Philippa Hopkins KC

Professional practice

Philippa has a broad and varied commercial dispute resolution practice. She acts and advises both in court proceedings and in arbitration, and has appeared before a wide variety of courts (including the Court of Appeal) and arbitration tribunals. Philippa has extensive experience of heavy and complex cases in the Commercial Court and in arbitration, and of applications for interim relief. Her work is largely international in nature, often involving complex private international law issues. She has a particular interest and expertise in shipping matters.

Recognised for over 25 years by the leading legal directories, clients currently describe Philippa as “a formidable leading counsel [who] makes light work of the most mind-bendingly difficult points”, “an excellent advocate who is able to present even the most complex of legal and factual points clearly and succinctly”, and “tremendously intelligent, and an excellent communicator both in writing and orally”.

As well as her advocacy and advisory work, Philippa sits regularly as an arbitrator. Philippa was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in February 2018.

What others say: Recent Accolades

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2025

“Philippa has deep marine insurance expertise. She is measured, level-headed, and her written work is phenomenally good. Philippa is respectful and listens, as well as communicating very clearly”… “extremely knowledgeable and knows shipping law inside out”… “…incredibly thorough and experienced” (Shipping and Commodities).

“Philippa Hopkins is phenomenal. She’s clever, pragmatic, commercial and superb in her knowledge of the law.” “Philippa is a complete barrister – intellectually incredibly strong and a highly persuasive barrister with excellent client care skills” (International Arbitration: General Commercial and Insurance).

“Philippa is forensic in her analysis, clear with advice and unerring in her dedication to those instructing her”… “a deep insurance expert. She’s very measured and level-headed” (Insurance).

Legal 500 UK Bar 2025

“Extremely bright, very personable and user-friendly. Excellent manner with clients and gives realistic and clear advice” (Commercial Litigation).

“Tremendously intelligent, and an excellent communicator both in writing and orally. Philippa has a great appreciation of the case law and its application, and is a well-organised and effective advocate” (Shipping).  

“Philippa is technically excellent and her advocacy is first-rate” (Commodities).  

“Philippa is a formidable leading counsel and makes light work of the most mind-bendingly difficult points” (Energy).  

“Philippa is a formidable leading counsel and a real asset to any case. She is an excellent advocate who is able to present even the most complex of legal and factual points clearly and succinctly. Philippa is exceedingly intelligent and makes light work of the most mind bendingly difficult points. She is a strong team player and has a good way with clients” (International Arbitration: Counsel).  

“Philippa has always impressed with her ability to make the complex seem straightforward. She is meticulous, thoughtful, and always gives sensibly, commercially astute advice” (Insurance and Reinsurance).

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2024 

“Philippa Hopkins is excellent. She is very bright and focused, and she makes good submissions and is an excellent advocate” (Insurance).

“Philippa is a pleasure to work with” (International Arbitration: General Commercial and Insurance).

Legal 500 UK Bar 2024

“Philippa is exceptionally intelligent and has the ability to express this with concision and clarity. She has an excellent grasp of the legal aspects of the disputes we work on. She is a powerful advocate and well prepared.” (Shipping, Commodities).

“Philippa is very impressive in cross-examination and is often the power behind the scenes in the running of big cases” (Energy).

Lloyd’s List ‘Top Ten Maritime Lawyers 2023’

“Just five years after she took silk in 2018, Philippa Hopkins is widely being seen as an emerging force in the ranks of commercial barristers specialising in shipping. Many clients speak in hushed tones of her intellect, her analytical capability and capacity to absorb detail in complex cases in both the Commercial Court and in arbitration.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2023

“She is brilliantly intelligent and very prominent in the Bar.” “Philippa has an absolutely stellar, high-quality practice.” “Philippa helps clients get to where they need to be in a case” “In my view Philippa is the best KC in the business for big-ticket shipping disputes” (Shipping and Commodities).

“She assimilates complex bodies of information quickly and is very effective as an advocate.” “Philippa is an outstanding analytical lawyer, a great advocate who never stands on ceremony” (International Arbitration: General Commercial and Insurance).

“She is down to earth, and clever with vital common sense in problem solving.” “Philippa has a lovely style of advocacy – very persuasive.”

Legal 500 UK Bar 2023:

“She has a great capacity for absorbing detail while keeping the big picture in mind. She is use- friendly, responsive and extremely bright. A persuasive and credible advocate. Overall a pleasure to work with, and excellent with clients” (Commercial Litigation).

“A well-prepared and convincing advocate, managing to distil and convey her knowledge and grasp of the facts with consummate authority” (Shipping).

“She has a pragmatic, clear, straightforward and calm approach that very quickly sorts out the wood from the trees, and a compelling, focused and persuasive manner” (Commodities).

“She has a pragmatic, clear, straightforward and calm approach but will never leave a weakness unexposed, and she is a relentless cross-examiner of experts” (Energy and Natural Resources).

“Pragmatic, clear, straightforward and calm approach that very quickly sorts out the wood from the trees and is very easy to work with. Extremely responsive. Excellent at cross-examination, has a manner with witnesses that the court finds compelling, focused and persuasive” (International Arbitration: counsel).

“Excellent at marine insurance coverage work. A real specialist who knows the law inside out and applies it in a practical way” (Insurance).

Comments from earlier years include:

“Her attention to detail and quality of analysis is impressive.”

“She is fantastic with clients and extremely bright.”

“She thinks strategically and she’s incredibly responsive.”

“She is an excellent cross-examiner, and her advice is clear and to the point.”

“She is one of the brightest QCs and is extremely quick on the uptake, providing clear, focused advice of the highest quality.”

“An absolutely brilliant performer. She’s clear, tough, effective, and her cross-examination is first class.”

“She’s able to deal with serious and complex submissions with refreshing humour.”

“An absolutely superb tactician and advocate.”

“She is very good on her feet in terms of her delivery and reading the judge and she prepares so carefully.”

“Brilliant. Intelligent, strategic and thorough.”

“Extremely hard-working, which, combined with her extremely high intellect, makes for a powerful mix. For cases with high factual and legal complexity, Philippa should be first choice.”

“Highly intelligent and with great knowledge of her field, allied with a practical and down-to-earth application of what will work. A real pleasure to work with, she always adds value, while both managing expectations and getting the best possible result.”

“A Hopkins pleading is a joy to read.”

Examples of recent cases

Examples of current and recent cases include the following:

• Philippa is acting for an oil major in a significant dispute over the lengthy detention of a vessel in West Africa.
• Philippa is instructed on behalf of an offshore reinsurer in the Russian Aircraft Operator Policy Claims, fixed for trial in the Commercial Court in October 2026.
• GAREX & ors v Delos Shipholding SA & ors (The “WIN WIN”)[2024] EWHC 719 (Comm): CTL claim on a war risks policy; first case on fair presentation issues under the Insurance Act 2015; appeal to CA pending.
• Kyla Shipping Co Ltd Freight Trading Limited [2022] EWHC 1625 (Comm): forward freight agreements; fraud; limitation.

Arbitration & related court applications

Philippa has been involved in a wide range of domestic and international arbitrations (including ICC and LCIA arbitrations), and in related court applications. She is recommended as a leading practitioner in the field by Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500, and has been shortlisted for the Legal 500 2023 Arbitration Silk of the Year award. Current and recent instructions include:

• acting for insurers in defence of a claim under a construction policy arising out of a major fire at an important historic building;
• acting for a healthcare company in relation to its purchase of a competing business, in parallel disputes with the seller and with its warranty and indemnity insurers;
• acting for a sovereign state in a dispute over taxes imposed on a petroleum company;
• acting for a shipyard in a dispute over the construction of a superyacht;
• acting for the managing director and co-owner of an investment fund business in relation to a shareholder dispute;
• regular instructions in shipbuilding, shipping (see below) commodities and insurance/reinsurance arbitrations.

Philippa has a particular interest in arbitration-related court work, including anti-suit injunctions. Her reported cases in this field include the following:

• Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd [2021] EWHC 151 (Comm) (David Edwards, KC.): application for a stay to arbitration in Russia; Philippa acted for the claimants, successfully resisting the application.
• M N [2021] EWHC 360 (Comm) (Foxton, J.): service of arbitration claim form by an alternative method; orders for disclosure of assets against an award debtor.
• J K [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 323 (Butcher, J.): jurisdiction of arbitrators under hybrid arbitral/expert determination clause in superyacht construction contract.
• ADM Asia-Pacific Trading PTE v. PT Budi Semesta Satria [2017] Lloyd’s Rep. Plus 1 (Phillips, J.): anti-suit injunctions, delay.
• A series of challenges to awards of the International Cotton Association Ltd.: Libero Commodities S.A. v. Alexandre Augustin [2015] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 372 (C. Butcher, Q.C.); A. Ltd. v. B. Ltd. [2015] EWHC 137 (Comm.) (Phillips, J.) and [2014] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 393 (Andrew Smith, J.), Cottonex Anstalt v. Patriot Spinning Mills Ltd. [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 615 (Hamblen, J.), Dunavant Enterprises Inc. v. Olympia Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd. [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 619 (Burton, J.).

Philippa also regularly acts as an arbitrator. She accepts appointments under the auspices of the ICC, the LCIA, ARIAS and the LMAA, as well as in ad hoc arbitrations. She sits both as a sole arbitrator and as part of a panel. Recent/current appointments include the following:

• Sole arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration relating to a joint venture dispute;
• Chair of an LCIA tribunal in a dispute over an aluminium sales contract;
• Sole arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration relating to the theft of sugar from a warehouse;
• Chair of an LCIA tribunal in a dispute involving a long term coal sale contract;
• Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a Government department in a Gulf state and a supplier in relation to power generation equipment;
• Party-appointed arbitrator in an UNCITRAL arbitration relating to a contract of indemnity in the petrochemical industry;
• Chair of an ICC tribunal in a dispute relating to the supply of commodities in Iran;
• Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration relating to a supply contract in the alternative energy industry.

Aviation

Philippa frequently accepts instructions in contractual aviation disputes, including disputes relating to the lease and charter of aircraft, acting mainly (but not exclusively) for airlines and for their insurers. She is instructed in the Russian Aircraft Operator Policy Claims litigation in the Commercial Court. Philippa acted for Air India in a long-running arbitration relating to wet-leased aircraft and acted for an Italian aircraft leasing company in Aircraft Purchase Fleet Ltd v. Compania Aeria Alitalia SpA [2019] EWHC 567 (Comm) (Phillips, J.).

Banking & financial services

Notable cases include:

• Bank Mellat HM Treasury: From May 2018 onwards, Philippa acted for Her Majesty’s Treasury in relation to its long-running dispute with Bank Mellat concerning the impact of financial restrictions orders made in 2009-2011 and the Bank’s claim for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998. The case settled just before trial (see also Bank Mellat v. HM Treasury [2019] EWCA Civ 449 on disclosure issues).
• Royal Bank of Scotland plc Highland Capital Partners LP [2012] EWHC 1278 (Comm) (Burton, J. – setting aside of anti-suit injunction for want of clean hands by applicant).

Commercial dispute resolution

Philippa acts and advises in a wide range of general commercial disputes (see also Arbitration, above). Her practice includes injunctive work, including freezing orders and anti-suit injunctions. She has experience of dealing with public international law issues, such as state immunity, in the context of commercial litigation. She regularly acts in disputes involving both domestic and international sales of goods, and has been involved in a number of disputes concerning the sale and supply of computer software. She is ranked in this field as a leading practitioner by the Legal 500. Amongst her reported cases are:

• Philippa is instructed on behalf of an offshore reinsurer in the Russian Aircraft Operator Policy Claims, fixed for trial in the Commercial Court in October 2026.
• GAREX & ors v Delos Shipholding SA & ors (The “WIN WIN”)[2024] EWHC 719 (Comm): CTL claim on a war risks policy; first case on fair presentation issues under the Insurance Act 2015; appeal to CA pending.
• Kyla Shipping Co Ltd Freight Trading Limited [2022] EWHC 1625 (Comm): forward freight agreements; fraud; limitation.
• Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd [2021] EWHC 151 (Comm) (David Edwards KC): application for a stay to arbitration in Russia; professional negligence.
• Griffin Underwriting Ltd Varouxakis [2021] EWHC 226 (Comm) (Calver, J.): freezing injunctions.
• TAQA Bratani v. RockRose UKCS8 LLC [2020] EWHC 58 (Comm): oil and gas; Joint Operating Agreements.
• Bank Mellat HM Treasury [2019] EWCA Civ 449 (CA): issues of disclosure and illegality under foreign law; part of this long-running dispute in which Philippa acted for HM Treasury from May 2018 onwards.
• Aircraft Purchase Fleet Ltd Compania Aeria Alitalia SpA [2019] EWHC 567 (Comm) (Phillips, J.): termination of aircraft leasing framework agreement.
• Pan Oceanic Chartering v. UNIPEC UK Co. Ltd. [2017] 2 All E.R. (Comm) 196 (Carr, J.): successfully defended claim by shipbroker for damages in tort arising from long-term COA.
• ADM Asia-Pacific Trading PTE v. PT Budi Semesta Satria [2017] Lloyd’s Rep. Plus 1 (Phillips, J.): anti-suit injunctions, delay.
• Euroil Ltd. v. Cameroon Offshore Petroleum SARL [2014] EWHC 52 (Comm), [2014] EWHC 215 (Comm) (Males, ): setting aside of injunction relating to performance of joint operating agreement for Cameroon gas field.
• Royal Bank of Scotland plc Highland Capital Partners LP [2012] EWHC 1278 (Comm) (Burton, J. – setting aside of anti-suit injunction for want of clean hands by applicant).
• GB Gas Holdings Ltd. v. Accenture UK Ltd. [2010] EWCA Civ 912 (Field, J and CA): Philippa acted as the junior for Accenture in this high-profile and long-running commercial
• Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe Ltd. v. Dow Deutschland Inc. [2010] EWCA Civ 864 (CA): claim for damages arising from illegal cartel in the synthetic rubber industry; jurisdictional dispute.
• Statoil ASA Louis Dreyfus Energy Services LP (The “Harriette N”) (Aikens, J.) [2008] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 685: contract formation, unilateral mistake.
• Kensington International Ltd. v. Republic of Congo [2008] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 161 (CA): privilege against self-incrimination, application of Fraud Act 2006.
• The “Laemthong Glory” (No. 2) [2005] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 668 (CA): Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999; letters of indemnity.
• The “Laemthong Glory” (No. 1) [2005] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 100 (Colman, ): principles governing renewed applications for injunctive relief.
• Nisshin Shipping Co Ltd v Cleaves & Co Ltd & Ors [2004] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 38 (Colman, ): the first case on the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999 to come before the courts.

Conflict of laws & private international law

This is a particular interest. Philippa advises regularly in relation to conflicts of law issues, especially jurisdictional issues, including anti-suit injunctions. Reported cases in this field include:

• Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd [2021] EWHC 151 (Comm) (David Edwards KC): application for a stay to arbitration in Russia; case management stays and the Recast
• Griffin Underwriting Ltd Varouxakis [2019] 1 W.L.R. 2529 (Males, J.): jurisdiction under Recast Regulation in relation to tort claim by marine insurers against principal of assured.
• ADM Asia-Pacific Trading PTE v. PT Budi Semesta Satria [2017] Lloyd’s Rep. Plus 1 (Phillips, J.): anti-suit injunctions, delay.
• Royal Bank of Scotland plc Highland Capital Partners LP [2012] EWHC 1278 (Comm) (Burton, J. (see above).
• Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe Ltd. v. Dow Deutschland Inc. [2010] EWCA Civ 864 (Teare, J. and CA) (see above).
• Cavell USA Inc Seaton Insurance Co. [2009] EWCA Civ 1363 (Gross, J. and CA) (see above).

Energy & natural resources

Philippa is recommended in this area by the Legal 500. She is familiar with, and has advised in relation to, a wide variety of upstream and downstream oil and gas contracts, as well as contracts for the hire/charter of drilling rigs, FSPOs and support vessels. Recent and reported cases include:

• Acting in arbitration for a sovereign state in a dispute over the state’s ability to impose tax on a petroleum company in the context of their participation agreement.
• TAQA Bratani Ltd. v. RockRose UKCS8 LLC [2020] EWHC 58 (Comm): Philippa acted for the successful claimants in this dispute concerning the removal of an operator under an oil and gas Joint Operating Agreement.
• Euroil v. Cameroon Offshore Petroleum SARL [2014] EWHC 52 (Comm): Injunctive relief in relation to West African production sharing contract.

Insurance & reinsurance

Philippa is recommended in this field by Chambers UK and by the Legal 500. She appears in a wide variety of marine and non-marine insurance and reinsurance disputes, both in court and arbitration. Philippa is one of the editors of Arnould’s Law of Marine Insurance and Average.  Reported cases include:

• GAREX & ors v Delos Shipholding SA & ors (The “WIN WIN”)[2024] EWHC 719 (Comm): CTL claim on a war risks policy; first case on fair presentation issues under the Insurance Act 2015; appeal to CA pending.
• Griffin Underwriting Ltd Varouxakis [2019] 1 W.L.R. 2529 (Males, J.): jurisdiction under Recast Regulation in relation to tort claim by marine insurers against principal of assured; [2021] EWHC 226 (Comm) (Calver, J.) (freezing injunction in support of judgment).
• ProSight Global Inc v. Randall & Quilter Holdings II Ltd. [2021] EWHC 228 (Comm) (Simon Rainey C.): insurance and reinsurance companies in run-off; Funds At Lloyd’s.
• Cruise & Maritime Services International v. Navigators Underwriting Agency Ltd.: The “Marco Polo” [2017] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 575 (Knowles, J.): charterers’ liability insurance; issues relating to Athens Convention.
• Atlas Navios-Navegação Lda Navigators Insurance Co.: The “B Atlantic” [2012] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 629 (Hamblen, J.): operation of exceptions in marine war risks insurance.
• Cavell USA Inc Seaton Insurance Co. [2009] EWCA Civ 1363 (Gross, J. and CA): construction of settlement agreement related to run-off management dispute.
• Coromin v. Axa Re [2007] EWHC 2818 (Cooke, J.): reinsurance of contractors’ combined insurance policy.
• Carvill America v. Camperdown UK Ltd. [2005] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 457 (CA): brokers’ commission dispute.
• The “Kleovoulos of Rhodes” [2003] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 138 (CA): operation of exceptions in policies of marine war risks insurance.

Philippa is also regularly instructed in insurance and reinsurance arbitrations.

International trade, transport & commodities

Philippa is recommended as a leading practitioner in this field by both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500. She acts and advises regularly in relation to disputes concerning international sales of goods (including letters of credit). She acts and advises in proceedings in court and arbitration, including trade arbitrations (e.g. GAFTA, FOSFA) and has appeared before both the FOSFA and GAFTA Boards of Appeal. Reported cases include:

• M N [2021] EWHC 360 (Comm) (Foxton, J.): service of arbitration claim form by an alternative method; orders for disclosure of assets against an award debtor.
• ADM Asia-Pacific Trading PTE v. PT Budi Semesta Satria [2017] Lloyd’s Rep. Plus 1 (Phillips, J.): anti-suit injunctions; competing claims in Indonesia and FOSFA arbitration.
• A series of challenges to awards of the International Cotton Association Ltd.: Libero Commodities A. v. Alexandre Augustin [2015] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 372 (C. Butcher, Q.C.); A. Ltd. v. B. Ltd. [2015] EWHC 137 (Comm.) (Phillips, J.) and [2014] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 393 (Andrew Smith, J.), Cottonex Anstalt v. Patriot Spinning Mills Ltd. [2014] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 615 (Hamblen, J.), Dunavant Enterprises Inc. v. Olympia Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd. [2011] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 619 (Burton, J.).
• UR Power GmbH Kuok Oils & Grains Pte Ltd. [2009] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 495 (Gross, J.): FOSFA arbitrations; severability of arbitration agreements; time limits applicable to 2‑tier arbitrations.

Media, art, entertainment

Philippa has considerable experience in this field. Instructions have included:

• acting for a French TV channel in a dispute relating to a joint venture for activities in a different EU state;
• acting for an art collector in relation to claims advanced by and against a prominent dealer;
• acting for a well-known TV channel in dispute with a sales house over an airtime sales agreement;
• representing the owners of modern art destroyed in a London warehouse fire; acting for a literary agent in a contractual dispute with a rival agency;
• representing a London auction house holding artefacts the subject of a title dispute.

Professional negligence

Philippa is regularly asked to advise in connection with, in particular, solicitors’ negligence and insurance brokers’ negligence claims. She acted for a shipowning company in connection with claims against its former solicitors: see Premier Cruises Ltd v DLA Piper Rus Ltd [2021] EWHC 151 (Comm) (David Edwards, KC). Philippa acted recently for former clients of a major City firm in relation to professional negligence claims arising out of advice given in a ship finance context.

Shipping & admiralty

This is one of Philippa’s core practice areas. She is recognized by Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 as a leading silk in this area. In 2023, Philippa was identified by Lloyd’s List as one of their “Top Ten Maritime Lawyers of 2023”. Reported cases include:

• GAREX & ors v Delos Shipholding SA & ors (The “WIN WIN”)[2024] EWHC 719 (Comm): CTL claim on a war risks policy; first case on fair presentation issues under the Insurance Act 2015; appeal to CA pending.
• Kyla Shipping Co Ltd Freight Trading Limited [2022] EWHC 1625 (Comm): forward freight agreements; fraud; limitation;
• v. “VASCO DA GAMA”, m.v. “COLUMBUS” [[2021] EWHC 113 (Admlty) (port charges; sale of vessels). Philippa acts for a number of in rem claimants in these ongoing Admiralty proceedings;
• J K [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 323 (Butcher, J.): jurisdiction of arbitrators under hybrid arbitral/expert determination clause in superyacht construction contract;
• Pan Oceanic Chartering v. UNIPEC UK Co. Ltd. [2017] 2 All E.R.196 (Comm) (Carr, J.): successfully defended claim by shipbroker for damages in tort arising from long-term COA;
• SK Shipping (S) Pte v. Petroexport Ltd.: The “Pro Victor” [2010] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 158 (Flaux, J.: repudiation/renunciation of voyage charter);
• The “Harriette N” [2008] 2 Lloyd’s 685 (Aikens, J.: contract formation, unilateral mistake, demurrage);
• The “Laemthong Glory” (No. 2) [2005] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 668 (CA): Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999; letters of indemnity;
• The “Laemthong Glory” (No. 1) [2005] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 100 (Colman, ): principles governing renewed applications for injunctive relief;
• Nisshin Shipping Co Ltd Cleaves & Co Ltd & Ors [2004] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 38 (Colman, J.): the first case on the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999 to come before the courts; shipbrokers’ commissions;
• CMA CGM S.A. v Beteiligungs-kommanditgesellschaft MS Northern Pioneer Schiffahrtgesellschaft Mbh & Co & Ors [2003] 1 WLR 1015 (CA): principles governing the seeking of permission to appeal from arbitration awards under the Arbitration Act 1996; time charter; war clauses.

As well as appearing regularly in court on shipping cases, Philippa appears in many LMAA and ad-hoc shipping arbitrations (she is a Supporting Member of the LMAA), and advises in relation to a wide range of bill of lading, charterparty and related disputes. She has considerable experience in dealing with complex technical issues. Current and recent instructions have included acting in an LMAA arbitration relating to a lengthy vessel detention in West Africa; acting for NVOCCs in a dispute arising from a major vessel fire; in an LMAA arbitration involving issues of compliance with sanctions.

Philippa’s shipping practice also includes acting in ship sale and shipbuilding disputes, mostly in arbitration. Instructions include acting for a shipyard in relation to a dispute over the construction of a superyacht; acting for buyers in relation to a claim for rescission of an agreement for the sale and purchase of a cruise ship for misrepresentation; a dispute relating to the provision of refund guarantees in a ship sale contract.

Career

• Called to the Bar in 1994 by the Middle Temple.
•  Joined Essex Court Chambers as a pupil in October 1994.
•  Became a tenant at Essex Court Chambers in October 1995.
• Appointed Queen’s Counsel in February 2018.

Before joining Chambers and whilst undertaking the Bar Vocational Course, Philippa was a law lecturer at Merton College, Oxford from 1993-1994.

As a mother of three sons who has taken career breaks on three occasions, Philippa has a particular interest in equality and diversity both within Chambers and more generally within the profession. Philippa sits on Chambers’ pupillage committee and was involved in the drafting of Chambers’ parental leave policy. She is a mentor on the Bar Council’s Maternity Mentoring Scheme and on Middle Temple’s Talent Retention Scheme She has led an initiative involving several “magic circle” sets aimed at attracting more women to the Commercial Bar, and speaks regularly about work/life balance.

Philippa is a member of the Commercial Court Users’ Group, the British Insurance Law Association and the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (Supporting Member). She is Secretary of the Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR).

Education

1993  Merton College, Oxford: BCL – Distinction

1992  Merton College, Oxford: BA, Jurisprudence – First Class (ranked joint first in the university)

Awards

1994 Eldon Law Scholarship, awarded annually to the most promising Oxford gradate intending to practise at the Bar

1993 University of Oxford: Martin Wronker Prize (jointly) for the best overall performance in the year in Jurisprudence Final Honour Schools (University final exams)

1991 Middle Temple: Queen Mother’s Scholarship

1990 Merton College, Oxford: Postmastership (scholarship)

Publications

Philippa is a contributing editor to the Arnould’s Law of Marine Insurance and Average (currently in its 21st edition). She is also the co-author of is the co-author of Colman, Lyon & Hopkins: The Practice and Procedure of the Commercial Court (6th edn.).

Since 2020, she has been a contributing editor to the White Book, responsible for Parts 58 (Commercial Court) and 62 (Arbitration).

Articles:

• Commercial contracts, individual terms and good faith: where do we go from here? (2021) J.B.L. 219
• The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 and shipping: a sea change or a damp squib? (Hart Publishing; forthcoming)

Philippa worked as a research assistant at the Law Commission in the summer of 1994. Her work there was published as Parliamentary Procedures and the Law Commission — A Research Study, (Law Commission, November 1994).

Philippa assisted Lord Woolf and Sir William Blair in the preparation and drafting of new legislation for the Qatar Financial Centre, and the establishment of the Qatar Financial Centre Civil and Commercial Court.

Appointments

Philippa is Chancellor of the Diocese of Chelmsford in the Church of England.