|
A new approach to marine casualty responses
Thommessen and Holman Fenwick & Willan have joined forces to offer combined legal services on marine casualties to the Norwegian shipping- and marine insurance industry. Both firms have long traditions as legal advisors in these fields and the required resources to provide immediate and professional legal services on the occurrence of a marine casualty.
Our initiative has been taken as a response to encouragements from the shipping- and marine insurance industry to establish an alternative Norwegian provider of legal services in the field of marine casualties. We believe that our joint services will improve the efficiency and quality of legal services through the combination of skilled Norwegian maritime lawyers working in conjunction with the world market leader in marine casualties.
 Marine casualties
Whether it is a major or minor grounding, collision, fire, pollution or total loss of a vessel, Thommessen and Holman Fenwick & Willan can tailor a service to the particularities of each incident. With a world-wide presence in offices located in all major shipping jurisdictions, we can provide efficient and high level legal advice on issues such as choices of jurisdiction and law, liabilities, limitation of liabilities, salvage, general average, pollution, procedural matters etc.
In most cases, a marine casualty involves several different jurisdictions: Place of the casualty, port of vessel’s departure, place of destination, flag of the vessel, domicile(s) of the ship owner(s), cargo owner(s) and the passengers, as well as locations affected by marine pollution etc. The ability to provide and combine legal advice from different jurisdictions is therefore a key factor in the response to a marine casualty.
Presentation of our firms
Thommessen is a leading Norwegian law firm with long experience in maritime law, being highly rated by Norwegian and international law directories. We have long relations as advisers to the shipping industry, with particular experience in high profile maritime litigation, assisting both ship-owners, underwriters, managers and governmental bodies on maritime legal issues. Thommessen has over the last years invested in establishing an insurance law department with noteworthy emphasis on marine and energy insurances.
Holman, Fenwick & Willan has one of the longest established, largest and best known maritime law practices in the world.
Founded in London, the major centre of international maritime trade, finance, insurance and dispute resolution, the firm's Shipping & Transport Group now has more than 60 Partners with specialist maritime expertise in nine offices worldwide.
The firm handles every aspect of maritime law, from high profile casualties and environmental problems, through the carriage of goods by sea to the purchase, finance and insurance of maritime assets, as well as port infrastructure and development matters.
The firm offers high quality, innovative, effective and competitive service to its clients.
Our cooperation
Based on our cooperation, we will be able to provide legal advice on both Norwegian and English law, as well as other local legal systems through our global network of offices, and our specific knowledge and experience from working with the most important maritime jurisdictions. Holman Fenwick & Willan has a response sys¬tem with speci¬a¬lised mariners trained in on-site attendance, ready to travel at short notice. Thommessen’s lawyers will be integrated in this team, both “on the scene” if requested, and by providing back-office assistance and legal advice as necessary. As several jurisdictions often are involved after a marine casualty, the legal issues raised by such incidents are truly of an “international” nature. We believe, therefore, that the joint services of Thommessen and Holman Fenwick & Willan represent an appropriate international approach and will be of great benefit to the Norwegian shipping- and marine insurance industry.
The cooperation between Thommessen and Holman Fenwick & Willan on marine casualties is non-exclusive and our clients may always opt to engage one of the firms solely or in combination with other firms.
24 hours emergency response
As a marine casualty often requires immediate action with regard to legal advice and collecting evidence on the scene of the casualty, our response teams are ready to react 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both Thommessen and Holman Fenwick & Willan have sepa¬rate emergency response systems with desig¬na¬ted contact numbers being operative at all hours.
Contacts
Thommessen contacts
HWE contacts
James Gosling
Partner |
|
+44 2072648382 |
+44 7831159166 |
Jim Cashman
Partner |
jim.cashman@hfw.co.uk |
+44 2072648223 |
+44 7774250708 |
George Eddings
Partner |
|
+44 2072648114 |
+44 7768365042 |
The content of this newsletter is merely an information service from Thommessen. The information is not intended to substitute legal advice. Those who receive this newsletter should not rely exclusively on this information and should always seek professional legal advice. Thommessen takes no responsibility for information in the newsletter that may show itself to be inadequate or incorrect.
© 2007 Thommessen Krefting Greve Lund AS Advokatfirma
|