Press Releases
HFW Announces Senior Associate Promotions Across Core Sectors And International Network
Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has announced the promotion of 16 new Senior Associates, effective 1 April 2024.
The promotions continue HFW's growth across its international network and core sectors, spanning the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and the firm's global commodities, corporate and commercial, insurance, and shipping groups.
Jeremy Shebson, Managing Partner and Giles Kavanagh, Global Senior Partner, HFW:
"We are always proud to see people progressing their careers within the firm. Our newest Senior Associates have each demonstrated outstanding technical ability and a dedication to providing the best possible service to our clients, and reflect the talent that we're fortunate to have at all levels at HFW. Congratulations to you all on your well-deserved promotions."
New Senior Associates
Alex Andreou (Shipping, London)
Alex is a litigator and regulatory lawyer in the firm's shipping team. He handles admiralty and contractual disputes in the maritime sector with a particular focus on the Japanese market, having being seconded to an insurer in Tokyo. He also has extensive experience advising clients on environmental regulations affecting the shipping sector and delivering commercial and compliance solutions.
Angela Bilardi (Insurance and Reinsurance, London)
Angela specialises in insurance and reinsurance coverage disputes and subrogation claims. She has a particular focus on claims involving property damage, business interruption, construction, onshore and offshore energy and professional indemnity. Angela has significant experience of ADR and English Commercial Court proceedings, as well as international arbitration.
Henry Clack (Shipping, London)
Henry specialises in international commercial dispute resolution, with a particular focus on 'wet' and 'dry' shipping issues. He has experience representing salvors, major fires, shipowners, P&I Clubs, commodity traders, brokers, and logistics companies. Henry has advised on disputes arising from collisions, groundings, cargo contamination, charterparties, bills of lading, pipeline and other offshore installations, and commodity supply contracts. He also has a particular interest in maritime cyber issues.
Andrzej Czernis (Shipping, Dubai)
Andrzej specialises in transactional shipping with particular focus on LNG sector. He advises on shipbuilding contracts, charterparties and related financing arrangements. Andrzej also regularly supports international and local banks and clients on ship finance and other finance transactions as well as sale and purchase transactions.
Thomas Dickson (Shipping, London)
Thomas specialises in international commercial dispute resolution, with a focus on shipping disputes. He has advised on both 'wet' and 'dry' shipping matters including groundings, collisions, fires, cargo damage cases (for damage arising both aboard vessels and at ports), salvage, wreck removals, charterparty disputes and bill of lading disputes. He advises both shipowners and charterers, and their insurers, both in respect of English High Court cases and international arbitration
Rosina Dyke (Shipping, Paris)
Rosina is a transactional lawyer specialising in yachts and ship finance. Her practice encompasses sale, purchase, construction, financing, registration, and other related transactional matters, in respect of yachts, ships, and the corporate entities which hold them. She has experience of preparing and advising on many types of yacht- and ship-related commercial contracts.
Luke Fittis (Shipping, Dubai)
Luke specialises in commercial dispute resolution with a focus on international trade. He acts mainly for vessel owners, charterers, commodities traders, insurers and banks, and has particular experience in disputes arising under charterparties, sales contracts and bills of lading. Luke regularly advises and represents clients in international arbitration as well as litigation, including before the English High Court and UAE Courts. Luke also assists clients in non-contentious matters, mainly advising upon and drafting charterparties and commercial contracts.
Joyce Fong (Corporate & Commercial, Sydney)
Joyce specialises in domestic and cross-border real property, corporate, and commercial projects. She also has experience of project finance and refinance, as well as sale and purchase of agribusiness. She previously had experience in corporate finance, M&A and capital markets, including initial public offerings, and an in-house role at a multinational luxury brand, overseeing its commercial legal matters in the Asia Pacific region.
Steffi Gougoulaki (Shipping, Piraeus)
Steffi advises shipowners, charterers and their insurers in relation to a range of 'dry' and 'wet' shipping matters, and is involved in largescale mediations, arbitrations, and litigation. Following the outbreak of war in the Ukraine, Steffi has developed a sanctions practice, liaising closely with the London sanctions team, and is the contact point for all sanctions queries received by the Piraeus office. Steffi speaks fluent English and Greek, and advanced French.
Rosie Harrison (Commodities, London)
Rosie provides advice relating to the international sale and purchase of commodities, particularly crude oil and petroleum products. She regularly acts for clients in London High Court and arbitration proceedings. Clients include commodity traders, energy companies and charterers.
Mark Myles (Shipping, Singapore)
Mark is a Master Mariner and lawyer with more than 20 years' experience in the shipping industry. He investigates and handles major collisions, groundings, salvage, total loss, and cargo disputes, and also advises clients on international trade, marine insurance, charterparty, admiralty, and maritime matters, including ship management and vetting. Mark previously spent more than a decade at sea with Shell, reaching Chief Officer, as well as a shore-side role in Ship Quality Assurance.
Gordon Rieck (Commodities, London)
Gordon focuses on commercial dispute resolution, including international arbitration and commercial litigation, relating to physical commodities. He acts for banks and commodity traders, and also advises on commercial matters including sale and purchase contracts, and facility agreements.
Tanisha Saxena (Commodities, Dubai)
Tanisha specialises in international fraud and insolvency dispute resolution. She acts on complex, cross-border, and high-value disputes brought under the auspices of the DIFC Courts, the ADGM Courts, and the local onshore Courts. Tanisha also has a wide range of experience in ADR, including mediation and arbitration, both in the UAE and the UK.
Nivvy Venkatraman (Construction, Sydney)
Nivvy focuses on domestic and international commercial dispute resolution. Her experience includes building & construction, fraud & insolvency, renewables, property, shareholding, trademark infringement, enforcement and general contractual disputes. She conducts both litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including domestic and international arbitration, adjudication, expert determination and mediation.
Alex Walley (Insurance and Reinsurance, London)
Alex advises insurers, insureds, and intermediaries on international commercial disputes. He assists clients with coverage and liability issues across a wide range of business lines, including marine, onshore and offshore energy, CAR, property damage, business interruption, professional indemnity, financial institutions, and political risks and trade credit. Alex has represented clients in English High Court proceedings and international arbitration under a range of institutional rules.
Kirsten Wright (Shipping, London)
Kirsten sits within HFW's Shipping Group and Complex Environments Group. Predominantly, Kirsten acts for ship owners, charterers, salvors, H&M and P&I insurers, advising on initial casualty response and liabilities arising from major incidents including collisions, groundings, explosions, salvage and personal injury and fatalities at sea. Kirsten's experience managing and advising on major marine incidents in challenging jurisdictions has led to the development of her Complex Environments practice. Kirsten advises K&R, special risks and war risks underwriters on the issues arising from acts of war, unlawful detentions, extortions, kidnap and ransom events and crisis evacuations.
About HFW
HFW is a leading global law firm in the aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, insurance, and shipping sectors. The firm has 700 lawyers, including 180 partners, based in offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. HFW prides itself on its deep industry expertise and its entrepreneurial, creative, and collaborative culture.
For further information, please contact:
Chris Johnson
Head of Communications
D +44 (0)20 7264 8159
M +44 (0)7976 939864
E chris.johnson@hfw.com
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