Press Releases
HFW lawyers named among inaugural Acritas "Stars"
We are very pleased to announce that 13 HFW lawyers have been named as "Star" practitioners by market research company Acritas.
The Star nominations are based on interviews with more than 4,300 senior in-house counsel around the world, who were asked to identify the best lawyers they had worked with in the previous year.
Acritas identified Stars across a range of the firm's core industry groups and international offices:
Andrew Bandurka: Partner, Insurance & Reinsurance, London Clients said that Andrew is “a real specialist and a real expert" in insurance and reinsurance, who "always knows the cases". They also praised his ability to provide pragmatic, commercial advice, with one saying: "He gives a very quick idea of whether the law can solve the problem, so he doesn’t waste your time with litigation that ends up going nowhere and costing you a lot of money. But if there is a legal solution, he will find it and deliver it for you.”
Matthew Blycha: Partner, Construction, Perth Several clients described Matthew as "pragmatic" and "cost-conscious". They also praised him for being "very knowledgeable" and "very timely" in his advice.
Michael Buisset: Partner, Commodities, Geneva Clients praised Michael for being “very prompt" and "very knowledgeable”. Another commended his "fair billing practises".
Timothy Clemens-Jones: Partner, Commodities, Paris Clients praised Timothy's "great experience" in international arbitration and disputes, citing his particular expertise in GAFTA arbitration.
Elinor Dautlich: Partner, Shipping, London Clients praised Elinor's expertise and knowledge in shipping matters.
Christopher Foster: Partner, Insurance & Reinsurance, London Clients described Christopher as a "very bright, very commercial and very knowledgeable" lawyer that is always "eager to help". Another praised the fact that Christopher always "looks at the business context" when delivering legal advice.
Matthew Gore: Partner, Energy & Resources, London Several clients praised Matthew for his in-depth knowledge of their business, with one saying that “he understands our company, he understands what we do, how we work, and he always delivers.” Clients also highlighted Matthew's professionalism and ability to stay "calm under a crisis", and said that the simple, commercial nature of his advice meant it could be distributed "almost unaltered to other people in the organisation who aren't lawyers.”
Damian Honey: Partner, Commodities, London Clients paid tribute to Damian for the high quality of his advice.
Nick Hutton: Partner, Energy & Resources, London Clients praised Nick's professionalism, knowledge, creative thinking, willingness to help and availability. "He is able to give simple answers that everybody can understand," said one client. Another said that Nick is "calm under a crisis" and that you can always "trust the advice that he is giving".
Daniel Martin: Partner, Shipping, London “Down to earth, commercially minded, understands my business, and thinks outside the box.”
Craig Neame: Partner, Shipping, London Clients highlighted Craig's "excellent combination" of legal and industry skills, having previously worked at a freight forwarding company. One said: "He has been in a commercial role with a forwarder before, so he has an excellent knowledge of the business. That is very helpful in supporting not only litigation, but also business decisions."
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
