Contact

Transport & Logistics

We understand that businesses in this sector operate in fast moving markets and require accurate and practical advice delivered promptly and cost effectively. Our team of experienced commercial shipping, transport & logistics lawyers are astute, pragmatic and imaginative in providing outcomes which achieve your commercial objectives.

Transport & Logistics

Our shipping, transport & logistics team has a thorough understanding of the numerous and often complex risks facing businesses operating in the sector. We understand the commercial imperative of managing those risks effectively in order to ensure informed decision making and mitigation of potential financial or other loss.

Our sector specialism spans both contentious and non-contentious work offering our clients a comprehensive and integrated service, which is supported by a full service modern law firm. We act for a broad range of clients within the shipping, transport & logistics sector including freight forwarders, warehouse operators, hauliers, logistics and transport companies, cargo underwriters, loss adjusters, recovery agents and brokers. Our work covers the full range of issues arising from the carriage of goods by sea, road, air, rail or multi-modal. We are regularly instructed on behalf of businesses with significant supply chains and distribution networks.

We have a deep understanding of our clients’ commercial objectives. We encourage our clients to contact us for initial guidance before problems arise rather than after the event when matters may have gone wrong. The long-standing relationships we build with our clients mean that if problems do arise again, we immediately understand the commercial implications and can advise straight away on the most appropriate strategy.

Our expert shipping, transport & logistics lawyers have extensive experienced of complex, cross border matters and we have an established and comprehensive network of law firms, experts and other market professionals based throughout the world. This allows us to obtain fast, accurate and local knowledge on a cost effective basis ensuring that your interests are fully protected wherever in the world you are doing business.

Our team is ranked nationally in the leading guides to the profession (Chambers UK and The Legal 500), for shipping, transport & logistics work alongside much larger City firms.

The guides describe our team as having “a tremendous understanding of international setting and practicalities of different shipping markets. It can only be achieved by many years of work with the shipping business.” We are also described as “a superb firm that does top flight international shipping and other commercial work often against bigger, higher charging London firms. Clients get a great service” and “a regional firm charging regional rates, but providing a quality service to rival City firms.”

In addition to our own longstanding networks, we are also members of NextLaw one of the top ten non-exclusive international accounting, consulting and law firm alliances. Through NextLaw we have access to further networks of experts around the world who are able to give advice on local regulations, compliance and market strategies.

We are active members of leading industry trade bodies (for instance Logistics UK and BIFA).

Our transport & logistics Sector team is headed up by Joanne Wright and James Cradick

As a full service law firm, we provide solutions to the shipping, transport & logistics sector across:

  • Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate
  • Corporate & Commercial
  • Employment

Dispute Resolution

Our dispute resolution team handles the full range of contentious issues arising within the logistics, distribution and supply chain. We advise on goods in transit disputes and claims subject to RHA, FTA, BIFA and UKWA contract terms, claims subject to CMR rules and marine cargo claims under bills of lading and charter parties. We have a thorough understanding of all of the relevant international conventions pursuant to which goods are carried.

We are regularly instructed in relation to jurisdiction disputes, advice on issues concerning security (including ship arrest), freight, liens and enforcement issues. We assist clients (insurers or policy holders) in relation to related insurance issues and disputes across the sector.

Our team is experienced in arbitration (institutional and ad hoc), litigation (both domestic and cross-border) and alternative dispute resolution.

Our commercial shipping, transport & logistics lawyers prioritise the imperative of managing risks effectively in order to ensure informed decision making and mitigation of potential financial or other loss.

Real Estate

Our experienced team of real estate lawyers have a wealth of experience acting for shipping, transport & logistics sector clients, particularly in respect to warehousing requirements and other distribution hubs.

We provide complete acquisition and disposal, landlord and tenant, and portfolio asset management services and work alongside clients and their other professional advisors on transactions. Our services include advice and support on site acquisitions and sales, new leases, lease surrenders, assignments, and general management transactions in addition to property litigation advice in connection with property disputes, dilapidations and lease renewals.

Corporate & Commercial

Our highly regarded corporate team has specialist sector experience and has acted for a number of haulage and logistics providers in connection with the acquisition and disposal of businesses. The team is also able to coordinate a multi-disciplinary line up of lawyers including property, employment and pensions to ensure a seamless service.

From the initial structuring and the heads of terms to preparing, negotiating and completing contract documentation, our commercial shipping, transport & logistics lawyers advise on all stages of commercial contracts. The team regularly prepares sector specific agency and distribution agreements, supply agreements and warehousing, and shipping transport and logistics agreements. The team strives to ensure contracts are structured, negotiated and drafted in a way that ensures risks are minimised but in a way that makes it practical for clients to operate flexibly and effectively on a day-to-day basis domestically and internationally. We have a thorough understanding of relevant standard trading conditions in the sector, including BIFA, UKWA, RHA and Logistics UK terms.

Our commercial transport lawyers provide advice on all stages of commercial contracts, including agency, distribution, supply, and logistics agreements, with a focus on minimising risks and enabling practical day-to-day operations.

Employment

Our employment lawyers offer advice and support on all aspects of employment law, including Agency Worker Regulations, TUPE issues and minimum wage compliance across the shipping, transport & logistics sector.

We can support you when dealing with disciplinary, grievance and other staffing issues and offer advice and support in defending employment tribunal claims, ranging from unfair dismissal and discrimination to whistle blowing claims.

We also offer audits of employment contracts and policies and an annual fixed price subscription available, giving you certainty on costs.

How can we help?





    Start now, get in touch

    icon_bluestone98