Ben is a partner in the London office and member of the casualty response team. He specialises in shipping with particular emphasis on casualty work and is a recognised leader in his field, having been involved in numerous high-profile salvage cases. Ben also specialises in insurance work and is an advisor to International Union of Marine Insurers and the London marine property underwriters on salvage and related issues. Ben has served on the Lloyd’s Salvage Group and its predecessors for over 10 years and was responsible for drafting most of SCOPIC.

Ben became a partner of Thomas Cooper in 2007. He was a partner at Shaw & Croft (2001-2007) and Clyde & Co. (1985-2001). Ben was admitted as an English solicitor in 1978 and read law at Trinity College, Cambridge.

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.

Admitted as a solicitor in 1995.  Served at sea in all ranks from Cadet to Master.  Handles all aspects of casualty work including collisions and salvage.

Joined in 1983, became a partner in 1991 and the firm’s global senior partner in 2008.  He specialises in all aspects of casualty work including collision, salvage, pollution and general average.  Qualified as a solicitor in both England and Hong Kong, James is also a qualified and practising commercial mediator.