HFW is widely regarded as a market leader in the maritime space, offering end-to-end support across the full spectrum of shipping matters. Global head Paul Dean oversees a practice that combines technical expertise with international reach. Michael Ritter is regularly instructed on complex environmental matters, while Richard Neylon brings experience in large-scale marine casualties. Salvage work and wet shipping issues are handled by Andrew Chamberlain, who is frequently involved in high-stakes operations at sea. On the dry side, Jean Koh leads on litigation and contractual disputes, particularly those involving clients in the Japanese market. Paolo Ghirardani is noted for his focus on international trade and high-profile disputes involving piracy, vessel groundings, and major onboard incidents. Claire Womersley is active in collision-related litigation, while Alex Kemp is a trusted adviser to insurers and brokers. Rory Butler and Jenny Salmon are also recommended.

Hill Dickinson LLP’s shipping practice is recognised for its strength across both wet and dry work, with a reputation for being ‘efficient’ and ‘knowledgeable’. The team is jointly led by Tony Goldsmith, who heads the Marine Business Group and Ian Teare – head of the UK shipping team. Siiri Duddington is particularly active in sanctions-related matters and regularly acts for shipowners, traders, and insurers. Beth Bradley is another key figure in the team, advising on commercial disputes with a strong client base in South Korea. David Pitlarge focuses on dry shipping issues, including bills of lading and shipbuilding contract disputes. Marine casualty work is handled by Martin Hall, who also advises on salvage claims and arbitration. Tony Allen is frequently instructed on yacht-related matters, while Adrian Marsh is a go-to adviser for clients dealing with cargo claims and marine insurance issues.

Reed Smith LLP’s shipping team is highly regarded for its broad maritime expertise, advising insurers, shipowners, and commodity traders across multiple jurisdictions. Richard Hakes leads the practice, supported by dispute resolution specialists Alex Andrews and Charles Weller, while Richard Gunn focuses on casualty and admiralty matters. Alexander Sandiforth advises on bulk commodity transport as well as shipbuilding and offshore projects. Stephen Kirkpatrick acts for charterers, shipowners, and insurers, and Thor Maalouf provides guidance on charterparties and electronic bills of lading. Andrew Taylor brings extensive experience in sale and purchase transactions and casualty management.

Campbell Johnston Clark is a respected boutique shipping firm, providing advice to shipowners, managers, financiers, shipyards, and brokers. The firm handles both complex dry litigation and cross-border transactional matters with ease. The litigation practice is led by founding partner Alistair Johnston, while James Clayton oversees transactional work, leveraging his in-house experience at an international ship finance bank. Maria Borg Barthet is highly regarded for her work across wet and dry shipping, particularly in commodity disputes, and senior associate Amy Lindemann offers specialist expertise in offshore drilling contractor matters.

Clyde & Co’s shipping practice is prominent for handling complex marine insurance disputes, ranging from charterparty and cargo claims to collision, salvage, and policy coverage matters. The casualty team, led by Jai Sharma, is particularly active on salvage and general average cases. Simon Culhane focuses on arbitration, advising clients across Europe and Asia. Will Trustram, in the energy and marine practice, frequently acts on ship arrests and detention issues and provides guidance on charterparty agreements. David Bennet  and Andrew Nicholas are also highlighted for their expertise.

Stephenson Harwood’s shipping team is frequently instructed on marine insurance, casualty response, decarbonisation initiatives, energy transition matters, and charterparty disputes. Dora Mace-Kokota leads the group, bringing expertise in ship finance enforcement, LNG projects, and FPSO-related issues. Alex Davis is noted for his work on salvage, collisions, and wreck removal, while Kirsty MacHardy and Sean Gibbons focus on shipbuilding, advising on commercial disputes and contract negotiations.

Wikborg Rein’s shipping team is experienced in emergency response and casualty work, including sanctions-related vessel issues and matters such as bills of lading and marine insurance. Chris Grieveson leads the team, specialising in pollution incidents and complex transactional disputes. Michael Volikas advises on charterparties, shipbuilding contracts, and marine insurance, while Ian Chetwood handles ship repair claims, cargo disputes, salvage, and collisions.

The team at Haynes and Boone CDG, LLP specialises in the sea transport of liquid carbon dioxide and has considerable knowledge in offshore oil and gas sectors. Leading the firm, Andreas Silcher is recognised for his advisory work on complex engineering, construction, and charter projects related to offshore installations. He is also regularly sought out to provide guidance to government bodies on large-scale maritime vessel contracts. Andreas Dracoulis, William Cecil, and Mette Duffy are also recommended.

Kennedys’ shipping team is well regarded for its marine insurance expertise, handling dry shipping disputes, unsafe port incidents, dangerous cargo claims, and recovery actions under bills of lading and charterparties. Patrick Foss advises on complex onshore and offshore energy disputes, including offshore wind projects and political violence or terrorism-related claims. Shaan Burton, promoted to partner in May 2025, has extensive experience supporting multinational freight forwarders.

Mills & Co’s North East shipping team regularly advises P&I clubs, marine insurers, shipowners and ship managers. The contentious team is led by Amy Nicolaou and Edwin Hashagen, who specialise in charterparty disputes and arbitration mediation. Andreas Welz oversees admiralty matters, while Guy Mills is recognised for his handling of complex multi-national casualty disputes. Nicola Jeanes leads the firm’s non-contentious shipping work.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP has a strong track record in wet shipping, sanctions, marine crime and insurance matters, frequently representing P&I clubs, underwriters and shipowners. Led by Darryl Kennard, the team is recognised for both its disputes expertise and its involvement in maritime decarbonisation and regulatory projects. Alex McIntosh advises on a wide range of shipping contracts, while Nick Donnelly acts on collision and casualty claims. The practice expanded in June 2024 with the arrival of Joseph Riley as managing associate.

Preston Turnbull handles a broad spectrum of disputes across the shipping sector, spanning dry matters such as charterparty and bill of lading claims through to casualty response, salvage, shipbuilding, and offshore-related issues. Co-founder Andrew Preston draws on significant experience in commercial litigation, while Elizabeth Turnbull frequently advises on cross-border transport, trade, and insurance disputes. Dolly Brown has developed a notable focus on matters linked to war risks and the geopolitical consequences on fuel supply and chartering.

Schjodt LLP’s ‘top-notch’ shipping practice is noted for handling high-profile casualties with international trade implications. Under the leadership of Jeremy Biggs, the group also advises on complex energy and natural resources projects, drawing on extensive maritime and offshore know-how. Jonas Adolfsson stands out for his expertise across both wet and dry disputes.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP offers comprehensive legal support across shipbuilding, employment, LNG shipping, and complex areas like restructuring and sanctions. Under the leadership of George Macheras, the team frequently handles cross-border disputes for leading shipowners, charterers, and insurers. Robert Platt is known for his expertise in dispute resolution and commercial contracts, while Mike Phillips specialises in contentious ship finance and offshore vessel construction. Nikki Chu joined the firm in March 2024, further strengthening the firm's dispute capabilities in the shipping sector.

Birketts LLP is well equipped to handle high-profile matters arising from bills of lading, contracts of affreightment and international sales contracts. The group’s expertise spans marine insurance and personal injury claims. The practice is led by Henry Adams, head of shipping and international trade, alongside Alex Davey, who heads the dispute resolution team. Nicholas Woo is noted for his dry shipping litigation work, while Tom Hodges is recognised for his dry shipping expertise, with a particular focus on the East Asian market.

The ‘readily accessible’ shipping team at DWF, part of the firm’s global risk practice, is recognised for its strong insurer, P&I club, and charterer client base. The group is adept at handling maritime disputes spanning cargo contamination, casualties, and port and terminal issues. Practice head Jonathan Moss, the firm’s managing partner and global head of the transport sector, brings extensive litigation experience in West and North Africa. The team was further strengthened in May 2025 with the arrivals of Christopher Dunn and Michael Biltoo.

Floyd Zadkovich  is a boutique practice widely recognised for its excellence, particularly in high-profile cases across the trans-Atlantic region. The firm acts as a trusted advisor to a broad range of clients including vessel owners, terminal operators, logistics providers, equipment managers, and insurers. Founded and led by Luke Zadkovich, who recently handled a complex maritime insolvency, the team also includes Calum Cheyne, a respected litigator with recent experience in Red Sea-related disputes, and Damon Thompson, a specialist in LNG matters covering both transactional work and litigation.

Keystone Law provides comprehensive services across the maritime sector, covering everything from insurance issues to dispute resolution and ship finance. Linos Choo is well known for his commercial litigation expertise, particularly involving bills of lading, ship finance, and cross-border insolvency. Pav Samothrakis frequently handles cases related to energy and offshore operations. Alexis Petrou is respected for his skill in commercial marine and trade matters, with a solid track record in litigation. Other notable members of the team include Jonathan Hadley-Piggin  and Anastasia Papadopoulou.

Nautica Law is a boutique firm with a strong track record in high-value shipping matters, particularly complex court and arbitral proceedings for shipowners and their insurers. Tim Houghton leads the team and is regularly instructed by P&I clubs, shipowners, and trading houses. Christopher Wood handles cross-border cases with ease, while James King specialises in issues involving charterparties, cargo claims, and COAs.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s shipping group advises shipping companies, charterers, banks, and energy traders, regularly handling cross-border matters. Under the leadership of Philip Roche, the team manages disputes ranging from major casualties and pollution claims to shipbuilding, scrapping, marine insurance, security enforcement, and criminal prosecutions. Charlotte Winter is recognised for her expertise in asset finance disputes.

Squire Patton Boggs’ maritime team combines dry and wet shipping expertise with notable capabilities in ship financing. Under the joint leadership of Geneva-based Kate Sherrard and Chris Swart, who works across London and Singapore, the practice is a trusted adviser on the full spectrum of shipping issues – from charterparties, bills of lading and other carriage contracts, to marine insurance, sanctions, and major incidents. Recent developments include the promotion of Gabriella Martin to partner in March 2025.

Renowned for its ‘top-notch knowledge’, City-based boutique Waterson Hicks specialises in dispute resolution, with a strong emphasis on dry shipping. Spearheaded by John Hicks, the team is frequently instructed by Greek shipowners, as well as oil companies and commodities traders. Recent promotions include Ed Bayliss to partner and Sofia Xylouri to senior associate in 2024.

Winter & Co Solicitors LLP is a boutique practice dedicated to maritime disputes, with particular strength in cases involving bills of lading, memoranda of agreement, and admiralty issues. The team operates on an international scale and also advises on compliance with FuelEU Maritime regulations. Founder Glenn Winter, an experienced arbitration specialist, leads the firm alongside co-founder Ken Scott, whose expertise in admiralty matters is widely recognised. Paul Griffiths is noted for his work across both ‘dry’ and ‘damp’ shipping cases, frequently involving complex commodity-linked disputes, while Joanna Steele is a go-to contact for marine insurance coverage and policy matters.

Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP’s shipping team is headed by Dominic Ward, a dry shipping expert specialising in complex multi-party charterparty disputes and cargo issues. Gavin Farquhar is a trusted adviser for developers and vessel suppliers involved in offshore wind projects, particularly for clients based in the Falkland Islands.

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s shipping practice, led from Hong Kong by Wai Yue Loh, is a trusted adviser to ports, NVOCCs, shipowners, operators, traders, and their insurers. Joanne Waters, a dispute resolution specialist with previous in-house experience at a Japanese P&I club, is noted for her focus on shipping digitalisation, advising on emerging technologies, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity issues in the maritime sector.

Described as ‘efficient’, Weightmans LLP’ shipping practice focuses primarily on ports and terminals liability, as well as representing ship operators, charterers, and P&I clubs. Led by Mike Burns, the team is regularly instructed on contractual disputes involving charter parties, bills of lading, and other carriage contracts.