Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP

Maritime, Shipping and Commodities Disputes, Commercial Disputes, Sanctions

Partner

Mark is a partner in the Middle East maritime, trade and offshore department. He has a broad range of commercial litigation and arbitration experience with specialist expertise in the shipping and commodities sectors.

Having spent several years located in both Dubai and London, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience assisting clients in resolving some of their most high-profile and commercially sensitive matters in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia regions.

He is a skilled litigator and solicitor advocate who advises on all forms of disputes resolution and represents clients as counsel in arbitration matters, particularly shipping and commodities disputes.   The disputes range from modest demurrage disputes to oil and gas disputes worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mark has acted in a wide range of arbitrations under the DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, LCIA, LMAA, UNCITRAL, GAFTA, FOSFA, ICC, SIAC and HKIAC Rules and in the first ever case before the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre ("EMAC") - the UAE’s new maritime arbitration centre. He also has a significant amount of litigation experience, regularly acting in matters before the DIFC Courts and the English High Court.

He is also experienced on the transactional side of the shipping and commodities sectors, having been on secondment to leading trade finance houses, commodities traders and banks. He regularly drafts bespoke sale contracts and advises on the full range of trade related documentation.