E-mail | pgregson @ bentleys.co.uk

Philip is a solicitor/Master Mariner who joined Bentleys, Stokes and Lowless in January 1999. He was at sea for 13½ years serving from Cadet to Chief Officer and qualified as a Master Mariner in 1980. Whilst at sea he served mainly on general cargo/container vessels and small bulk carriers. In 1984 he graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Nautical Science.

Between 1984 and 1990 he worked as a Marine Consultant/Surveyor in the UAE in the office of a British based firm. During this period he gained extensive survey and consultancy experience reporting to P & I clubs, underwriters, shipowners, charterers, shippers and consignees. He was also a Nautical Inspector for the Liberian Bureau of Maritime Affairs and in addition to carrying out annual ship inspections was on two occasions appointed as Investigating Officer in casualties involving Liberian registered vessels.

Philip qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and before joining Bentleys, Stokes and Lowless he gained experience in handling charterparty, towage contract, oil contract and other shipping related commercial disputes. Since joining Bentleys he has advised on a wide range of Admiralty and Commercial shipping disputes including:-

 High Court litigation, maritime arbitration and mediation arising out of marine casualties;

 Investigating and advising on liability in relation to collisions between ships;

 Investigating and advising in relation to marine casualties, including fires and explosions;

 Advising on jurisdiction and handling the arrest of vessels for security and enforcement purposes in
     the United Kingdom and abroad;

 Advising on and handling claims to limit shipowners' liability under the 1976 and 1957 Limitation
     Conventions;

 Advising on and handling litigation and arbitration arising out of salvage services both on behalf of
     salvor claimants and ship/cargo respondents;

 Advising on and handling litigation resulting from damage to fixed and floating objects;

 Advising in relation to total losses and associated investigations;

 Investigating and advising in connection with pollution claims;

 Advising in connection with litigation arising out of charterparty and bill of lading contracts such as,
     stevedore damage, unsafe berth, cargo shortage claims and contamination of bunkers.

Philip is a Fellow of the Nautical Institute and a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners.