who we are
HFW is an international law firm with over 700 lawyers working across our global network. We advise clients on legal issues in relation to all aspects of international commerce and we are regarded as one of the world’s leading shipping law firms. The expertise, experience and reputation earned in commercial shipping over our nearly 140 years in business is carried into our yacht practice.
Our yacht team has been an integral part of the yacht industry for over 30 years and has a physical presence in many of the major yachting jurisdictions. The enduring relationships developed with the owners, builders, designers, financiers, insurers, brokers and managers of yachts, our in-depth knowledge of the yacht industry and our international reach ensure we are pre-eminent in the field.
Holman Fenwick has a market-leading yacht practice which draws on the experience of its world-renowned shipping team. Holman Fenwick is regarded as “one of the most prominent firms around,” with a “very high profile in the yachting world.” The firm represents some of the world’s leading shipyards as well as a number of prominent HNW yacht owners.
“Every question, advice or legal paper concerning my business is individually tailored to the project or client; HFW has proven to be able to handle it all. They are very well connected within the industry and are viewed as an industry standard.”
“Between the Monaco and London offices, and a global presence, their network allows them to address every issue that may arise in yachting.”
“HFW are an excellent yacht and maritime law firm,” says an interviewee, who adds that “they have a very deep bench and an extremely well-qualified yacht law team.” The firm’s “extremely professional” yacht lawyers advise clients on sophisticated cross-border financings, transactions and contentious matters.
“HFW are well positioned in the super yacht industry to have in-depth market and commercial knowledge,” says a source.
what we do
Our yacht team is positioned to assist with any aspect of constructing, purchasing and operating a yacht. We, of course, cannot disclose details of our clients or any of the projects in which we have been involved. However, we are routinely involved in some of the largest and most complex projects in the yacht industry.
For further information about our comprehensive yacht offering, please read our brochure here.
our experts
Team Heads
Europe
Position: Partner
Specialism: Insurance & Admiralty & Crisis Management
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7264 8285
Email Tom
Position: Partner
Specialism: Insurance & Admiralty & Crisis Management
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7264 8432
Email Alex
Position: Senior Manager & Senior Master Mariner
Specialism: Admiralty & Crisis Management
London
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7264 8528
Email Mark
Position: Partner
Specialism: Disputes & Personal Injury
Paris
Tel: +33 1 44 94 31 64
Email Stephanie
Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas
Position: Partner
Specialism: Transactional
Hong Kong/Shanghai
Tel: +852 3983 7779
Tel: +86 21 2080 1133
Email Angie
Position: Partner
Specialism: Disputes & Transactional
Hong Kong/Shanghai
Tel: +852 3983 7777
Tel: +86 21 2080 1111
Email Henry
Position: Partner
Specialism: Transactional & Disputes
Melbourne
Tel: +61 (0)3 8601 4523
Email Gavin
24/7 Crisis Management
Universally regarded as one of the world’s leading crisis management law firms, we advise on all legal issues arising from yacht related emergencies, including collisions, grounding, damage in transit, pollution, fire and explosion, salvage, wreck removal and towage, as well as security, political violence, piracy, kidnap and ransom and cyber breaches. Our yacht team includes several leading crisis management and marine insurance experts and is supported by our global admiralty and crisis management team. Members of our admiralty and crisis management team are available year round 24/7 to attend emergencies. With our global network, a bespoke team can be assembled and, if needed, on location within 24 hours practically anywhere in the world.
Our expertise in managing crisis of all types, combined with our understanding of the specialised and sophisticated operations involved in yachting and the yachting industry’s specific concerns regarding confidentiality and privacy, enable us to protect our clients’ interests in the most appropriate and timely manner.
We operate a dedicated crisis management suite in our London office, which can be immediately utilised by our clients and become an extension of their own in-house team. Our admiralty and crisis management team are media trained and on hand to offer:
In addition, we recognise the importance of preparation in mitigating liability and we regularly advise clients on their crisis management procedures and emergency response policies, including ensuring that their appetite for risk and potential contractual liabilities dovetail with their insurance coverage and internal crisis management procedures.
Our marine insurance and crisis management team
In addition to the support available from our firm’s world renowned admiralty and crisis management team, our yacht team includes experienced casualty response lawyers, a former naval architect experienced in the design of large yachts and master mariners with experience of navigating and operating large yachts, warships and passenger vessels. Our key contacts for yacht related crisis response and marine insurance issues are:
24 hour emergency telephone number
+44 (0)20 7709 7702
24/7 Crisis Management
Universally regarded as one of the world’s leading crisis management law firms, we advise on all legal issues arising from yacht related emergencies, including collisions, grounding, damage in transit, pollution, fire and explosion, salvage, wreck removal and towage, as well as security, political violence, piracy, kidnap and ransom and cyber breaches. Our yacht team includes several leading crisis management and marine insurance experts and is supported by our global admiralty and crisis management team. Members of our admiralty and crisis management team are available year round 24/7 to attend emergencies. With our global network, a bespoke team can be assembled and, if needed, on location within 24 hours practically anywhere in the world.
Our expertise in managing crisis of all types, combined with our understanding of the specialised and sophisticated operations involved in yachting and the yachting industry’s specific concerns regarding confidentiality and privacy, enable us to protect our clients’ interests in the most appropriate and timely manner.
We operate a dedicated crisis management suite in our London office, which can be immediately utilised by our clients and become an extension of their own in-house team. Our admiralty and crisis management team are media trained and on hand to offer:
In addition, we recognise the importance of preparation in mitigating liability and we regularly advise clients on their crisis management procedures and emergency response policies, including ensuring that their appetite for risk and potential contractual liabilities dovetail with their insurance coverage and internal crisis management procedures.
Our marine insurance and crisis management team
In addition to the support available from our firm’s world renowned admiralty and crisis management team, our yacht team includes experienced casualty response lawyers, a former naval architect experienced in the design of large yachts and master mariners with experience of navigating and operating large yachts, warships and passenger vessels. Our key contacts for yacht related crisis response and marine insurance issues are:
24 hour emergency telephone number
+44 (0)20 7709 7702
our network
We have a strong international brand and a rapidly growing network of offices. With over 700 lawyers working in offices across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, we have a presence in many of the major centres of yacht ownership and operation in the world. Frequently we resource our matters with team members drawn from different offices and time zones to provide our clients, wherever they are, with the resources of a truly global yacht team.
Our yacht team includes lawyers fluent in English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Chinese and is able to draw on the support of colleagues across our wider firm who between them speak over 40 different languages.
latest updates
Industry update
HFW’s yacht team has once again been ranked Band 1 in the Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Yachts & Superyachts Guide. Four members of our industry leading team have also been recognised. Chambers noted: “HFW’s yacht lawyers advise clients on sophisticated cross-border financings, transactions and contentious matters.”
Industry update
As the northern hemisphere’s summer season begins and the rush of pre-season work slows down, we have found time to put pen to paper to bring you the latest edition of Comprehensively Yachts, which we hope you find full of thought-provoking topics and analysis.
In light of the growing adoption of sustainable technology in yachting, including Feadship’s recently launched 60m Project 713, which will harness solar energy and has the capacity to also run on non-fossil hydrogenated vegetable oil, and Project 821, the world’s first hydrogen fuel-cell superyacht, we take a look at what may be the next frontier in yacht propulsion: nuclear power.
Next, we consider the Cayman Islands’ new Merchant Shipping Act 2024 and the revised Red Ensign Group Code, before our London employment team revisit a UK employment tribunal case of significant relevance for the employment of yacht crew.
Given the importance of Swiss manufacturing to the yachting industry, it is not uncommon to encounter Swiss law contracts, and we have therefore asked our colleagues in Geneva provide a summary of why arbitration in Switzerland maintains such popularity.
Our usual sanctions update follows, before we finish off with a focus on fraud, the changes with the new UK legislation and what you can do to stay one step ahead.
Industry update
With 2023 drawing to a close, we are delighted to present the latest edition of Comprehensively Yachts. In this edition, we discuss the impact of Russian sanctions on the yachting industry. Next, our marine insurance specialists consider whether the widely used American Yacht Form R12 is still fit for purpose or whether the time is right for the marine insurance industry to move on to a bespoke wording. Our admiralty team explore the law behind a yacht’s AIS transmission and how you might achieve ex- directory status, as the temptation to turn this feature off to ensure the privacy of your charter is ever growing given the risked poses by the development of smart phone technology. Our Paris office reports on a recent land-mark conviction of the captain of a 26 meter yacht by the Maritime Court of Marseille following his repeated anchoring in protected posidonia meadows and the threat such conviction has for the wider yachting industry. Finally, we round out this edition with a long read on Cyber Security, the increasing regulation around it and the growing need to take it seriously.
