Edward joined 20 Essex Street in September 2010 upon completion of pupillage. Prior to joining Chambers, he read Law at Downing College, Cambridge and studied at The Hague Academy of International Law (Directed Studies in Private International Law).
Since joining Chambers Edward has appeared as sole counsel in the Court of Appeal, High Court and County Court. Edward acted for the successful appellants in Tedcom Finance Limited & Another v. Vetabet Holding Limted & Others [2011] EWCA Civ 191, an urgent without notice appeal concerning the service of arbitration claim forms outside of the jurisdiction, and for the respondents in ED&F Man Sugar Ltd v. Belmont Shipping Ltd. [2011] EWHC 2992 (Comm), a s.68 Arbitration Act appeal relating to the arbitrators' obligation to bring un-argued points to the parties' attention. Edward is currently instructed alone in a range of matters including aHong Kong arbitration for the recovery of management fees due from a construction project in Clearwater Bay, HKSAR and an LMAA arbitration for the costs of repairing a vessel damaged by stevedore negligence.
Edward has been instructed as a junior in a number of cases, both in court and arbitration, including:
- An ad hoc ship sale arbitration raising issues of frustration and the assessment of damages (with Timothy Young QC).
- An ad hoc ship sale arbitration raising issues as to the physical and legal readiness of the vessel for delivery (with Michael Ashcroft QC).
- An LCIA arbitration acting for the majority shareholder in a complex shareholder / joint venture dispute raising issues of unfair prejudice (with Philip Edey QC).
- An ad hoc US$40+ million shipbuilding arbitration, acting for the Claimant yard following the termination of four related shipbuilding contracts (with Duncan Matthews QC).
- Pukhlikov v. Ablyazov & Another: A facet of the multi-billion dollar BTA Bank litigation (in which Edward has been more generally involved) relating to the purchase and ownership of an oil and gas trans-shipment facility and port in northern Russia (with Siward Atkins, Maitland Chambers and James Willan, Essex Court Chambers).
- A range of interim applications - spanning Injunctions to prevent the replacement of a company's director following his physical intimidation (with Sean Snook) to freezing injunctions and preservation of property orders (with Duncan Matthews QC).
- A series of related arbitrations concerning the laytime and demurrage consequences of a national and local transport strike at a Spanish discharge port (with Charles Kimmins QC).
Edward advises on commercial disputes of all kinds, in particular shipping (including disputes under charterparties, COAs, bills of lading, ship sale and shipbuilding contracts). Recent instructions have included advice upon:
- a wide spectrum of issues (including unlawful means conspiracy, unjust enrichment and mistake, and the fraud exception to privilege) arising from the termination of an exclusive distribution and licensing agreement between Hong Kong and English wine merchants (with Michael Todd QC, Erskine Chambers).
- the advisory fees due following the sale of a JMW Turner painting.
- a multi-million dollar professional negligence claim arising from negligent solicitor advice on a refund guarantee provided in support of a shipbuilding contract.
- a ship-sale dispute involving a vessel with defects both before and after delivery (with Michael Coburn QC).
