Stephanie regularly accepts instructions in this core area of Chambers' work. She has undertaken advisory and drafting work as well as advocacy on behalf of a number of major airlines. Her experience relates to a broad range of issues, from personal injury, baggage and delay claims under the Montreal Convention, the denied boarding (EC Reg 261/2004) and reduced mobility (EC Reg 1107/2006) regulations, to advising on general contractual issues, such as disputes under ground handling agreements.
Stephanie was junior to Michael McParland in Emma Moore v Hotelplan, t/as Inghams [2010] EWHC 276 (QB) concerning the liability of a tour operator for devastating injuries suffered by the Claimant whilst participating in a skidoo excursion which was not part of the original package holiday but booked through the Defendant's resort representative. Stephanie acted as junior for the successful Claimant. Stephanie has also been instructed in cases involving the Package Travel Regulations.
Stephanie is regularly instructed to appear for major banks and credit card companies, including in relation to debt claims, Consumer Credit Act issues, possession claims and obtaining charging orders. Stephanie's practice takes in a wide range of County Court work, including summary judgment applications against debtors, costs hearings, case management hearings and a number of trials. Issues range from interest lost when a bank failed to transfer funds in accordance with a customer's request to the application of the Data Protection Act 1998 to credit reference agencies.
Stephanie has assisted with sale of goods disputes ranging from international sales to quality and condition disputes under the Sale of Goods Act. She regularly advises on issues of contract and tort law in a wide spectrum of commercial disputes such as sale of goods and supply of services, carriage of goods by road (both domestic and international).
Stephanie has experience of assisting with issues of conflicts of laws and jurisdiction both in an EU and non-EU context, and in relation to both contract and tort.
For further details of Stephanie's experience in relation to CIF and FOB sales and transport law, please see under "Dry Shipping, Commodities and Transport".
Stephanie regularly undertakes advocacy and drafting work relating to a wide range of dry shipping, transport and commodities disputes. She has appeared in the Commercial Court in procedural and application hearings, including case management conferences and has appeared in the County Courts in numerous smaller shipping and transport issues. Examples of Stephanie’s experience include:
· Time Charterparties- Stephanie regularly deals with a range of standard forms, including NYPE 1946 and 1993 and Shelltime 4. Examples of time charter issues that Stephanie has advised on or assisted with are: late and early redelivery disputes, underperformance, off-hire, employment and agency claims (including indemnity claims under Clause 8 NYPE), bunker quality disputes and unsafe port claims. She was instructed as junior to Simon Croall Q.C. in a two-week arbitration involving late redelivery and illegitimate orders in respect of a time charter of dredging equipment, and as junior to Chirag Karia in a week-long arbitration concerning the construction of trading range and oil major approvals clauses.
· Voyage Charterparties- Stephanie has advised upon issues ranging from demurrage to cargo claims, including Hague/Hague-Visby Rules issues.
· Bill of lading disputes, again encompassing different standard forms and including Hague/Hague-Visby Rules issues, carriage disputes, and the incorporation of arbitration and jurisdiction clauses;
· Commodities, including FOB and CIF sales of commodities such as coal, wheat and oil. Stephanie has recently been instructed as junior to Simon Croall Q.C. in a Commercial Court case involving US biodiesel allegedly shipped in breach of EU Regulations imposing duties and penalties on US origin biodiesel. She has also recently advised on EU waste shipment regulations in respect of consignments of recycled carpet shipped from the UK to Pakistan.
· Transport: Stephanie has undertaken drafting and advocacy in respect of a number of road transport disputes, including CMR claims and claims under RHA standard terms. In addition, she has been instructed in cases involving goods lost or damaged during household removals.
Other recent instructions include: advising on and drafting an application to the Commercial Court under section 67 Arbitration Act 1996 in a case concerning the identity of the “owner” under a time charter, and acting as junior to David Ewart Q.C. and Nigel Cooper Q.C. in a multi-million pound dispute before the Tax Commissioners relating to capital allowances claimed on two LNG carriers.
Stephanie has been instructed in a number of shipbuilding and energy disputes, both as a junior and in her own right. She was instructed as second junior to Robert Thomas and Natalie Moore in a substantial arbitration concerning responsibility for delay in the construction of a "superyacht", and as junior to James Thomas in two arbitrations involving warranty claims under shipbuilding contracts carried out by a Chinese yard.
Stephanie has experience of a number of commercial arbitrations, as well as arbitration applications in the High Court under the 1996 Act. She has experience of a range of issues relating to arbitration procedure, including disputes concerning appointment, disclosure, jurisdiction and appeals under sections 67, 68 and 69. Stephanie has recently advised upon and drafted an application under section 67 of the 1996 Act. She was instructed as second junior to Robert Thomas and Natalie Moore in a substantial arbitration concerning responsibility for delay in the construction of a "superyacht". Stephanie was also instructed as junior to Simon Croall Q.C. in a two-week arbitration concerning late redelivery of dredging equipment and as junior to Chirag Karia in a week-long arbitration concerning trading range and oil major clauses in a time charter. A substantial proportion of Stephanie's shipping work relates to cases which are being arbitrated.
Stephanie has experience of a range of insurance and reinsurance matters, both marine and non-marine, including the construction of standard terms in a marine policy and assisting in advising on recovery and quantum under a property and business risks policy. She has also advised on more unusual clauses, such as the construction of an exclusion for "stand alone warehouses", and on jurisdiction and subrogation in respect of a hangarkeeper's policy following a fire which destroyed a number of helicopters. Stephanie was instructed as fourth junior to Simon Bryan Q.C. and Guy Blackwood in the multi-million dollar Commercial Court dispute between Markerstudy and other insurance companies and their claims handlers in respect of negligent handling. This was a complex and substantial dispute involving work on a detailed Scott Schedule of sample claims over a period of around 8 months.
Stephanie has advised and drafted pleadings for a number of Admiralty disputes, including in respect of the following:
- A yacht sinking due to alleged keel defects. Stephanie was instructed on behalf of the keel manufacturers.
- Issues of Admiralty Court jurisdiction and procedure, including section 20 Senior Courts Act.
- A claim for personal injuries arising out of a collision between two dinghies on a reservoir.
- A claim for general average in respect of detention by Somali pirates.
- An issue relating to limitation funds and the interpretation of the 1996 Protocol (as junior to Nigel Jacobs Q.C.).
