Law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has taken a shipping team from collapsed Ince in Greece for the second time in four months.
The UK-headquartered maritime specialist said it is expanding its dispute resolution practice with three new partners, Jamila Khan, Aris Moschopoulos and Dimitris Giomelakis.
They come 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.
The news represents the continuing break-up of one of the leading names in maritime law. Ince went bankrupt last year amid allegations of misuse of client funds.
WFW said Khan has more than 20 years of experience in shipping law in London and Athens.
Clients include leading shipowners, charterers, insurers and oil and gas traders.
Her primary focus is on dry and wet shipping work, advising on all types of disputes arising from ship casualties and commercial transactions and contracts, including sale-and-purchase and newbuilding agreements, charterparties, memorandums of agreement and bills of lading.
Moschopoulos has more than 14 years’ contentious law experience, primarily in dry and wet shipping matters, as well as in insurance and reinsurance disputes.
He is often also called on to resolve time-sensitive and complex disputes involving difficult jurisdictions.
The lawyer has also built a significant advisory and contentious sanctions practice encompassing all regimes relevant to shipping and international trade, WFW said.
Giomelakis has been working in the sector for more than 18 years.
Asset finance lawyers recruited in October
His main area of expertise is in wet and dry shipping litigation and dispute resolution, regularly advising leading Greek and international shipping companies, clubs, operators, charterers and others in litigation before the Greek courts.
This is the second team to join WFW Athens from Ince in the past four months, following the arrival of asset finance partner Konstantinos Mexias and his team of five lawyers and one paralegal last October.
Athens office head Alexia Hatzimichalis said: “I am delighted to welcome Jamila, Aris and Dimitris and all the team to WFW.
“Their combined experience and expertise in shipping dispute litigation will play a crucial role in expanding and strengthening our maritime disputes practice in Athens.”
The news comes hot on the heels of rival UK-headquartered law firm HFW bringing across Ince’s 11-strong team of ship finance experts in Piraeus, led by partners Robin Parry and Ronan Le Du.
They each have decades of experience in ship finance matters and join HFW alongside a team of six lawyers and three business services professionals.
