Chums on Seats - Lex Mundi

Lex Mundi

ALFREDO M O'Farrell, a partner at Argentine law firm Marval O=Farrell & Mairal, has been elected Chair of Lex Mundi, a leading association of independent law firms which provides for the exchange of professional information on legal and global practice and the development of law. Lex Mundi's 158 member firms have more than 375 offices in ninety countries worldwide, representing roughly 14,000 attorneys.

Lemle & Kelleher

HEATHER Ashman Johnson has joined the admiralty and maritime law section of Lemle & Kelleher LLP in the US. She has extensive experience in commercial maritime-related work, including all legal aspects of international sales contract negotiation, chartering activity, downstream joint ventures, and the negotiation of cargo damage claims.

Clyde & Co

DEUG Rong Lee has joined Clyde & Co's London office. After graduating from Korea Maritime University, Lee worked for MOC Line (USA) and Japan Line as a second deck officer for three years. He then joined Pan Ocean Shipping Co Ltd, Seoul, as a chief officer before transferring to the insurance and law department in 1986. He has participated as a member of the working group convened by the Korean Shipowners Association to amend the Korean Commercial Code and to enact the Korean Oil Pollution Compensation Act.

Stephenson Harwood

SIMON Tatham has been appointed head of shipping at London-based Stephenson Harwood. Tatham joined the firm five years ago as a partner in the admiralty group. He previously worked at Sinclair, Roche & Temperley in London and Hong Kong. He specialises in advising shipowners, cargo owners and their insurers in major shipping casualties involving groundings, sinkings, collisions, fires and explosions and related claims including salvage, wreck removal and marine insurance issues.

DLA and J Koh & Co

DLA is planning to open an office in Singapore and is joining forces with J Koh & Co from October 1. The Singapore practice will initially focus on shipping, marine insurance and international trade disputes. The office will be headed by Mike Melwood-Smith, who is currently based at DLA's New York office.

"To continue to provide the level of service that our clients have come to expect, it was the natural choice for DLA to open in Singapore and, because of Singapore practice rules, to enter into an exclusive alliance with J Koh & Co," says Nigel Knowles, DLA managing partner. J Koh & Co will be joining DLA's international association of law firms, D&P. Italian law firm De Berti, Perno & Associati, also intends to join D&P in January 2001.

Mendoza, Arias, Valle & Castillo

ARIAS, Arias & Associados and Mendoza, Valle & Catsillo have merged. Effective November 1, 2000, the new company is called Mendoza, Arias, Valle & Castillo. The offices of the new firm are located at Inter Finanzas Building 10th Floor, 50th and 74th East Streets, Panama City, Republic of Panama, and can be contacted on tel (507) 270 7840 or fax (507) 270 7848. The new team of nine lawyers offer services in specialised and interrelated matters such as corporate, maritime, labour, insurance, property, migration, administrative and banking law.

Baltic Exchange Award

ROBERT Birkett, a trainee solicitor with Constant & Constant, has been awarded the Baltic Exchange Award for his performance in the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers examinations. The prize is awarded annually for the highest marks in shipping law. A cheque for ,250 was presented to Robert by Jacques R Saadé, president of Holding CMA CGM, at a ceremony in Drapers' Hall, London, on September 21.

Rodgers & Co

MARTIN Jarman has joined London-based shipping law firm Rodgers & Co as a senior solicitor. On qualification, Jarman joined Holman Fenwick & Willan in 1983 before moving to Shaw & Croft. Most recently he was with the shipping group at Penningtons.

Rodgers & Co has also recruited Lali Wiratunga as an assistant solicitor. Previously with Sinclair Roche & Temperley, he will specialise in dry shipping litigation.

TAMARA

TRANSPORT and Maritime Arbitration Rotterdam-Amsterdam (TAMARA), the Netherlands' arbitration platform, recently appointed a new board. Chairwoman is Emily Derogee van Roosmalen, a lawyer with Rotterdam-based law firm Nauta Dutilh. Rotterdam lawyer Mr M Verhagen was elected secretary, while his Amsterdam colleague Mr AJ Dolk was appointed treasurer. The new vice-chairman is Mr JGW Simons, a professor of transport economics. The final member of the board is court of appeal judge Mrs Saskia Magnin-Simonis.