Hill Dickinson has unparalleled experience in responding to major shipping, offshore and land-based casualties, disasters and emergencies.
We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via our emergency contact line:
+44 (0)20 7280 9300
This line is permanently staffed by one of our specialist casualty
partners, all of whom are former master mariners.
We also have experience in responding to yacht casualties, disasters and emergencies. Please contact Martin Penny on:
+44 (0)7875 409 647
We were one of the first law firms to develop our own major
casualty response plan. This followed our involvement in the
Bowbelle / Marchionness tragedy on the River Thames in 1989.
Subsequent experience has enabled us to update and adapt this plan
to deal with all types of shipping, offshore and land-based
emergencies.
We are able to put together a team from our partners, master mariners and lawyers to deal with any emergency or casualty, both on site and in our offices. This team will deal with the following key aspects as soon as possible:
- Investigating the cause of casualty (including taking statements from witnesses, preserving evidence and appointing and working with experts, surveyors and lawyers in the relevant jurisdictions)
- Containing and limiting damage
- Dealing with investigations by relevant authorities (particularly where pollution and loss of life is involved)
- Handling public relations issues and the media (including advising clients to take decisions on sensitive issues at an early stage to protect their business reputation)
- Advising clients on their own internal investigations into the casualty (and maintaining legal privilege on documents which may be generated following a casualty)
- Obtaining/giving security
We have first-rate IT systems which ensure clients are kept fully up to date with ongoing developments.
Once the immediate key issues of a situation have been dealt
with, we will determine clients' objectives and potential
exposure. We then formulate short and long-term strategies to
deal with them.
We believe it is important for our clients to have contingency
plans in place to cover all the issues that may arise out of a
disaster. We regularly assist clients in the development of their
own contingency planning.
- Meet the teamClick above
Key contacts
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 20 7280 9296
- maria.pittordis@hilldickinson.com
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 151 600 8133
- andrew.glynn-williams@hilldickinson.com
Emergency legal response
