SILK PROFILE

John Russell KC

UK Bar 2026

Quadrant Chambers

Ranked in 1 practice area

Shipping & Commodities

London (Bar)

14 years ranked

About

Provided by Quadrant Chambers

Practice Areas

John Russell is a commercial advocate, specialising in shipping, commodities and international trade, energy and natural resources, and related insurance disputes. He has also recent experience in major civil fraud cases, including payment frauds, warehousing frauds and bribery. He has been ranked in the leading directories for many years and has been nominated and named Shipping Silk of the Year in 2019 and 2020. His recent experience encompasses charterparties, bills of lading, IMO 2020 and other bunkering disputes, sales and financing disputes in both arbitration (LMAA, LCIA and ICC) and the Commercial Court, as well as FOSFA and GAFTA disputes. John is a leading appellate lawyer, in both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Recent cases have included successes in the Supreme Court in Volcafe v CSAV, in the Court of Appeal in The “CMA CGM LIBRA".

Career

Called to the Bar in 1993; initially practiced at 5 Bell Yard, moved to Quadrant (then 4 Essex Court) in 1998. Appointed QC in 2014.

Professional Memberships

COMBAR.

Personal

Keen cyclist and sailor, and often found in the kitchen.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Shipping & Commodities - London (Bar)

Band 1

Individual Editorial

John Russell KC is a tough advocate whose shipping practice includes charter parties, shipbuilding and piracy claims. He has particular acumen in both cargo claims and yacht-related disputes. He is as at ease appearing in arbitrations as he is in courtroom trials. He has marked experience in cases concerning force majeure clauses.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

He can hold his own against very good KCs so I think he is a great advocate.
Shipping & CommoditiesUK Bar
His ability to wield Occam's razor against opponents' lengthy diatribes and distil the essence of a problem to one or two paragraphs of text is one of his great draws and is a genuine talent.
Shipping & CommoditiesUK Bar
He is a winning combination of incredibly bright, commercial and client-focused. His advice is user-friendly, he is highly responsive and I would want him on my team for any difficult case.
Shipping & CommoditiesUK Bar