Called: 1996
Practice Overview
Jonathan has a broad practice covering all aspects of commercial, transport and insurance law. He is qualified to practise in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. He is also qualified as an Australian Barrister/Solicitor (presently non-practising).
He is particularly interested in cases with an international aspect and is fully conversant with all international transport conventions and principles of private international law. He is particularly experienced in obtaining freezing injunctions and anti-suit injunctions.
He is consistently ranked by Chambers UK and Legal 500 as a Leading Senior Junior.
Chambers UK, 2019: "His experience and understanding of the law and his commercial awareness has been of great assistance. He is very approachable, exceptionally knowledgeable, provides clear advice and finds the time to make himself available."
Chambers UK (2018) : “A tenacious advocate with an admired intellectual capacity. His redoubtable practice focuses on complex cases involving personal injury and fatality”
Chambers UK (2018) “He is easy to work with and responsive. He quickly identifies the issues”
Chambers UK (2016): “Noted by peers for his meticulous preparation, strong advocacy skills and easy manner with clients”
Legal 500 (2016): “Very well prepared”
He has also advised on disputes involving Australia, Canada, the Channel Islands, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, and the United States of America.
Jonathan has acted for and against many shipowners, crewing agencies and insurance companies. He also acts both for and against major airlines, cruise and tour operators, UK airports, the CAA and the MCA. He also acts on behalf of shipyards, ship-owners, rig owners, crewing agencies and shipping unions and has provided a number of advices on yachting matters to the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
He is involved in a large volume of wet and dry shipping cases including cargo claims, pilotage, collisions and groundings. International ship-building, rig-construction and repair cases are also a strong feature of his practice.
He frequently acts in inquests, generally involving aviation and maritime incidents and then acts in the civil claims which follow.
Jonathan has acted in a number of recent and reported cases including:
He is an accredited mediator (trained by ADR Chambers), an LMAA Supporting Member and an arbitrator on LMAA terms. He is an elected member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Irish Maritime Law Association, the Anglo-Australasian Lawyers Society and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Editor: Shawcross & Beaumont Air Law
Editor: Atkins Court Forms.
"...He is always well prepared..."
(Legal 500, 2019)"His experience and understanding of the law and his commercial awareness has been of great assistance. He is very approachable, exceptionally knowledgeable, provides clear advice and finds the time to make himself available."
(Chambers UK, 2019)"...He is easy to work with and responsive. He quickly identifies the issues..."
(Chambers UK, 2018)"...a tenacious advocate with an admired intellectual capacity ... a very approachable senior junior. He is easy to work with, responsive and quickly identifies the key issues..."
(Chambers Global, 2017)"...a very approachable senior junior. He is easy to work with, responsive and quickly identifies the key issues..."
(Chambers UK, 2017)"...very clever and impressive..."
(The Legal 500, 2016)"…quickly grasps complex cases. Has a substantial practice and regularly represents defendants in aviation disputes…"
(Chambers UK, 2016)"...has a no-nonsense attitude, and is a lucid thinker who takes a helpful, collaborative approach. Committed, knowledgeable and user-friendly…"
(Chambers UK, 2016)"…noted by peers for his meticulous preparation, strong advocacy skills and easy manner with clients. He has a particular proficiency in aviation insurance matters…"; "...he has a brilliant touch with clients and with the court; they immediately get his intellect and he produces silky submissions…"
(Chambers UK, 2015)"…first-rate…"
Legal 500 (2014)"...an established and approachable star in the aviation arena, with a strong grasp of EU and international jurisprudence relating to carriage-by-air cases..."
Chambers UK, (2014)Jonathan has acted for and sometimes against
Jonathan is experienced in General Aviation and has acted in both inquests and civil proceedings in GA matters.
He is familiar with the law related to drones and unmanned aviation vehicles (UAVs) and has assisted in the writing of UAV operators manuals for several large drone operators and surveying organisations.
He has drafted Terms and Conditions of Carriage for several international travel groups including Thomas Cook and Laver Holidays group.
Illustrative cases include:
Jonathan has acted in a number of banking disputes and asset finance disputes involving in particular retention of title clauses and liens in a variety of jurisdictions. Recent cases include:
Dry Shipping
Jonathan’s practice encompasses all of the main forms of international and domestic carriage contracts, international and domestic sales contracts and financing arrangements. He has particular experience in hydrocarbon carriage and sale contracts in the UK, Europe, West Africa and the Middle East. Recent cases include:
Wet Shipping
Jonathan is instructed in many and varied Admiralty matters on behalf of both cargo, shipowner and salvage interests in respect of collisions, groundings and other incidents at sea.
He is experienced in issues of limitation and pollution and has a particular interest in yacht and yacht-racing disputes.
He has advised the Royal Yachting Association, ports and harbour authorities, off-shore energy generators, crewing agencies and marine unions on various matters. Recent cases include:
Jonathan is repeatedly instructed in energy and construction disputes including rigs and vessels sale and construction and yacht building disputes. He is experienced in pipeline construction disputes. Recent cases include:
Jonathan acts in a wide variety of disputes in the general commercial field. Recent cases include:
Jonathan is experienced in many forms of commercial arbitration and mediation including the The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the LMAA Terms, the LMAA Small Claims Procedure, LMAA Mediation Terms, the London Metal Exchange Rules and other private arbitration and mediation agreements. He is an Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an LMAA Supporting Member.
Jonathan is frequently involved in insurance disputes addressing coverage issues and the construction of policies. Recent cases include:
ADR Chambers Accredited Mediator
Jonathan is frequently involved in obtaining security and interim measures either by way of injunction (in particular freezing, search and delivery up orders) and/or arrest. Recent cases include:
Jonathan frequently deals with private international law issues and jurisdictional disputes including the availability of interim measures both within and without the EU Regulation states. Recent cases include:
…"Has a no-nonsense attitude, and is a lucid thinker who takes a helpful, collaborative approach. Committed, knowledgeable and user-friendly"…
(Chambers UK, 2016)Academic
M.A. (Oxon)(Double First Class); B.C.L. (Oxon); C.P.L.S. (Queens, Belfast), Short Shipping Course (Southampton); ACIArb.
Awards
Duke of Edinburgh Scholarship (Inner Temple).
British Academy Open Scholarship.
Northern Ireland State Studentship.
Scholar (Saint Edmund Hall, Oxford).
Winner Richards Butler Travelling Scholarship.
Winner Baker & MacKenzie Travelling Scholarship.
Other Qualifications
Accredited Mediator (ADR Chambers).
Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Accredited advocacy trainer - Australian Advocacy Institute (AAI).
Supporting Member LMAA.
Lecturer in International Trade at Bristol Institute of Legal Practice.
Sometime lecturer in Insurance, Equity and Trusts law at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia).
Sometime external examiner on the Bar Vocational Course.
Contributor to LMCLQ.
Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (ALAANZ) (committee member (retired)) and Maritime Law. Association of Australia and New Zealand (MLAANZ).
RYA Dayskipper Theory and Practical.
Australian Rugby Union Referee (Victorian Branch).
Rugby Football Union Referee (Somerset Referees' Society).
Appointments
Accredited Mediator (ADR Chambers).
Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Editor, Shawcross & Beaumont Air Law.
Presentations
International Trade (Bristol Institute of Legal Practice); RAeS Summer Course – Introduction to Air Law; In-house lectures on Insurance, Shipping and Aviation topics; CLT Webinars.
Publications
Editor, Shawcross & Beaumont Air Law
Exclusivity Trumps Equality in the UK Supreme Court: Stott v Thomas Cook Ltd (2014) LMCLQ 317-319
Aviation Accident Reports Admissible in Civil Proceedings in the UK: Rogers v Hoyle (2014) LMCLQ 329-333
The meaning of accident in the air: Air Link Pty Ltd v Paterson [2010] L.M.C.L.Q. 19.
Editor of Carriers and Civil Aviation, Atkin's Court Forms
Memberships
ACIArb, COMBAR, LSLC, PNBA, LCLCBA, RAeS.
Languages
English; French; German (conversational).
In-House Experience
2008 – Secondment to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP (aviation).
2003-2006 - Senior Associate at Ebsworth & Ebsworth, Melbourne, Australia.
In house experience with Holmes Hardingham and Richards Butler (Hong Kong).
Personal