Christopher Metcalf is the latest high-profile recruit to join HFW as the law firm looks to boost its shipping practice.
He will join in September from Clyde & Co, subject to local regulatory approvals.
Metcalf’s practice spans a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters in the shipping, offshore and oil and gas sectors, including charter party, COA, bills of lading and other commercial agreements.
He also advises insurers throughout South East Asia on coverage and subrogation, and is said to have “significant experience of litigation, mediation and arbitration in local and international venues”.
Toby Stephens, head of shipping at HFW in Singapore, said: “Chris brings considerable dry shipping expertise to complement our existing strength in wet shipping and ship finance, and further enhances our ability to offer specialist advice to clients across the shipping and maritime industry.”
The head of HFW’s Singapore office, Mert Hifzi, added: “This is another major hire for us in Singapore and part of our ongoing drive to expand and diversify our practice throughout Asia-Pacific.
“We’ve now added six new partners in Singapore over the past 20 months, and will continue to seek opportunities to bolster our offering to clients across our core sectors and services.”
HFW’s recruitment of Metcalf follows the recent hire of former shipbroker Chris Jones and of ship finance partner Siri Wennevik in 2018.
It also relocated admiralty and crisis management partner Toby Stephens and ship finance partner John Forrester from London to Singapore in 2017.
“This latest hire and our record number of internal promotions this year reflects our continued and longstanding commitment to the global shipping and maritime industry,” said HFW’s global head of shipping, Paul Dean.
“We have ambitious plans to further strengthen and broaden our practice to reinforce our position as the number one advisor to the sector globally.”
