Andrew Stevens

Call: 2007

Expertise

Commercial
Employment
Energy, Oil & Gas
Insurance & Reinsurance
International Arbitration & Projects
Professional Negligence
Property Damage
Shipping
Banking & Finance

Practice Profile

Andrew joined Chambers following pupillage at Essex Court Chambers and is developing a strong commercial practice.  He regularly drafts or provides advice in a range of commercial disputes.  As well as being instructed in his own cases, Andrew has experience of being led by more senior barristers and of working as part of a team of solicitors or international lawyers. 

 

Andrew places a strong emphasis on advocacy.  He frequently appears in the County Courts and the High Court and has been instructed in interim applications in a wide range of contractual and other disputes.  He regularly conducts trials on various tracks.

 

Andrew has experience of drafting and advisory work in a broad spectrum of commercial matters including shipping, shipbuilding, banking and finance, insurance and re-insurance disputes (marine and non-marine), employment, commercial fraud, professional negligence, construction and jurisdictional matters.  Andrew also has experience of, and growing interest in, property damage cases, having worked on the Buncefield litigation as a pupil and on other property damage cases.

 

International Arbitration & Projects

A large part of Andrew’s work has arisen in the context of international arbitrations (including ICC, LMAA and LCIA rules).  His recent work includes:

 

• Instruction in a c.€800 million dispute arising out of a joint venture in the nuclear energy sector (European competition law, non-compete clauses, interim injunction from ICC tribunal).

 

• LMAA arbitration arising out of the conversion of an FPSO and the construction of platforms in an off-shore oil field (led by Edmund King).

 

In 2009 Andrew spent six months in the international arbitration team of a leading global French firm in Paris.  He worked in French and English on several international arbitrations and on the enforcement of arbitral awards.  He also acted as an assistant to an ICC arbitrator in an international trade dispute.

 

Shipping

Andrew has experience of shipping claims (charterparty disputes, demurrage), shipbuilding (delay, permitted delay etc.) as well as financing and international trade (refund guarantees and bonds, letters of credit etc.).

 

In 2010 Andrew spent six weeks on secondment at a Scandinavian ship owners’ defence club where he undertook a variety of work and drafted proceedings in various London arbitrations.

 

Banking & Finance

Andrew recently drafted a legal opinion to be used before the High Court of Singapore in injunction proceedings restraining payment out under a $multi-million shipbuilding refund guarantee.  He has also recently drafted particulars in a successful $multi-million letter of credit claim against a major bank.

Additional Information

Andrew has conducted pro bono work for the Free Representation Unit (employment law).

 

Andrew has a strong interest in China.  He is a member of the Bar Council’s China Interest Group and was part of a Bar Council/Law Society delegation to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in 2009.  He has advised a Chinese client on English company law.  He speaks some conversational Mandarin.

 

Prizes and Awards:

• Lord Denning and Lord Eastham Scholarships, Lincoln's Inn
• Falcon Chambers Prize for Land Law, Cambridge University (best paper in year)
• Steers Prize for Law, Selwyn College, Cambridge
• Gilbert Prizes for Modern Languages, Selwyn College, Cambridge
• Abraham Scholarships, Selwyn College, Cambridge
• Tripos Prizes for Modern Languages, Selwyn College, Cambridge
• Imber-Lloyd Tallow Chandlers Award, Selwyn College, Cambridge (contribution to college life)

 

Languages:

French
German
Mandarin (conversational)

 

Professional Memberships:

Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)
Bar Council China Special Interest Group
LCIA Young International Arbitrators Group

Interests:

Andrew enjoys running, swimming and reading and he also has a particular interest (both personal and professional) in China, having spent time shadowing Hong Kong and Chinese lawyers and meeting judges whilst living with a host family in Tianjin, China, where he studied Mandarin after graduating from Cambridge.