36 Stone
36 Stone Special Advocate
Rachel’s commercial practice includes all aspects of international trade, shipping and maritime work (including a wide variety of bills of lading/charterparty disputes, indemnity claims, Agency Agreement disputes, contamination and cargo claims; Admiralty claims, primarily collisions/allisions including jurisdictional and procedural issues, contracts for the sale and carriage of goods together with insurance and re-insurance) with a particular emphasis on shipbuilding and superyachts, having been instructed in many of the high value new-build disputes involving the world’s largest superyachts.
Rachel was instructed in the recent high-profile “test” case of Hamida Begum v Maran (UK) Limited in which a spotlight was shone on the disreputable practice of dismantling large ships on the beaches of economically developing nations. The Court of Appeal ruled that a shipping company in London selling a vessel to South Asia could owe a duty of care to shipbreaking workers in Bangladesh.
Experienced in mediation as well as arbitration. Rachel’s commercial practice includes conflict of laws/jurisdictional issues, international and domestic disputes, international trade, construction disputes, agency disputes, contracts for the sale and carriage of goods, insurance and re-insurance. Uniquely qualified market leader in the field of employment and personal injury related shipping matters.
As Special Advocate, Rachel is regularly instructed in nationally and internationally high profile, sensitive, national security cases including cases involving the FCDO, the NCA, the Home Office and the Security Services. Cases include consideration of all aspects of HMG’s implementation of counter-terrorism measures, multi-party private law claims and Judicial Reviews in the Appellate Courts and deprivation/deportation/exclusion appeals before the Special Immigration Appeals Tribunal. Since developing this specialist area of her practice, Rachel has appeared in many of the leading cases in this field. She is also instructed in cases before SVAP (Security Vetting Appeals Panel).
Shortlisted for Legal 500 UK Bar Shipping Junior of the Year 2022.
Called 1998, Lincoln’s Inn; Hardwicke Scholar; Wolfson Scholar; junior counsel to the Crown C Panel 2004; Panel B 2008; Appointed to Attorney General’s Panel of Special Advocates 2010. Globally ranked “exceptional” leading senior junior (Shipping & Commodities and Administrative & Public law).
Fluent German, working knowledge of French.
Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR); London Shipping Law Centre; British Maritime Law Association.
Lutterworth Grammar School, Leicestershire; Oxford University (1997 BA Law with Legal Studies in Europe 1st); Konstanz University, Germany (1999 LLM Comparative Law).
Music, travel, rugby union, sailing.