Boriana Farrar, a claims executive at the American P&I Club, has become chief legal officer for ship manager Patriot Contract Services, one of the club's clients.

Patriot manages 20 ships worldwide under new ownership and the leadership of chief executive Ryan Libhart Pereyda, according to a news release.

Farrar had been vice president, senior claims executive and counsel at the New York-based American Club since 2013, handling claims focused on personal injury, crew and passenger claims, casualties and charterparty and contract disputes.

She was also responsible for business development and marketing efforts in the Americas.

Farrar was previously a partner at New York maritime law firm Hill, Betts & Nash, where she was responsible for litigating maritime disputes in federal and state court that involved personal injury, casualties, breach of contract and other insurance claims.

A board member of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association, she is also chairwoman of the development committees for the Seamen’s Church Institute and the Marine Insurance & Claims Association.

Farrar holds a master’s degree in admiralty & maritime law from Tulane Law School and another master’s in international law from the University of San Diego School of Law.

She has also studied law in her native Bulgaria, as well as in the UK and the Netherlands.

She is fluent in Bulgarian, English, Russian and German.

Calls to Patriot and Farrar were not immediately returned.

Steve Lewis has been appointed business development director for the Americas to succeed Farrar.

Steve Ogullukian was appointed the American Club's deputy global underwriting director, while continuing as director responsible for reinsurance programmes.

Jack Jowers was recruited to join the club's Shipowners Claims Bureau office in Houston as assistant vice president and claims executive.