Ian is a Partner and marine casualty specialist in the London office of Hill Dickinson LLP.  With a background in degree level naval architecture, Ian’s maritime legal career started in early 1992 with one of the leading London firms.  Having been involved in some of the major casualties of the early 1990’s, including the Sea Empress and the Ocean Blessing / Nagasaki Spirit, Ian spent five years in Athens in the early 2000’s.

Upon his return to the London market, Ian was involved in high profile cases such as the grounding and total loss of the container ship Rena off the port of Tauranga, New Zealand, and the collision and total loss of the Panamax bulk carrier, B.Oceania, in the Malacca Straits.

Ian has been in front of the English Courts in cases such as Vicky 1 and The Front Ace [2008] EWCA Civ 101 (on the assessment of damages arising from a collision), Regulus Ship Services PTE Ltd -v- Lundin Services BV [2016] EWHC 2674 (the meaning of the term “light ballast condition” in a towage contract) and The Demise Charterers of FMG Sydney -v- The Owners of MSC Apollo [2023] EWHC 328 (collision liability and the crossing rule vs the head on rule). He was also involved in a case before the Australian Federal Court in Atlasnavios Navegacao LDA -v- The Ship ‘Xin Tai Hai’ (No 2) [2012] FCA 1497 (whether the Australian Court had jurisdiction in a collision matter.