Maritime and commercial law firm, Tatham & Co., has been boosted by the arrival of seasoned solicitor and Master Mariner Paul Haworth, joining as a senior member of the legal team. Haworth, who is experienced in all aspects of shipping law, joins Tatham & Co’s ‘wet’ team which focuses on Admiralty and crisis response cases.

Haworth joins the London-based Tatham & Co. from Birketts LLP, a law firm with a specialist shipping team, where he was a Legal Director. Prior to that, Haworth was a partner at maritime law firm Winter Scott LLP. Before coming ashore, Haworth spent 16 years at sea on a variety of vessels including gas carriers and cruise ships before moving into the offshore sector with command experience on Dynamic Positioning  Classed vessels.

Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2009, Haworth has conducted collision investigations and regularly advises on collision liability, salvage and wreck removal as well as ‘dry’ charterparty disputes such as unsafe ports, unseaworthiness issues and disputes arising in towage and offshore operations. He has worked on high-profile cases, acting for the salvors in the RENA, HOEGH OSAKA and the CCNI ARAUCO incidents and has also more recently represented cargo interests on the MAERSK HONAM and the EVER GIVEN.

Tatham & Co. Senior Partner Simon Tatham said:

“Paul is an exceptionally experienced solicitor and is well-respected in maritime circles. As part of our wet team, Paul will primarily be involved in the investigation and handling of maritime casualties worldwide as well as the handling of the legal issues arising following an incident or casualty.

“Being able to leverage Paul’s experience and expertise – both as a solicitor and a Master Mariner – further bolsters our ability to support our clients during what can be challenging cases. We are very pleased to welcome him to the firm.”

Haworth’s appointment comes just a few months after Tatham & Co. appointed Chris Farmer, also a solicitor and Master Mariner, and Ioanna Vitta, an Athens-based solicitor, as Partners.

The practice, first established in 2012 and led by partners Simon Tatham, Stephen Askins, James Hickland and Chris Farmer, today comprises a legal team of seventeen people.

As a specialist maritime law firm Tatham & Co. acts for ship owners, charterers, marine insurers, Protection and Indemnity (P&I) and Defence clubs, traders, salvors and shipbuilders. The firm’s practice areas cover shipping disputes and contracts, international trade, Admiralty and casualty, marine insurance, harbour and ocean towage, heavylift and offshore as well as piracy, war, terrorism and maritime security.

The firm has recently been involved in high-profile cases including: the ”POLAR” a general average dispute (GA) now proceeding to the Supreme Court in the United Kingdom; the “TILAWA” (Argentum Exploration v Republic of South Africa) concerning the rights to 2391 bars of silver, also now to be considered by the Supreme Court; Northern Borealis v KN Paynet, a successful €uro 28m recovery from a bank; and acting for the owners of the “HEROIC IDUN”, a tanker and crew currently being detained controversially by the Nigerian Navy.