INTERNATIONAL law firm HFW has announced the appointment of partner Paul Dean as the new global head of shipping and member of the law firm’s global management board.
Mr Dean replaces Craig Neame who recently resigned.
In press release, Mr Dean said he was excited to accept a higher leadership role.
“We have ambitious plans to further strengthen and broaden our global offering – particularly in relation to transactional work – to make sure that clients continue to receive the first-rate service they expect from HFW,” he said.
Mr Dean is also tasked with heading HFW’s global offshore practice.
Besides Mr Dean, four new shipping partners and three new shipping leading directors were promoted across HFW’s international network.
Jeremy Shebson is the new managing partner while Richard Crump is global senior partner for his fifth consecutive term.
This is the largest round of promotions in HFW’s 136 years of operations.
The new shipping partners include Christopher Garley and Alessio Sbraga, who advise on ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ shipping disputes and marine casualties, and international commercial marine disputes on and offshore and also advise on international maritime regulatory issues, respectively.
Two more elected shipping partners are Gudmind Bernitz and Willian MacLachlan, who specialise in ship finance.
Mr Bernitz focuses on international and commercial transactions of shipping and offshore sectors, while MacLachlan focuses on transactional shipping matters, especially in the cruise, ferry, and yachting industries. New shipping legal directors include Philip Carney, advisor of dry shipping issues, Erica Chan, advisor on international commercial litigation, transactions and regulations, and Alex Sayegh, advisor of the transactional, construction, refit, repair, and sale aspect of the commercial shipping and yachting industries.
