International law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) has enticed former Clyde & Co partner Maurice Thompson to lead its global litigation funding team.
Joining as a partner based in Melbourne, Australia, Thompson’s new role focuses on litigation/disputes funding and maritime, energy, aviation, drones, oil and gas, and resources and commodities law.
The appointment is part of an ongoing expansion that has seen HFW Australia double the size of its team since 2015. HFW said Thompson joins the law firm along with a team of seven new-hire lawyers including three from Clyde & Co.
Commenting on Thompson’s appointment, HFW Australia managing partner Gavin Vallely said: “Having started his career in shipping and commodities and establishing himself as one of Australia’s leading practitioners in these sectors, Maurice has also become an expert practitioner in the offshore energy, aviation, insurance, litigation funding and, more recently, autonomous ships and aircraft sectors.
“He has vast experience managing large scale multijurisdictional arbitrations and litigation, and his practice is a perfect fit with HFW’s industry sectors.”
Thompson was a member of HFW Australia’s foundation team when the firm’s first Australian office was opened in 2006.
He left to join the law firm HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in 2008, and then Clyde & Co where he worked in Australia and Dubai.
Throughout his career, Thompson focused on shipping and commodities, with Vallely describing him as “one of Australia’s leading practitioners in these sectors”.
He also acted for airlines and their insurers in defending multiple Australian Court proceedings arising from the Malaysia Airlines MH17, MH370 and Germanwings 9525 casualties.
“Maurice has also become an expert practitioner in the offshore energy, aviation, insurance, litigation funding and, more recently, autonomous ships and aircraft sectors. He has vast experience managing large scale multijurisdictional arbitrations and litigation, and his practice is a perfect fit with HFW’s industry sectors,” Vallely said.
Thompson is qualified to practise law in Australia, and England and Wales, and holds post graduate legal qualifications from South Africa and the USA.
Thompson said he looked forward to leading HFW’s global litigation funding team and assisting the firm and its clients in taking advantage of opportunities arising with developments in the litigation/disputes funding market internationally.
“The firm has an ambition to become a market leader in litigation/disputes funding and the opportunity to contribute to this initiative was a major attraction for me,” he said.
