International law firm DAC Beachcroft has appointed highly regarded marine, energy and shipping disputes specialist, Simon Jackson, to head the Marine, Energy and Shipping teams within its Global Insurance practice in London. Simon joins from Clyde & Co where he led its Energy, Engineering, Marine and Construction team.
Widely respected across the London and international insurance and reinsurance markets, Simon's extensive marine expertise spans all classes of insurance, including Hull & Machinery, Port Risks, Yachts, Charterers’ Liability, Ship/Builders and Repairers’ liability, Marine Professional Indemnity and Cargo insurance, where he advises on complex policy coverage disputes as well as casualty response following maritime incidents. In the energy insurance market, he has advised on coverage issues relating to several high profile incidents, including the Gryphon A loss (at the time the third largest offshore energy loss ever recorded) and losses arising from natural catastrophes in the United States, Turkey and elsewhere in Europe.
He is also a leading shipping lawyer, acting principally for shipowners, charterers, traders and P&I Clubs in complex disputes concerning charterparties, carriage of goods, sale of goods, ship sale and purchase and shipbuilding. Recent work has included advising on issues arising out of the Russian/Ukraine conflict, Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, trade embargoes in the Asia Pacific region and disputes linked to the Panama canal and Great Lakes seaway system.
In addition, as a specialist in War Risks and Mortgagees Interest insurance, he has been instructed on landmark cases, including the Mustafa Kan, Brillante Virtuoso and St Nikolas cases.
Simon is extremely high profile, with an outstanding reputation among marine and energy insurers and reinsurers, as well as being recognised as one of the shipping industry's leading lawyers, said Liam O'Connell, partner and head of DACB's Global London practice. We're delighted to welcome him to DACB.
We have long held ambitions to create market-leading marine and energy, and shipping practices as part of our global offering for clients, and attracting a lawyer of Simon's calibre, reputation, connections and drive marks a significant step to enabling us to achieve this, he added.
Wai Yue Loh, DACB's Global Head of Shipping, Trade and Commodities, commented, Simon joins us at an exciting time for our shipping & trade practice. His coming onboard has rapidly scaled the group's expertise to greater heights, giving us exceptional talent in the ports of Hong Kong, Singapore and now London, over and above the well-established team in the LatAm shipping hub of Lima, Peru.
Our growing presence in these key locations demonstrates our commitment to building a global shipping & trade practice, and delivering on our ambitions to become the law firm of choice for the global insurance market as well as their assured shipowners, charterers and commodities traders operating in the marine, trade & energy sectors, he said.
The firm has also promoted Franc Gozalvez, a specialist in marine, transport and energy claims, to partner, with effect from 1 May.
DAC Beachcroft has one of the largest insurance practices of any law firm in the UK, operating from eleven UK locations, as well as internationally from offices in the US, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru and, together with BLD, Germany.
This news story was originally published on the firm’s website.