Thomas Cooper announces the opening of a Paris shipping practice
12 MARCH 2007
Two senior hires also boost Thomas Cooper’s London office
Thomas Cooper and Stibbard, the international specialist maritime, trade and finance law firm, today announces the creation of a new shipping practice in Paris, following the recruitment of partners Lars Lewis, Peter Iglikowski and Christophe Hunkeler. The move clearly demonstrates the firm’s commitment to the shipping and international trade sector.
The new Paris group, which will open in April 2007, will be Thomas Cooper’s sixth international office – the firm already has offices in London, Singapore, Athens, Vancouver and Madrid – in a practice that has a physical presence across three continents and in all of the three major time zones.
Lars Lewis has 16 years experience of the Paris shipping market and was the Managing Partner of Richards Butler’s (now Reed Smith’s) successful Paris office, a post he has held since 2002. Lewis is dual-qualified as an English solicitor and French avocat, an increasingly rare breed in the international shipping arena. Lars specialises in all areas of shipping, international trade and energy.
Market specialists
Lewis’s fellow partners at the Paris office bring a wealth of additional expertise in French and international shipping law. Peter Iglikowski was head of Richards Butler’s Shipping Group in Paris and is also dual-qualified. He acts for leading ship owners, major oil companies, banks and P&I Clubs and is particularly specialised in Francophone countries, Eastern Europe and Greece. He is also a lecturer in English and French comparative law at the University of Paris V. Christophe Hunkeler is a partner at Richards Butler’s Paris Shipping Department and handles all aspects of French maritime law including: disputes relating to ship arrest; maritime carriage and C/P disputes; road carriage including CMR and aviation transport; freight forwarding; pleasure yacht disputes and general admiralty matters.
Thomas Cooper’s Senior Partner, Stephen Swabey, commented:
“Establishing an office in Paris, a key jurisdiction for international dispute resolution, was an important part of our strategy to develop our shipping practice internationally.
“We are fortunate that we are being joined by some of the leading names in the Paris shipping market – and ones who already have experience of running a successful practice – to lead our new venture. I feel that this speaks volumes about Thomas Cooper’s reputation.
“These are exciting times for Thomas Cooper, and we certainly want to continue to expand our expertise and reach in this market.”
Commenting on his appointment as Managing Partner of Thomas Cooper’s Paris office, Lars Lewis said:
“We are delighted to be joining a firm that is specialist, committed to the shipping sector and with the necessary international reach and we felt that Thomas Cooper was exactly the right firm to serve our clients’ needs. Furthermore, we have known the senior people at Thomas Cooper for some time now and felt that our team in Paris would fit easily into the firm’s culture, which has been identified by clients as that of high quality work undertaken by solicitors who work easily with one another and clients.”
Two senior hires boost Thomas Cooper’s London office
Thomas Cooper’s London office also announces today the appointment of Ben Browne, as partner, as from 2nd April 2007. Browne will join in order to further develop his practice within a specialist, international maritime group.
With 25 years experience in the shipping sector, Browne has handled many high profile marine salvage cases, and has an excellent reputation in the London insurance market. Prior to joining Thomas Cooper, Browne was a partner at Shaw & Croft, a firm he joined in 2001, after 20 years with Clyde & Co.
Tim Wardlaw (also formerly of Shaw & Croft) joined Thomas Cooper’s shipping team at the beginning of March. Wardlaw brings a wealth of additional expertise to Thomas Cooper, having qualified in 1981 and specialised in cargo-related and other shipping litigation since then.
Thomas Cooper’s Senior Partner, Stephen Swabey, commented:
“We are delighted that two such high calibre individuals such as Ben and Tim picked Thomas Cooper as their firm of choice. They will enhance and expand our existing expertise in the shipping sector, particularly in the cargo market, and really demonstrates our commitment to best serve our maritime and international trade clients.”
Ben Browne commented:
“I am very pleased to be joining a firm which is a major player in the market. We have known many of the key figures at Thomas Cooper for some years and so know the firm’s culture – namely high quality work undertaken by solicitors who work easily with one other and clients – would suit us very well.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Kathryn Bowditch or Clare Rodway, Kysen PR.
Tel: 020 7323 3230 or email kathryn@kysenpr.co.uk; clare@kysenpr.co.uk