Andrew Ward
Partner, Dispute Resolution

Andrew is a Partner in the firm’s Dispute Resolution group in London. He specialises in international arbitration, commercial litigation and resolving disputes outside the formal court or arbitral channels, including through negotiation and mediation.

Andrew has expertise in the maritime, trade and energy sectors, as well as regularly advising on investment disputes and disputes concerning new technologies. His clients include banks, PE funds, other investors, ship owners, charterers and commodity traders. His practice covers finance, fraud and contractual disputes (joint ventures, share purchases, sales contracts, shipbuilding contracts, MOAs, charters, bills of lading etc). Andrew applies a commercial and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution in order to achieve the best commercial outcome possible for his clients.

In addition, Andrew is leading the firm’s blockchain and distributed ledger technology initiative, along with colleagues from transactional departments. In order to ensure that we are at the forefront of commercial and legal thinking in this new area, Andrew is currently studying on the Blockchain Executive Education Programme at University College London.

“Very thorough and committed and has a hands-on approach to clients” (Legal 500 UK 2017).

Andrew’s experience includes:

• Acting for claimants in a four week Commercial Court trial in relation to an investment dispute concerning a joint venture concerning a large scale and high profile construction project in Germany. Successful settlement after trial.
• Acting for claimants in a High Court claim for fraud in relation to an investment into a joint venture. Successful settlement before trial.
• Acting successfully for a large Hong Kong conglomerate in defending Commercial Court proceedings brought by a large charterer.
• Advising a major international bank on enforcement against vessels in UAE.
• Advising a syndicate of banks and associated shipowners on $1.2bn charter claims against Hanjin.
• Acting for an international bank in relation to disputes as to the appointment of administrators over a shipping group, the nature of the bank’s security over the group’s cash and future earnings.
• Advising in relation to a dispute concerning the breakdown of the main engine of a cruise ship following repairs carried out by the defendant yard.
• Obtaining a freezing injunction for an oil & gas client against the defendants’ assets (a Kazakh refinery) and winning a High Court claim for damages for deceit and conspiracy.
• Acting for a family office in a claim arising out of an aborted off market structured shares investment through offshore vehicles involving issues arising under a professional indemnity insurance policy.
• Advising in relation to a High Court claim for the balance of sums due under a share purchase agreement for various ship owning companies.
• Advising a shipping group in relation to six High Court claims against a Middle Eastern shipowner/shipmanager in relation to claims under guarantees of various bareboat charters.
• Acting for charterers in relation to a dispute over a hire adjustment clause in a charterparty restructuring agreement in respect of eight VLCCs.
• Acting on behalf of a major oil trading company in a Commercial Court claim concerning the implementation and operation of a large prepayment facility as part of a long term supply agreement for Nigerian crude from a new field.
• Acting for the buyers of a vessel in relation to an MOA dispute over repayment of a deposit which concerned the condition of the vessel and issues relating to the applicability of the Sale of Goods Act to shipping contracts.

• 2002 – 2004: College of Law (London), PgDL and LPC
• 1996 – 2002: Durham University, MA Classics and BA Classics

• Law Society of England and Wales
• London Shipping Law Centre
• London Court of International Arbitration
• London Solicitors Litigation Association

• 2014 – present: Partner, Watson Farley & Williams
• 2008 – 2014: Senior Associate, Watson Farley & Williams
• 2008: Associate, Memery Crystal
• 2006 – 2008: Associate, Holman Fenwick Willan
• 2004 – 2006: Trainee and Associate, Fox Williams