IBA

IBA

NO-ONE ever said conferences should be all about work. And after three days of sessions discussing limitation of liability, liability of the pilot, corporate governance, logistics contracts and other current developments in maritime law, the past and present heads of the IBA’s Maritime and Transport Committee had certainly earned their day out.

DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary

DLA has merged with American law firm Piper Rudnick, becoming one of the largest law firms in the world. The merger, which was announced in December and became effective on January 1, 2005, means that the new firm has more than 2,700 lawyers located in 49 offices in the US, Europe and Asia. It is the third largest legal services provider in the world based on number of lawyers, and the second largest based on revenue, according to the latest AmLaw Global 100 rankings. Piper Rudnick’s co-chairmen Francis Burch and Lee Miller, and DLA’s managing partner Nigel Knowles, will serve as joint chief executives of the merged firm.

Shortly before the merger, DLA announced that it had recruited shipping litigation lawyer Michael Kim, formerly of Richards Butler, as a partner.

CEDR

THE Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) has appointed James South as its new director of training. A New Zealand-trained barrister and solicitor, South has been involved in ADR for the past nine years, the last four with CEDR. He takes over the position from Frances Maynard.

Healy & Bailly

HEALY& Baillie celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Hong Kong office at a party at the China Club in November last year. Hosted by resident partner Nigel Binnersley and the firm’s associate lawyers, the event commemorated Healy & Baillie’s commitment to servicing its clients in Hong Kong, mainland China, Asia and Oceania.

The firm’s Hong Kong office recently expanded with the transfer of US legal attorney Grace Hou from New York. Grace is from Shanghai and was educated there before obtaining a law degree in the US.

Bijan Sohrabi, who worked with Healy & Baillie from 1998 to 2000, has rejoined the firm. Sohrabi has been working as associate general counsel of the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR). He will now work with Healy & Baillie’s transactional partners, Glen T Oxton and Katerina Shaw.

As if that wasn’t enough, a team from Healy & Baillie has been crowned “Smartest Shipping Persons in the World” following the inaugural annual Connecticut Maritime Association Quiz Night., where it swept aside stiff competition to win the prestigious Brad Berman Cup. Team captain and CMA president Peter Drakos said, “We had wet, dry, flag and legal covered. We employed knowledge, experience, strategy and red wine to achieve this win.”

Norton Rose

NORTON Rose scooped no fewer than three titles at the Jane’s Transport Awards held in December last year. In addition to winning the port finance law and rail finance categories, the firm was also involved in what was described as the ‘port finance deal of the year’. The deal in question was the $36million financing for the expansion of container terminal facilities at the port of Gdynia in Poland. Acting as borrower’s counsel, Norton Rose was responsible for drafting all the facility and security documentation.

Watson Farley & Williams

WATSON, Farley & Williams has elected Frank Dunne as the firm’s new chairman. Dunne joined the firm as an assistant solicitor when it was founded in 1982. He became a partner in 1983 and established the firm’s first international office in Piraeus in 1984. Dunne takes over from Chris Preston, one of Watson, Farley & Williams’ founding partners. Managing partner Michael Greville says. “It will be a great pleasure to work alongside Frank in his new role as chairman. We are very grateful to Chris for his huge contribution to the firm’s development. We will be sad to see him go.”

Mason Hayes & Curran

MARITIME lawyer Helen Noble (right) has joined Dublin law firm Mason Hayes & Curran from Watson Farley and Williams in London. Noble started her career as a barrister before qualifying as a solicitor. Managing partner Declan Moylan says the appointment reflects the government decision to develop Ireland as an international centre for shipping finance and to attract the international shipping sector.

Dolphin Claims Services
CHRISTINA Lau has joined the Singapore office of cargo claims adjuster and recovery agent Dolphin Claims Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd as an associate director.

Hill, Betts & Nash

DANIELLE J Grucci Butler has joined the law firm of Hill, Betts and Nash in Miami. She handles both litigation and transactional matters for the pleasure yachting community.

Burness Corlett & Partners

BURNESS Corlett & Partners has relocated its London office, and can now be contacted at 12 - 20 Camomile Street, London EC3A 7AS, UK.

E G Arghyrakis & Co

MARCO Cocciante is to join specialist shipping law firm E G Arghyrakis & Co in London. He worked as an in-house logistics manager and export manager in South Africa and London before qualifying as a solicitor in 2003.

Curtis Davis Garrard

WILL Cecil (right) has been appointed partner of the dispute resolution group at maritime and offshore legal specialist Curtis Davis Garrard, handling contentious marine construction matters.

Winter Scott

JEFF Morgan, formerly a ship finance partner at Stephenson Harwood, joined Winter Scott, on 1 November last year as partner in charge of ship finance and transaction.

Ledingham Chalmers

CLARE Munro has been appointed partner of the oil and gas team at Ledingham Chalmers. She was previously a technical adviser at BP. This brings Ledingham Chalmers’ oil and gas team to 14, including four partners.