Chums on Seats - Bugge, Arentz-Hansen & Rasmussen

Bugge, Arentz-Hansen & Rasmussen

OLE Lund has joined the Oslo law firm Bugge, Arentz-Hansen & Rasmussen as an attorney. He was previously a senior partner with Lund, Gundersen & Co. He specialises in shipping finance, corporate law, and stock exchange and securities transactions.

Global Financial Recoveries Ltd

UK-based Global Financial Recoveries Ltd has announced the start of a new marine debt recovery division. Global Financial Recoveries (Marine) Ltd will recover debts for suppliers, banks and insurance companies in international shipping.

GFR (Marine) Ltd is to be headed by Raymond Clarke, a former partner at London law firm Elborne Mitchell.

The firm, through its offices in the UK, Switzerland and Australia, operates to maximise the collection of commercial debt, personal loans, residual mortgages, asset finance and credit card debts.

Alexis Nichols

ALEXIS Nichols, president of Marine Management Services MC, is to leave the Piraeus-based ship operator at the end of this year to become a maritime consultant and a full-time arbitrator with the Society of Maritime Arbitrators (SMA) in New York.

Alex's career in shipping spans more than forty years, the last thirty of them spent working for the Callimanopulos Group of Companies. He was president of Brokerage and Management Corp in New York until 1994, when he was appointed president of MMS.

Alex has been an active maritime arbitrator for more than twenty-five years. He is a former president of the SMA, and one of the best-known maritime arbitrators in New York.

In addition to his arbitration work, Alex Nichols will also be available to act as a consultant in shipmanagement, chartering, operations, sale and purchase, insurance, claims and ship finance.

Pat Martin

PAT Martin has taken early retirement from Hill Rivkins & Hayden in NewYork. He will, however, continue to practice at the New Jersey offices of Keane & Marlowe in East Brunswick, New Jersey, and will remain a consultant to Hill Rivkins. He can be contacted there on+1 732 846 1000. Fax: +1 732 846 1004/5803.

Vlassis N Macris

THE Greek law office of Vlassis N Macris & Associates has moved to 86 Filonos Street, 5th Floor, 185 36, Piraeus, Greece. Tel: +301 429 2095. Fax: + 301 429 2759/429 2018. Email: mac...@otenet.gr

Healy & Baillie Hong Kong

Nigel Binnersley has become a partner in Healy & Baillie's Hong Kong office. Formerly with Hill Taylor Dickinson, Nigel has been a practising solicitor and member of the bar in Hong Kong since 1985.

Holmes Hardingham

BARRISTER Richard Holt has joined Holmes Hardingham as an assistant. He has lectured and written on civil litigation and international trade and will be working with Ken Scott. He will be specialising in dry shipping cases.

Blackburn is woman of the year

ELIZABETH Blackburn QC has been elected Woman of the Year for her achievements in the legal profession, heading off the challenge of over a thousand other candidates. She received her award at The Savoy Hotel in London last month.

Elizabeth is one of only two women to have taken silk at the Admiralty Bar. Since starting her practice in 1980 she has become well-known for her expertise in admiralty, international trade and transport law, and marine insurance and pollution.

Watson Farley &Williams

WATSON Farley & Williams has moved its Paris office to 47 rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris. Tel: +33 153 83 1212. Fax: +33 145 61 0901

WF&W's Paris office was opened in 1989 and since then has grown steadily to its present size of nine partners, 22 other fee-earners and a total staff of 57. This year the office has gained two new partners - Stephan Alamowitch, who has been promoted to partnership, and Ann Creelman Abboud, who has joined from Frere Cholmeley Bischoff.

• WF&W has appointed senior indirect tax lawyer, Patricia Ogunfeibo, to its existing tax team in London. Patricia previously worked for customs and excise in the UK, where she qualified as a solicitor, and then at Arthur Andersen, where she was manager in the vat & customs group. She can be contacted by phone on +44 171 814 8171 or by email at pogu...@wfw.com