Dispute Resolution Including International Arbitration, Trade and Transport.

Damien has practiced law since 1990, and has lived in Hong Kong since 1995.  He specialises in complex commercial and maritime litigation and arbitration.

Within his international arbitration practice, he acts as both party representative and as arbitrator.

Damien is also a Board member of the Hong Kong Association of New York.

Professional experience:

Sitting as arbitrator in commercial and maritime arbitration references – both institutional and party appointed. (Rules of: UNCITRAL, HKIAC, HKMAG, LMAA, SCMA, SIAC). Commercial dispute resolution including shareholders’ and joint venture disputes, distribution and licensing disputes, sale of goods disputes, financial services disputes, fraud and business and asset diversion incidents. Employment disputes, business diversion and breach of restrictive covenants; severance issues and packages. Cross border debt recovery and insolvency work (including advising as to recovery against assets and guarantors), pursuit of distressed debt and recovery of proceeds of fraud. Commodities / sale of goods disputes. All aspects of maritime and trade law.

Publications:

Speaker and contributor of commentary and articles regarding arbitration and litigation, shipping and trade.

Contributor to the Hong Kong law chapter of the 2015 publication Shipping & International Trade Law – Jurisdiction Comparisons published by Thomson Reuters (First Edition 2011, Second Edition 2015).  The Frist Edition covered 25 jurisdictions and the Second was expanded to 36.

Wrote a chapter for GAR on maritime and offshore arbitration in Hong Kong. The chapter answers questions on offshore oil and gas disputes, maritime disputes and security for claims in arbitration.

See: http://globalarbitrationreview.com/know-how/topics/81/jurisdictions/40/hong-kong/

Co-author of Maritime Law and Practice in Hong Kong (“Enforcement of Maritime Claims”, Chapter 17).

Professional Memberships: Law Society of Hong Kong and Member of its Panel of Arbitrators; Law Society of England and Wales; Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand; Hong Kong Maritime Lawyers Association; Hong Kong Shipowners Association; Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (and a Panel Member of the HKIAC Panel of Arbitrators); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; Inter Pacific Bar Association (Vice Chairman of the Maritime Law Sub-Committee); International Bar Association; Full Member of the Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group (“HKMAG”); Panel Member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”); Panel Member of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (“SCMA”); Panel Member of China Maritime Arbitration Commission (“CMAC”); Panel Arbitrator of the Centre for Arbitration & Consultancy Development (India); Member of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (formerly the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration) Panel of Arbitrators; Committee member of the ICC-HK ADR and Arbitration Committee; Panel Member of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (“SCIA”) (pending).

Partner

Educational: LLB, University of Auckland – 1985-1989; B. Com (Marketing), University of Auckland – 1985-1989; M. Com. L (Hons), University of Auckland – 1993, 1994; Southampton University Maritime Law Short Course – August/September 1999.