35th Donald O'May Lecture in Maritime Law Event

Speaker - The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Gross

Title - “A good forum to shop in: London and English Law post-Brexit”

Lord Justice Gross was educated at the University of Cape Town (B.Bus.Sc.; M.Bus.Sc) and Oriel College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (MA,BCL) where he was also awarded the Eldon Scholarship.  Called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn) in 1977, he became Queen’s Counsel in 1992.  He sat as a Recorder from 1995 until 2001, and chaired the London Common Law & Commercial Bar Association from 1995 until 1997.  He also chaired the Bar Education & Training Committee (1998 – 2000) and the Bar International Relations Committee (2001).

Appointed a Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division in 2001, he was designated a Judge of the Commercial Court in 2002, and was Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court from 2009 to 2010.  Lord Justice Gross was Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit (2005 – 2008); chaired the City University Institute of Law Advisory Board (2003-2005), and was Master of Moots at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn (2004-2006). He is a Master of the Bench at Gray’s Inn and, as of 1st Jan 2016, an elected member of the Management Committee.

He has undertaken judicial visits abroad (including Jamaica, Guyana, Kazakhstan and Pakistan) since 2003, and was designated a Judge of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in 2009. He was Chairman of the Standing Committee on Judicial Security from 2009 – 2011, was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2010, and was appointed Deputy Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales in October 2011. He was Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales from January 2013 to December 2015.

Chair - Peter Rogan, Consultant at Ince & Co

A widely recognised authority in insurance and reinsurance law. Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 consistently identify Peter Rogan as one of the London market’s leading practitioners. In a career spanning 40 years in private practice, Peter has been instructed in many of the world’s largest and most complex disputes.

Peter’s rare combination of analysis and judgement with a light, personable style made Peter a successful senior partner at Ince & Co, in which role he served an eight-year term. Under Peter’s tenure, the firm expanded geographically with the addition of five new offices and reported significant increases in turnover.  Peter continues as a Consultant to the firm.

Peter also serves as a neutral on the JAMS International Panel and is noted for a creative, analytical approach to mediation, showing flexibility and careful management of the process while engaging parties with the authority and gravitas of one of the market’s elder statesmen. Additionally, Peter has taken both ad-hoc and institutional appointments as an arbitrator. Clients report that Peter Rogan is “excellent, picking up on the nuances of an issue quickly and astutely.”

Vote of Thanks - Vasanti Selvaratnam QC, Joint Head of London at St Philips Stone

Vasanti Selvaratnam QC is Joint Head of London at St Philips Stone. She practices in all aspects of international commercial litigation and arbitration, including shipping (wet and dry), commodities, banking and finance, conflict of law and jurisdiction disputes, all forms of interim urgent relief including freezing orders and anti-suit injunctions, and civil fraud.

She is particularly noted for her user friendly "hands on" approach to cases and for her ability quickly to get to grips with disputes raising complex factual and technical issues which require a sound grasp of expert evidence and mastery of detail.

Clients include the major P&I clubs, shipowners, charterers and salvors as well as large commercial organisations involved in commercial court litigation or international commercial arbitration in non shipping matters.

Arrival from 17:45 - Tea & Coffee available

Lecture at 18:30 (for approximately 1 hour)

Drinks from 19:30 - 21:00

Carriages 21:00

We are grateful for the ongoing support and sponsorship of Ince & Co. The lecture is also kindly sponsored by Routledge and Informa Law, both of whom will be present on the night with representatives at stands.