Shipping Partner - International Offices

A longstanding client is looking to grow their ship finance and offshore non-contentious practice in their Singapore office. We have successfully supported this practice previously and will be happy to assist you throughout the interview process.

You will be joining an international law firm with deep roots in the shipping industry. The hiring partner is looking for associates who have a genuine interest in the shipping and offshore industry and a desire to be client facing. From a practitioner’s angle, our client appreciates commercial minded, independent, lateral thinkers who never stop learning and ask the right questions.

You will be doing an even mix of ship finance and offshore non-contentious work. On the ship finance side, you will be advising leading shipowners and occasionally banks. On the offshore non-contentious side, you will be advising construction companies, funds, offshore support companies, drilling companies and FPSO providers. You will be doing project financing, chartering, sale and purchase agreements and the occasional restructuring/ insolvency work.

The key highlights of this role include:

• Variety of work. This is an opportunity to broaden your specialisation and get a deeper commercial understanding of the shipping and offshore sector.  
• Collegiate work environment. The team is large but work collaboratively.
• Work life balance. The hiring partner is keen for his associates to have a life outside of the office.

Common law qualified lawyers of between 3 to 4 PQE with shipping or offshore experience will be considered. Due to the nature of the work, England & Wales qualified lawyers will be preferred.

If the above position catches your interest, do get in touch for more information. 

Senior in-house positions are rare and highly sought after. Accordingly, we are very excited to present an opportunity to join an IG P&I Club as a Senior Claims Handler in their Hong Kong Office.

Our client has significant tonnage from China. As a result, you will be advising charterers and traders within that market. Your scope of work will primarily be dry shipping, specifically FD&D with some exposure to P&I work. You will also be expected to train newer members in this regard.

Additionally, due to the seniority of your role, you can expect significant exposure to major members of the Club. Your job is to manage those relationships while traveling with and working with underwriters to develop new relationships.

From our discussions with the hiring manager, the key highlights of this role include:
 

• Prestige. Even amongst the IG Clubs, our client stands out in terms of tonnage and reputation.
  
   
• Significant remuneration. Our client pays at the top end of the market.

As the position is relatively senior, you will have at least 5 years of experience in dry shipping law, with a proven track record of operating within the Chinese market and across shipping. Our client has also shown a preference for England & Wales, Hong Kong or PRC qualified lawyers. Proficiency in mandarin is a prerequisite considering our client’s members.

If this position is of interest, do get in touch for a discreet discussion about this opportunity.

Wadkins Associates has been instructed by a major player in the commodities trading industry to find an experienced shipping and or trade litigation lawyer for an in-house counsel position in their Singapore office.

Your primary scope of work will be to provide legal advice relating to shipping and trade litigation.

This is also an opportunity to broaden your skill set with more general commercial responsibilities. These include providing advice on legal and regulatory compliance issues for a variety of internal departments. You will also be drafting, reviewing and advising on contracts related to shipping and trade

From our discussions with the hiring manager, the key highlights of this role include:

• Prestige. This is an opportunity to do some truly international work for one of the biggest commodities traders in the world.

• Greater commercial focus. This job allows you to develop a more commercially focused outlook working alongside various business units within the company.
  
   
• Work life balance. In this role, you will not have billable hours targets or related Private Practice demands.
   

Singapore qualified lawyers will be at an advantage, although our client will consider common law qualified lawyers. Due to the relatively independent nature of the work, you will need at least 3 years of contentious shipping or trade law experience.

If this position is of interest, do get in touch for a discreet discussion about this opportunity.

A long-standing client has retained our services in their search for a junior associate to join the Oil and Gas Practice in their Singapore office. Business has been thriving and the Oil and Gas team are looking to position themselves for future instructions.

Our client has one of the largest and most established Oil and Gas practices in Singapore. The team is experienced across the board and receives instructions from leading lenders, sponsors and government entities.

Your work will focus on pure projects and project finance with the LNG and Oil and Gas your primary focus. You will be exposed to market leading transactions, fast paced sale and purchase contracts and complex multi-jurisdictional work.

The key draws of this job include:

• Prestige. Our client’s branding and capabilities means that you will do some of the best work available in the market globally. 

• Mentorship. The hiring partner has a reputation for training and developing associates.

• Remuneration. Our client pays above the market average.

England & Wales qualified lawyers with at least 2 years PQE will be at an advantage but our client will consider common law qualified lawyers. The hiring partner is keen to talk to candidates who can demonstrate an understanding of projects-based work and who has an interest in LNG, Oil and Gas and Petrochemicals. 

If the above position has caught your interest, do get in touch for a discreet discussion about this opportunity.

We are working closely with a leading international commodities merchant that is looking to welcome an experienced lawyer for an in-house position in their Singapore office.

The Singapore office’s legal department is small but experienced, friendly and collegiate.

Your work will focus on the Indonesian markets where you will be dealing with both hard and soft commodities. The scope of work will be broad and includes providing legal advice, regulatory compliance, financing and dispute resolution.

The key advantages of this role include:

• Variety of work. This is a true in-house position, meaning that you will have the ability to get involved in and learn new areas of law with an experienced team in addition to the expertise you bring from your current specialism.  

• Work life balance. You will not be bound by your billable hours and business development will not be a focus of this job.

• A commercial focus. This role is truly integrated into the business and will give you an ability to be at the heart of a fast-paced modern business. You be liaising directly with marketing, trade and finance teams across the company regularly. 

Lawyers admitted in Singapore or Indonesia will be at an advantage, given the focus of your work. Due to the broad scope of work, our client is looking for lawyers of at least 6 PQE with an experience in energy, commodities finance or contentious shipping law.

If the above position is of interest, do contact us for a discreet conversation about this opportunity or the market in general. 

We are working with an established client, an IG P&I Club, that is looking to welcome a Claims Executive into their Hong Kong office. We have previously recruited lawyers into this team and have an in-depth knowledge of their work culture and hiring preferences.

You will be advising members on FD&D with some exposure to P&I work and the focus will be on the Chinese charterer market. The team has developed a collegiate, friendly and open atmosphere. They will guide you through your transition from private practice to in-house.

From our discussions with the hiring manager, the key advantages of this opportunity include:

• An opportunity to be closer to the market. You will be the first port of call for our Client’s members handling matters in ‘real-time’.

• Competitive Remuneration. While the Hong Kong office is one of the busier offices within the Club market and is responsible for a significant tonnage, the job pays above market and provides benefits commensurate with the level of work and prestige of an IG P&I Club.

• Supportive work environment. You will be working closely with a friendly, diverse and collegiate team in one of the largest P&I Clubs in Hong Kong. Furthermore, our client has an established framework for training and development avoiding the pitfall of slow or stagnant career development seen in so many other Clubs.
   

You will be PRC, Common Law or Hong Kong qualified with between 2 to 6 PQE in shipping law. Fluency in English and Mandarin is essential.

If the above position is of interest, do contact us for a discreet conversation about this opportunity or the market in general. 

The Melbourne office of one of our oldest clients is looking to welcome a Senior Associate of at least 5 PQE into their shipping litigation team. We’ve had regular contact with the hiring partners in their Australian offices and are happy to guide you along the interview process.

Our Managing Consultant, James, has previously visited Melbourne on several occasions and considers it a vibrant, culturally enriched city full of open-minded people, music and art. As the second largest city in Australia, it houses the offices of many of the world’s leading international private practices.

You will be exposed to wet and dry shipping disputes, advising both shipowners and other businesses in some of the biggest cases in the region. You will be working with a highly experienced Partner and several other experienced lawyers in a collegiate and well-run team. As befitting of a more senior position, you will be expected to foster and generate client relationships and business develop frequently.

The hiring partner has highlighted several advantages of joining the team.

• Career advancement. The partner is looking for someone who is gunning for partnership. Furthermore, the firm provides a structured approach to career development. Opportunities to business develop will be given and talent and ambition will be rewarded.

• Remuneration. The firm pays in between the market and magic circle firms. In addition, the work life balance in Australia is slightly better than London or Singapore. They also have good bonus payments commensurate with large international private practices.

• Opportunity to be at the forefront of the firm’s expansion. Our client is looking to lead the transport and offshore sector in the region. This is an exciting opportunity to get in early and build a practice with the support of a team of highly capable and experienced lawyers. 
   

If the above position is of interest, we will be happy to discuss the specifics of this opportunity or similar opportunities. If you’d like to know more about the team or the APAC market in general, do contact us for a discreet discussion.