Hugh specialises in shipping, including collisions, salvage, fire and explosion, total loss and both civil and criminal pollution liabilities. He represents Owners, Hull Underwriters, and P&I Clubs. He also handles marine insurance coverage and other shipping-related commercial and contractual disputes. He is the liaison partner for the Indian Sub-Continent and has represented Indian owners in a number of large casualty cases.

Hugh has acted as an arbitrator in both collision and salvage matters.

Educated at Presentation College, Southampton University and Warsash nautical college.  A solicitor, partner and master mariner with 14 years seagoing experience including 5 years in command.  Specialises in collisions, salvage, total loss, wreck removal, pollution, general average and cargo claims.

Jim is admitted as a solicitor in England and Hong Kong

Head of Reed Smith's Casualty and Admiralty practice. His work includes investigating and advising on collisions, groundings, explosion, fire and salvage and their subsequent contractual and tortious disputes for a variety of clients including owners, clubs, underwriters and salvors. He has undertaken reviews of various contracts relating to provision of Port Services, STS, Towcon/hire, wreck removal and Emergency Towage Services.

Prior to legal practice, Richard qualified as a Master Mariner, spending 12 years on a variety of vessel types trading worldwide. He then spent five years operating a fleet of time chartered bulk carriers. He is a qualified mediator.

Richard Harvey qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and was for 25 years a partner and Head of Admiralty at Richards Butler (later Reed Smith). He is now a Consultant. He specialises in salvage, collision, wreck removal, oil pollution, fires and marine insurance. He has been closely involved in many inquiries and major cases such as the Erika, Prestige, European Gateway, Sealand Mariner, and the Tricolor/Kariba and Hyundai 105/Kaminesan collisions and sinkings. He also investigated the Hatfield and Great Heck railway accidents. He has sat on the Lloyd's Salvage Group and was a member of the Drafting Committee for Lloyd's Form 2011.

Richard was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and Southampton College of Technology and was four years in the British Merchant Navy before his legal career.

Richard is a partner in the London office and a member of the casualty response team. He specialises in shipping with particular emphasis on admiralty law. Richard has considerable experience in ship collisions and salvage as well as oil pollution claims, total losses, fires and groundings. Richard also deals with and has a wide experience of criminal offences at sea matters, regulatory investigations and fishing claims as well as insurance related disputes.

Richard became a partner in 2004 having joined the firm in 1985. Prior to that, he worked at the Treasury Solicitor’s Office.

John was admitted as a solicitor in 1980 and became a Partner at Thomas Cooper & Stibbard in 1985.  Expertise of marine related personal injury and fatality claims and all aspects of marine casualty work, including collisions.