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
Our yacht team remains busy on all fronts; however, the impact of Russian sanctions has been felt everywhere. Supported by our global regulatory team, we have been actively advising, often on an extremely time pressured and sensitive basis, a wide cross-section of stakeholders in the yachting industry on the application of the complex international framework of sanctions related rules and regulations and the mitigation of their impact on their businesses and operations. It is therefore natural that we begin this briefing with an overview of the international Russian sanctions framework and its impact on the yachting industry.
Industry update
The yachting industry continues to boom on all fronts and the volume of new building contracts, design contracts and sale and purchase transactions handled by the HFW yacht team shows no sign of abatement. We have been involved in a significant proportion of the largest new building and sale and purchase projects to come to market in 2021 and, though there are concerns in some quarters as to the sustainability of the current market, for now at least it remains all hands on deck to service demand.
Industry update
Though the 2021 Mediterranean yacht season may have been a little late in its start, it appears that yacht ownership is as popular, if not even more popular, than ever. Whether you are new to the industry or an old hand, there will be something of interest to you in the following compilation of topical and legal developments affecting the yachting industry.
