Law firm Stephenson Harwood is targeting expansion in shipping and finance with four partner promotions.

It is creating 11 new partners in total in all departments from 1 May.

“These talented lawyers have demonstrated their commitment and leadership by providing exceptional support to our clients,” said chief executive Eifion Morris.

“We have ambitious plans to grow our business, ensuring we provide the commercially focused advice our clients expect, across the full life cycle of their business needs.”

Morris said transport and trade is one of the main sectors of focus, together with decarbonisation.

Saif Almobideen has been named a partner in the firm’s marine and international trade group. Based in Dubai, he has considerable experience handling complex cross-border disputes before civil law courts in the Middle East. Almobideen has a special focus on matters relating to shipping, insurance, crisis management, commodities and trade finance, and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitration awards.

Ezio Dal Maso has been promoted in the firm’s finance group. Based in Paris, he focuses on ownership structuring and registration of vessels, including cruise ships.

London lawyer promoted

Cathal Leigh-Doyle, the third new partner, works for the marine and international trade group in London, specialising in energy litigation and international arbitration, particularly in connection with decarbonisation strategies, offshore wind and hydrogen projects.

Jeffrey Tanner has also been named a partner in the finance group. He works in Singapore across the maritime, offshore and energy sectors, coordinating large international multi-practice group transactions spanning corporate mergers and acquisitions, sale and purchase, joint ventures, project development and restructurings.

Morris said it is pleasing to be welcoming newly promoted partners from across the firm’s network.

“Accelerating the expansion of the work of our international offices is a strategic priority for the business, ensuring we provide the commercially focused advice our clients expect, in the locations they need,” he added.

“We’ve already been bolstering our numbers internationally, through a sustained campaign of attracting lateral partner hires. Around half of our lateral hires since the start of 2021 have been based outside of London.”

In February, Stephenson Harwood’s Singapore Alliance partner Virtus Law promoted two lawyers to partner to boost its maritime and dispute resolution practice.

Kaili Ang is part of the marine and international trade practice, while Christine Ong is on the dispute resolution team.