groundings, salvage and pollution.

Clayton is an expert in transactional, corporate and ship finance law.

James Clayton. Photo: CJC

He has been with CJC for five years as a senior associate.

Keeping young talent

"In the 10 years since establishing CJC, it has always been the company’s policy to promote talented staff from within as well as to attract outside expertise, as we continue to grow across both the litigation and transactional areas of our business," said Jonathan Campbell, one of company's founders.

"The appointments of Duncan and James show that CJC attracts and retains the leading maritime law talents."

Last month, it poached two HFW lawyers to beef up its Singapore team.

William Pyle joined as a senior associate for Asia-Pacific, bringing with him "a wealth of experience" in advising P&I clubs, shipowners, managers, charterers, insurers, banks and other clients.

The second recruit, solicitor Andrew Shannon, is a master mariner based in Singapore since 2014.