John Reeder QC

Introduction

LL.B, LL.M, 1971, University College London

Ph.D, 1976, University of Birmingham.

Called to the Bar, Gray's 1971

Lecturer in laws, University of Birmingham, 1971-1976.

Full time practitioner since 1976.

Admiralty Treasury Junior 1981.

Queen's Counsel 1989.

Lloyd's Salvage Arbitrator 1991-2005, 2006 - 2009

Accredited CEDR mediator 2003.

Member CEDR Solve Panel of Commercial Mediators 2009

Lawyer Papua New Guinea 1984.

Admitted to the Bar of New South Wales 1985

Member BMLA Salvage Committee, COMBAR and Supporting Member of the LMAA

UK nominated expert on navigation and pollution from vessels pursuant to Annex VIII of UNCLOS 2010

Particular Areas of Expertise

John Reeder's practice is split between acting as an arbitrator and accepting instructions as counsel. As counsel he established a wide ranging practice covering all aspects of shipping and other commercial fields. In particular, he has been concerned with a large number of shipboard fires, explosions, collisions, total losses, damage claims, ship construction disputes and technical cases involving fire, unseaworthiness, stability, oil shortage, speed claims, rust and cargo fermentation.

He has also acted as counsel in major inquiries into shipping casualties - as far away as Papua New Guinea.

Much of his technical expertise has been derived from collision and salvage cases but also from public inquiries into shipping casualties from the Penlee Lifeboat Inquiry in 1982, the square rigged sail training barque Marques to the Herald of Free Enterprise in 1987 and the Marchioness in 2001. As a result he is particularly familiar with naval architecture and ship construction.

He accepts instructions as counsel in all types of shipping, commercial and arbitration disputes.

John Reeder QC spent 17 years as Lloyd's Salvage Arbitrator and now accepts appointments as arbitrator in non-LOF salvage arbitrations and private submissions, collision cases and all types of commercial matters. He also acts as a mediator in shipping, commercial and other disputes.

Recent Work

Commercial

• Advice on operation of time bar in charter dispute.
• Advice on true construction of charterparty deductions clause.
• DC Merwestone: marine insurance claim for damage, sue and labour expenses and general average.
• Advice on incorporation of terms into a contract, impacting on jurisdiction.
• Advice on true construction of payment terms under a commercial contract.
• Resolution of dispute concerning mistake as to parties.
• Major dispute as to the terms and operation of a ship sale contract.
• Resolution of dispute concerning commission on aircraft leasing agreement.
• Resolution of dispute for wrongful detention of containers and non-payment of hire charges.
• Advice on correct basis of ship valuation where vessel subject to long term charter.

Wet Shipping

• Counsel in three major collisions.
• Counsel in three LOF Arbitrations.
• Advising on conflict between practice and principle in ship sales by the Court.
• Advice on construction of the SCOPIC Clause.
• Advice on a LOF dispossession claim.

Career Highlights

As Counsel

Sealand Illinois: major collision between a container ship and a gas carrier.

Caravos Horizon: major dispute on the issue of "salved", "place of safety" and true construction of LOF.

Cape Africa: substantial casualty which sustained a loss of its shell plating in the South Atlantic.

The Ken Explorer: sale by order of the High Court of cargo situated out of the jurisdiction.

The Great Peace [2002] 3 WLR 1617 (CA): leading Counsel in what is now the leading case on the law of mutual mistake. The Court of Appeal denied the existence of a doctrine of mistake in equity.

The Marchioness: leading Counsel for the Owners of the Marchioness in the Public Inquiry into the sinking of the pleasure boat following the collision with the Bow Belle in the River Thames.

As Arbitrator

The Formentera: causation and damage under a charterparty.

The Ocean Crown: scope of the principle in The Amerique.

The Voutakos: abolition of the "disparity principle".

APL Panama: the largest salvage award made under LOF and a case of considerable complexity.

Tasman Spirit: true construction of the Scopic Clause and recovery of legal expenses thereunder.

Pelican 1: large container ship grounded in the River Scheldt. Major salvage service to a very large fund.

Nestor C: casualty occurring after tow line parted in bad weather in the Mediterranean. The issue was whether this was caused by negligence on the part of the towing tug.

Publications

Editor 5^th Edition of Brice on Maritime Law of Salvage (2012).

Consultant Editor Halsbury's Laws of England, Vols 93 and 94, Shipping and Maritime Law (2008)

Consultant Editor, Halsbury's Law of Prize (Publication, July 2012)