Mills & Co. Solicitors Limited

Mills & Co is the largest specialist maritime and international trade law firm outside of London and its lawyers are proud to represent the North East and to play a part in continuing its rich shipping heritage. The team comprises 28 specialist shipping lawyers providing high quality work at competitive rates.

Mills & Co's lawyers practise both shipping and commodities law, thus benefitting from a firm grasp of the interplay between charterparties, sale and purchase contracts and contracts of carriage.

SHIPPING

Mills & Co act for all of the leading IG P&I Clubs, marine insurers, shipowners, ship managers, shipbuilders, ship repairers, charterers, marine suppliers and many others within the shipping industry.

Mills & Co have a dedicated admiralty team including two Master Mariners with considerable seafaring experience on a wide range of vessel types. The Admiralty team commonly advise on the handling of disputes arising out of collision, salvage, total loss, explosion/fire, grounding and pollution.

Most of the shipping work Mills & Co does is contentious in nature. Consequently, the team has significant experience in representing clients in the Commercial and Admiralty Court, in arbitration (particularly LMAA arbitration) and in mediation. Notwithstanding their expertise in litigation, wherever possible Mills & Co lawyers aim to find commercial solutions to assist their clients.

COMMODITIES

Mills & Co act for a wide range of trading companies involved in different commodities sectors, including food and feedstuffs, vegetable oils, biofuels, crude oil / petroleum products, coal, metals and sugar.

Mills & Co's commodities lawyers handle a mix of non-contentious and contentious work. Many of the disputes involve arbitration before the major trade associations in London (such as GAFTA, FOSFA, SAL and RSA) or respected international institutions (such as the LCIA and ICC), as well as in the High Court. Two members of the team are regularly appointed as legal advisor to two of the trade associations.

The team are frequently instructed to provide advice at an early stage with a view to assisting the client to overcome problems as they arise.