Department profile
Essex Court Chambers

Shipping & Commodities

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


Essex Court Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Shipping & Commodities - London (Bar)

Band 2

Band 2


What the Team is Known For

Adept across wet and dry shipping matters, members of Essex Court Chambers are regularly sought out by shipbuilders, ship owners, shipyards and insurers for their expert knowledge. Its tenants have acted in high-profile court cases, including Tilawa, a dispute concerning the recovery of a cargo of silver from the wreck of a vessel sunk by enemy action in the Indian Ocean in 1942. Interviewees praise the set's barristers, one saying they are "bright and analytical and can interrogate the facts and the law to approach new angles", and another notes the set's "high quality, responsive and collegiate" approach.

Joe Ferrigno is head clerk at the set.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • They offer competitive rates and the clerks are very good to deal with.

    Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Philippa Hopkins
    Band 1Philippa Hopkins

    Philippa Hopkins

    Philippa Hopkins KC is an impressive barrister with a wide commercial dispute resolution practice that has a particular focus on shipping matters. She regularly acts as an advocate in court as well as in arbitration forums. Her practice includes marine insurance, dry shipping, shipbuilding and commodities cases.

    • Philippa is an excellent advocate and clever. She provides quality and concise advice.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
    • She is absolutely phenomenal, incredibly bright and a really good team leader.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Steven Berry
    Band 1Steven Berry

    Steven Berry

    Steven Berry KC is a renowned barrister with a leading dry shipping practice. He is recognised for his significant expertise in charter party, marine insurance and arbitration matters.

    • He is so charming, calm and measured.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Christopher Smith
    Band 2Christopher Smith

    Christopher Smith

    Christopher Smith KC is a commercial silk with a reputable wet and dry shipping practice. He has expertise in shipbuilding, collisions, towage, charter party and bill of lading disputes. His knowledge extends to safe port and berth matters.

    • An excellent KC who is very user-friendly and always available, providing great legal and commercial advice.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
    • Christopher is a great KC who is very thorough and incredibly hard-working, with very good legal knowledge in his fields. He is a good advocate.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
    • He has a measured advocacy style that is really persuasive, and he can deal with tribunals and judges on an intellectual level.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Graham Dunning
    Band 2Graham Dunning

    Graham Dunning

    Graham Dunning KC is a well-regarded silk known for his distinguished advocacy. He has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of shipping and commodities matters, including charter party and bill of lading disputes. He is often called upon to act as an advocate or an arbitrator in maritime arbitrations.

    • Graham is tenacious, very clever and very smart. He gets the client's needs, which not all counsel does.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
    • Graham is always a pleasure and has very good legal skills and analysis.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Adam Board
    Band 3Adam Board

    Adam Board

    Adam Board is a senior junior working across the full shipping and commodities spectrum. He is frequently instructed as a sole lead, and he has experience acting at all levels of court including the Commercial Court and Supreme Court.

    • Highly recommended, Adam integrates into the team with ease and has very good drafting skills.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
    • Adam is very good to work with and very bright.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Claire Blanchard
    Band 3Claire Blanchard

    Claire Blanchard

    Claire Blanchard KC is a highly regarded practitioner with experience in a range of shipping and international trade matters. She acts as an advocate and also accepts appointments as an arbitrator.

    • Claire is very bright.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 3Nigel Eaton
    Band 3Nigel Eaton

    Nigel Eaton

    Nigel Eaton KC is a knowledgeable and technically capable silk with a broad-based shipping and commodities practice. He tackles charter party, contract of affreightment and shipbuilding actions, as well as disputes relating to the full range of hard and soft commodities. His workload includes both litigated cases and arbitrations and appears in the Supreme Court.

    • Nigel Eaton has a super brain and is a good tactician.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Jeremy Brier
    Band 4Jeremy Brier

    Jeremy Brier

    Jeremy Brier KC is a noteworthy barrister with considerable ability across wet and dry shipping matters including shipbuilding and marine insurance disputes. He has experience of jurisdiction and fraud issues.

    • Jeremy was very impressive and he has a really good rapport with tribunals.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Band 4Nathan Pillow
    Band 4Nathan Pillow

    Nathan Pillow

    Nathan Pillow KC has a strong reputation for complex commercial shipping and commodity disputes. He has acted for major clients, and has led on technically demanding matters spanning a wide range of issues such as commodity trading and financing and ship ownership disputes.

    • Nathan is superb, another all-rounder you just want to work with. He turns his hand to anything, knows exactly how to say things to judges and knows how to win a case.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • Up and ComingBibek Mukherjee
    Up and ComingBibek Mukherjee

    Bibek Mukherjee

    Bibek Mukherjee has an impressive shipping practice which sees him acting in both wet and dry shipping cases. Mukherjee's clients include buyers and charterers, and he is very experienced in cases including shipping dispositions and charter disputes, among numerous others. He is well versed in arbitration proceedings.

    • Bibek is swift, responsive and helpful. I highly recommend him.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar
  • New SilksDavid Walsh
    New SilksDavid Walsh

    David Walsh

    David Walsh acts in a range of dry shipping cases and is recommended for his advocacy in court and arbitrations. His practice includes charter parties, demurrage disputes and marine insurance matters.

    • He is the go-to for marine insurance matters. David is just fantastic, and I am so impressed by the quality of his work; he is the complete package.

      Shipping & Commodities respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Essex Court Chambers (11)

London (Bar)

Essex Court Chambers has rankings in the following guides

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