Name
Ishfaq Ahmed

Ishfaq Ahmed (call 1999) has been practising at the Commercial and Admiralty Bar since October 2000 representing and advising in a wide range of commercial and shipping litigation and arbitration.

Ishfaq graduated from Bristol University in June 1998 with First Class Honours in LLB Law after which he undertook the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London (1998-1999). Thereafter, in September 1999 he commenced his first six months pupillage at Essex Court Chambers after which he did his second six months at 4 Field Court where he was taken on as a tenant in October 2000.

Ishfaq is a Member of the Commercial Bar Association, the Bar European Group and of Lincoln's Inn. He is fluent in Urdu and has a working knowledge of French.

Ishfaq has a broad commercial and shipping practice in line with Chambers' profile. Details of his practice are given below.

EDUCATION

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

PRACTICE AREAS

Ishfaq's range of work covers: arbitration; domestic and international carriage of goods; international trade; shipping (wet and dry); marine insurance; P&I Club issues; collision, salvage and towage disputes; fatal and non-fatal maritime accidents; maritime limitation of liability; conflict of laws and jurisdictional disputes.

International Trade 

• FOB/CIF sale contracts
• Documentary credits and associated finance

Arbitration

• International maritime and commercial arbitration
• Lloyds Form Salvage Arbitration

Insurance

• Disputes as to coverage and non-disclosure
• Construction of policies
• P&I Club issues

Shipping

• Charterparty and bill of lading disputes including Hague/Hague-Visby Rules, unseaworthiness claims, unsafe port disputes, disputes as to demurrage, hire and detention
• General Average
• Collision, Salvage & Towage disputes
• Fatal and non-fatal marine accidents
• Maritime Limitation of Liability

Conflict of Laws and Jurisdictional Disputes

• Anti-Suit Injunctions and other jurisdictional relief
• Brussels/Lugano Conventions & Judgments Regulation
• Rome Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations 1980

SOME SIGNIFICANT RECENT CASES

The "San Felix" - Arbitration - Charterparty dispute concerning liability of Charterers for acts of receivers in wrongfully rejecting delivery of gasoil on the basis of faulty machinery on board tanker. Successfully concluded in June 2003.

Est v Frutamar - Arbitration - dispute concerning deadfreight and/or damages for breach of charterparty in failing to load full and complete cargo. Successfully concluded May 2003.

Aston Martin Lagonda v Bank Canatole de Geneve & Another - advising and representing a bank based in Switzerland in Part 8 interpleader proceedings brought by English repairers concerning competing claims to an expensive Aston Martin vehicle situated in England and claimed by the bank and by Swiss resident consumer. The case raises important issues of interpretation and application of the Lugano Convention and the proper application of CPR 6.20 to interpleader proceedings where there is no substantive claim in England. Currently ongoing.

The "Sunsail 11" - Admiralty collision action - representing the defendants in a case involving collision of 2 yachts in The Solent in July 1999. Claimants claimed extensive damages, based on detailed experts' reports, on the basis that their yacht was a constructive total loss and that they were as a result entitled to the value of an exact replacement. Case successfully settled in March 2003 at an amount considerably lower than the amount claimed. Currently advising in two further collision actions

The "Stamos" - Commercial Court - Acting on behalf of Owners in an action for damages sustained to Vessel as a result of faulty filter provided by Sellers and Manufacturers to the Owners and installed in diesel generator. Currently ongoing.

"Volgotanker" - Commercial arbitration - Led by Mr Steven Gee Q.C. and Mr Timothy Hill.