Chums on seats - Ince & Co

Ince & Co

CLIVE Reed, a master mariner, has joined Ince & Co’s Singapore office as the third member of its specialist marine casualty team. Prior to joining Ince in 1997, Reed spent 23 years at sea, including eight as master of handysize and panamax bulk carriers. After coming ashore in 1994, he worked for a Monaco-based shipowner, developing inhouse systems for compliance with SOPEX, cargo stowage and securing regulations, and the ISM code.

Ince & Co has also appointed Elliot Woodruff as partner at its Hong Kong office. Woodruff joined Ince in 1992 as an assistant solicitor. In 1995 he left to become inhouse counsel at SK Shipping Co Ltd in Korea, where he handled disputes arising from dry bulk, chemical, oil and ocean bunkering business, contract drafting and advising on shipping and commercial projects and contracts. He rejoined Ince in 1997.

Richards Butler

Richards Butler has appointed Adam Morgan as the new manager of its shipping group, in succession to Lindsey East. Morgan specialises in ship purchase and finance, the negotiation of - and settlement of disputes involving - shipbuilding contracts, ship sale and purchase agreements, and demise charters. He joined Richards Butler in 1984 in its Hong Kong office, before moving to London in 1990. He has been a partner in the firm since 1985.

Dominic Buckwell has also joined Richards Butler’s London office. He has particular expertise in handling charter party and cargo claims, and cases involving salvage, unsafe ports, liquid, bulk and containerised cargo. He works mostly for shipowners, charterers, cargo interests, trading organisations, P&I Clubs and insurers and is used to co-ordinating multi-jurisdictional cases.

Singapore Maritime Academy

THE Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) at Singapore Polytechnic is forming a strategic alliance with shipping law firm Joseph Tan Jude Benny Anne Choo (JTJB). The collaboration is intended to enhance Singapore’s position as a regional maritime centre.

SMA, in its diploma and advanced diploma courses, offers subjects which include maritime law and insurance. The collaboration will include the potential to use SMA’s ship simulator to settle disputes in the area of navigation.

Jude Benny, managing partner at JTJB says, “As a private legal practice, we are thrilled to be part of these pioneering efforts by the SMA to raise standards in the industry.”

The Swedish Club

THE Swedish Club has made three new appointments to its claims and legal support departments in London and Gothenburg.

Charlotte Lacey has been appointed assistant director, Freight Demurrage and Defence, in London. She has five years’ experience as a qualified solicitor and joins from UK-based solicitor Richards Butler. Daniel Eriksson joins as claims executive in Gothenburg from Skuld, where he held the same position at that club’s Stockholm office. And Tony Schröder also joins the Gothenburg office as a claims executive. He is a master mariner, who has worked as a second officer for Wallenius Lines and as a harbour officer in Stockholm Port’s Traffic Control Centre.

Lemle & Kelleher

NEW ORLEANS-based law firm Lemle & Kelleher is expanding with the addition of law firm Barlow and Hardtner to the Lemle partnership. Lemle & Kelleher is a full service law firm with 77 attorneys and 80 members of staff engaged in a wide range of practice areas including energy, commercial litigation and admiralty. Shreveport-based Barlow and Hardtner is a diversified general law practice covering commercial and civil litigation, corporate and energy law.

The newly combined firm will be headquartered in New Orleans with offices in Baton Rouge and Shreveport. During the transitional period, the Shreveport office will operate as Lemle, Kelleher, Barlow and Hardtner.

Gardertz/Norton Rose

NORTON Rose is to merge with the Cologne office of German law firm Gardertz. The combined firm, to be known worldwide as Norton Rose and in Germany as Norton Rose Vieregge, will have more than 180 partners, over 800 lawyers and a total of 1,500 people across 15 offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The merger is expected to become effective on or before July 1, 2001. David Lewis, senior partner at Norton Rose, says, “Germany is the most important economy in continental Europe. This merger enables us to expand further our European network and to meet our clients’ requirements for top-quality German law advice.”

Ince & Co in Shanghai

INCE & CO has set up an office in Shanghai. Offering a full range of legal services with particular emphasis on insurance, regulatory, international trade and shipping, the new office will be serviced by Peter Murray and a team of assistants.

Peter Rogan, senior partner based in London, commented, “This is an exciting development. Our Shanghai office will complement our core business around the world.” Simon Latham, managing partner of Ince & Co Hong Kong, said, “We are delighted to announce the opening of out Shanghai office which, together with Hong Kong and Singapore, will further enhance the service we provide our clients in China, the Pacific Rim and Asia.”