UK-headquartered law firm Watson Farley & Williams has expanded its shipping practice with recruits from Stephenson Harwood and the collapsed Ince group.
Maritime disputes expert Nikki Chu, who was previously a managing associate in the marine and international trade group at Stephenson Harwood, has joined WFW as a partner in London.
Chu has more than 11 years of experience, specialising in dry cargo shipping, including charterparty, bill of lading, cargo and shipbuilding disputes, and advising clients on LNG shipping issues.
She has acted for clients including owners, charterers, protection and indemnity clubs, insurers, traders, cargo interests and maritime investment companies.
WFW London dispute resolution co-head Rob Fidoe said: “Her expertise in marine disputes and LNG shipping is invaluable and contributes greatly to our growing maritime disputes practice.”
Chu herself added: “I am thrilled to be joining WFW whose reputation in the maritime sector is globally renowned, and WFW are experts in the LNG market.”
WFW has also brought in dispute experts Natalie Jensen and Khalid Hamed from Ince in Dubai, who will be partners in the firm.
Jensen has expertise in the maritime, international trade and energy sectors with extensive experience in the UK and United Arab Emirates markets.
Insurance expertise
She started in protection and indemnity insurance and now advises on disputes arising out of charterparties, bills of lading, contracts of affreightment and other contracts of carriage, and those involving collisions and allisions.
Clients include shipowners, charterers, cargo interests, P&I clubs and insurers.
Hamed qualified in Egypt and has more than 30 years of experience advising banks, insurance companies and manufacturing and trading companies throughout the Middle East.
He is particularly well versed in insurance and reinsurance disputes, WFW said.
WFW Dubai office head Charlotte Bijlani added: “Enhancing our maritime disputes offering is one of the firm’s key strategic goals across our global network especially in a growing international hub such as Dubai. They are exactly the right hires at just the right time.”
Jensen said the duo were very excited to be joining.
“The firm’s pedigree of excellence in the maritime sector is second to none and represents a fantastic platform from which we will be better able to support our clients,” she added.
Last month, WFW added a shipping team from Ince in Greece.
Three new partners — Jamila Khan, Aris Moschopoulos and Dimitris Giomelakis — joined in dispute resolution.
They came from the former Piraeus office of Ince, along with a team comprising four senior associates, three associates, a trainee, a paralegal and a marine manager.
