Stephenson Harwood

Maritime, trade & offshore

Emma is an experienced litigator and specialises in resolving complex disputes for clients across the international trade, shipping and natural resources sectors.

She advises trading houses, oil companies, producers, shipowners, charterers, and insurers on the full range of their contractual and often multi-jurisdictional disputes, in both arbitration and High Court litigation.

Emma is an international disputes and arbitration specialist with a particular focus on commodities and shipping issues. She regularly acts for the major players in the soft commodities industries (including grains, oilseeds, sugar and cocoa) and has extensive experience representing clients in London arbitrations (including GAFTA, FOSFA, SAL, LMAA, ICC, LCIA), the English High Court, and mediation. Her practice also includes hard commodities and oil & gas disputes, where she has acted for state-owned companies in complex, multi-jurisdictional arbitrations.

In the shipping sector, Emma advises charterers, shipowners, insurers, and cargo interests on all types of charterparty issues including ship arrests, security, freight, and hire, and has acted on a number of reported shipping cases, including representing the successful charterers in the Commercial Court decision "The Eleni P" (2019) relating to a dispute over hire during a period of detention by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea.

Emma presents globally on legal topics relating to the international sale of goods. She also has in-house experience, both at a global shipping company and a large steel producer, which has given her a deep insight into the needs of her clients and their industries.