Mike Phillips > Watson Farley & Williams LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Watson Farley & Williams LLP
15 APPOLD STREET
LONDON
EC2A 2HB
England
Mike Phillips photo

Work Department

PARTNER IN THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION GROUP

Position

Mike specialises in shipping, contentious ship finance and ship and offshore vessel construction. Mike’s clients include shipowners, traders, insurers, banks, funds and shipyards.

With over 20 years’ of practice in the marine and international trade sector, Mike has a wealth of knowledge and experience which he brings to bear to help clients resolve their most complex and difficult problems. Representing some of the largest and most well-known companies in the marine and international trade sector, Mike is known as both an exceptional lawyer and a clever strategist. Equally at home in London arbitration or multi-jurisdictional Court proceedings, Mike has a strong record of success for clients in a wide range of matters from shipping and cargo claims, groundings and vessel fires through to complex multi-vessel finance enforcement. On the construction side, Mike represents shipyards and buyers on a range of construction projects from super-yachts through to complex offshore vessels and rigs.

Mike regularly delivers training to industry professionals, on a bespoke basis for clients, and through the leading industry association, BIMCO.

The Legal 500 2019 has called Mike “outstanding”.

Mike was shortlisted as Legal 500 Transport Lawyer of the Year in 2019.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Transport > Shipping

(Leading partners)

Mike Phillips – Watson Farley & Williams LLP

Hailed as a ‘fantastic all round practice in all aspects of shipping’, Watson Farley & Williams LLP complements its strong ship finance practice with capabilities in maritime disputes, shipping contracts, and sanctions-related advice. George Macheras is noted for his expertise regarding the enforcement of ship mortgages as well as handling insolvency and restructuring work. Ship and offshore vessel construction form part of Mike Phillips‘ areas of focus alongside contentious ship finance, while Robert Platt specialises in commercial contracts and contentious matters within the shipbuilding and offshore sectors. Nikki Chu joined from Stephenson Harwood in March 2024.

London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration

Watson Farley & Williams LLP‘s London team is particularly active in energy, transport and infrastructure disputes. Rob Fidoe‘s experience covers ad hoc and institutional arbitrations under different rules, as well as ICSID-governed investor-state disputes. Rebecca Williams is ‘devoted to her clients’ and Mike Phillips is a shipping sector specialist. Andrew Hutcheon focuses on the commodities, mining, shipping, aviation, and oil and gas sectors, and Andrew Ward acts in big-ticket international arbitrations. Other names to note are Archit DhirAlexander Creswick, Mark McAllister-Jones and Jack Moulder. Investment treaty and energy arbitration practitioner Alexis Martinez is a 2023 recruit from Squire Patton Boggs.