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An ex-Master Mariner having served at sea for 12 years on a variety of ship types up to the rank of Chief Officer, Phil came ashore and entered the legal profession in 1991, initially as a Casualty Investigator and Marine Manager before qualifying as a solicitor in 2001.

Phil heads up the London team of mariner/lawyers in dealing with all manner of casualties, including collisions, salvages, groundings, strandings, oil pollution incidents, fires and explosions. He has extensive experience of dealing with all stages of casualties, including from initial instruction and on-site investigation/casualty management, through to final resolution including by negotiation wherever possible, but where necessary by way of the courts, arbitrations, mediations or other forms of dispute resolution.

Phil deals with many salvage cases for both salvors and salved interests, including LOF, SCOPIC and Article 14 matters, as well as common law salvages and towage and assistance agreements. He also has extensive experience in dealing with wreck removal contracts.

One of his specialist areas is ports and terminals. He regularly advises a number of major UK harbour authorities in relation to shipping accidents, damage to port infrastructure, pollution in ports, accident investigation, harbour liabilities, limitation of liability of ports and pilots, port marine safety code issues, harbour and pilotage directions, byelaws, recovery of unpaid dues and removal of abandoned vessels in ports. Phil lectures regularly at Harbour Master training courses.

He also deals with a wide variety of other shipping related matters including, charterparty disputes, unsafe ports/ berths, bills of lading disputes and marine insurance matters.