Philip maintains a broad practice encompassing shipping, (re)insurance, civil fraud, and general commercial litigation. He has appeared as sole counsel in the Commercial Court and County Court, as well as being led in the Commercial Court and in arbitration. Current or recent instructions include (as junior counsel) a US$290 million shipbuilding arbitration, a Commercial Court civil fraud case, and a number of Covid-related insurance/reinsurance disputes, as well as instructions to act as sole counsel in several substantial LMAA shipping matters. Philip has also been extensively involved in advising on the impact, principally in the insurance and reinsurance context, of the sanctions imposed in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Philip has also spent time on secondment at a number of leading solicitors’ firms, where he worked on a wide range of commercial matters, including disputes over jurisdiction, conflict of laws and state immunity as well as an extensive regulatory review of a complex programme of international reinsurance arrangements.
Philip accepts instructions, led or unled, in any commercial dispute.
Shipping and shipping-related work is at the heart of Philip’s practice. He is ranked as a “Leading Junior” in this practice area by the Legal 500 and has acted (both led and unled) in a wide variety of charterparty, COA, bill of lading and other marine disputes.
Philip has extensive experience acting for both insurers and assureds in cases arising across a range of sectors, including marine, professional liability, property, cargo, business interruption and travel risks.
Much of Philip’s work in the field of shipping and insurance takes place in arbitration. Other cases he has undertaken include the following:
Philip’s civil fraud experience includes being led on a heavy Commercial Court trial arising out of the collapse of a ponzi scheme, as well as acting alone in smaller cases with a fraud element.
Beyond his shipping, insurance and civil fraud work, over the past few years Philip has also acted in a wide range of other commercial disputes.
In addition to his work in chambers’ core practice areas, Philip has also been involved in a variety of cases falling outside those specialisms:
‘Philip is very responsive and efficient. In terms of advocacy he has a clear and logical way of presenting his position.’
Shipping, Legal 500 2024
November 2014: called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn
2013-14: Bar Professional Training Course, City University London (Very Competent)
2012-13: Graduate Diploma in Law, City University London (Commendation)
2009-13: D.Phil History, Oxford University
2008-9: MSt Historical Research, Oxford University
2005-8: BA History, Oxford University (First Class)
Scholarships and Awards
Senior scholarship, Corpus Christi College Oxford, 2011-12
Arts and Humanities Research Council doctoral scholarship, 2009-12
Hawksmoor Essay Medal, Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain, 2009
Undergraduate scholarship, Corpus Christi College Oxford, 2006-8
Christopher Bushell Prize for History, Corpus Christi College Oxford, 2007 and 2008
‘Philip is very responsive and efficient. In terms of advocacy he has a clear and logical way of presenting his position.’
Shipping, Legal 500 2024