Benjamin Joseph joined Quadrant in October 2020 following successful completion of pupillage. He has developed a broad and busy practice in line with Chambers’ core areas, with a particular focus on international trade, shipping, energy, and international commercial arbitration.

Ben’s recent highlights include

• Led by Jeremy Richmond KC in complex multi-party fraud proceedings in the Abu Dhabi General Market Court. Judgment on jurisdiction reported at [2023] ADGMCFI 0009.
• Successfully opposing the continuation of a $100m worldwide freezing injunction in the Abu Dhabi General Market Court. Judgment of Mr Justice Andrew Smith reported at [2023] ADGMCFI 0011.
• Success as sole counsel in a two-day trial involving complex issues of law and fact arising out of congestion in the wider container market and shipments from China.
• Led by James Turner KC in obtaining urgent injunctive relief in the Queen’s Bench Division and Commercial Court to preserve a large quantity of oil stored in Spain. Reported at [2022] EWHC 1011.
• Junior counsel (led by Henry Ellis) in a trial relating to the sale-purchase of a VLCC in Singapore during the peak market volatility of the Covid-19 crisis.
• Acting as junior to John Kimbell KC in a complex ship management dispute in the Commercial Court.
• Led by Tom Macey-Dare KC in a high-value arbitral dispute arising from recent high-tech developments in the manufacture of LNG carriers.
• Acting as sole counsel in complex, multi-party admiralty proceedings arising out of the insolvency of cruise ship operators in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. Reported at [2021] EWHC 310 (Admlty).
• Regular appearances as sole counsel in a wide variety of hearings, including applications for interim relief, summary judgment, strike out and unless orders in the Commercial and Admiralty Courts.
   

     Ben’s regular practice involves

Charterparties

• Advising and settling pleadings as sole counsel in a wide variety of damage and hire disputes under bareboat, time and voyage charters including in disputes relating to laytime and demurrage, off-hire, speed and performance, liability for Covid-19 related issues, piracy expenses, hold cleaning and various other expenses.
• Advising and settling pleadings in superyacht charterparty disputes.

Carriage of Goods

• Acting for owners and cargo interests in a wide variety of carriage by sea disputes, involving Hague/Hague-Visby Rules and jurisdictional issues.
• Advising, settling pleadings and appearing in freight forwarding and air cargo disputes, including carriage under the BIFA terms.

Admiralty

• Acting as sole counsel for a claimant in complex, multi-party admiralty proceedings arising out of the insolvency of cruise ship operators in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, reported at [2021] EWHC 310 (Admlty).
• Regular appearances as sole counsel in the Admiralty Court in order to apply for arrest, default judgment and sale, including obtaining the arrest and sale of the MV “Poseidon” and MV “Tecoil Polaris” as part of in rem proceedings. 

International Arbitration

• Preparing and responding to appeals under sections 67, 68 and 69 of the Arbitration Act 1996, and acting as sole counsel in jurisdictional challenges before LMAA Tribunals.

• Acting as junior counsel in a $500m foreign direct investment dispute in ICC Arbitration.

• Assisting as junior counsel in a high-value dispute concerning trading in breach of sanctions on Iran. 

• Acting as sole counsel in an $8m energy dispute relating to the effect of the illegality of an energy supply agreement under local law.

Ship Sale & Purchase

• Acting as junior counsel to Henry Ellis in a three-day trial relating to the failed sale-purchase of a VLCC during the peak market volatility of the Covid-19 crisis.

• Acting as sole counsel in a $3m dispute arising from the sale-purchase of an oil tanker in the UAE.

• Advising and settling pleadings in a dispute relating to the sale-purchase of a vessel for recycling in Bangladesh.

Aviation

• Advising and settling pleadings in a range of carriage by air disputes, with a particular focus on claims under the Montreal and Warsaw Conventions.

• Acting as sole counsel in a high-value air cargo dispute in the Circuit Commercial Court.

Previous Legal Experience

Prior to joining Quadrant, Ben worked in the Marine and International Trade department at Stephenson Harwood in Summer 2019, gaining experience in a number of significant charterparty, commodities, casualty and insurance disputes, as well as a better understanding of solicitors’ practice. Ben also has experience working at Herbert Smith Freehills (Hong Kong) and Debevoise & Plimpton (London).