Seven lawyers have left defunct Axiom Ince to join Wikborg Rein in London as part of its shipping disputes team.
The new recruits are among the 16 lawyers who have left Ince to join its Norwegian rival across its shipping disputes, finance and commercial disputes and international arbitration teams.
Michael Volikas, Ian Chetwood and Charles O’Connor have joined Wikborg Rein’s shipping disputes team as consultants.
Amanda Urwin and Sophie Henniker-Major have been appointed as senior lawyers and Jack Maxted and Alice Hoare have joined as associates.
Wikborg Rein’s London managing partner, Chris Grieveson, said the new hires are “highly regarded lawyers, many of them have been known to us for over 25 years”.
“These additions to the team are very much in line with our strategy to grow our international dispute resolution and finance offering with top-quality legal professionals,” he added.
“We are confident that our clients will be pleased to work with these leading names in the coming weeks and months.”
Wikborg Rein said the 16 hires will create synergies with its existing practice based on shared clientele, and introduce new clients and a “substantial” caseload.
Volikas and Chetwood are well-known names in shipping legal circles. Wikborg Rein said they have a strong record in managing complex commercial disputes, primarily representing shipowners and their insurers, including prominent protection and indemnity clubs.
Volikas has handled high-profile cases such as the Prestige litigation, following the disastrous oil pollution incident in 2002.
Chetwood has represented container carrier MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company in the Maersk Honam case, which stemmed from a fire on board the vessel in 2018. MSC was party to the case as AP Moller-Maersk’s partner in the 2M ocean carrier alliance.
Outside shipping disputes, Beatrice Russ has joined Wikborg Rein’s finance team. Russ specialises in various forms of debt finance, particularly in the shipping and energy sectors.
She is joined from Ince by two associates, Sian Sanders and Ben Orchard.
The 16 hires from Ince are rounded out with the recruitment of six lawyers who will join Wikborg Rein’s commercial disputes and international arbitration team. The team has particular expertise in insurance law and other insurance-related matters for underwriters in the London market.
