Matt new Partner in London
We have the pleasure of announcing that Matt Berry at our London office will become Partner starting from 1 January 2025.
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Managing Partner at our London office, Chris, is very happy about the news:
"Our Team in London has seen a major increase in the number of marine casualty instructions in the last 18 months. Some insurers put us in the top 3 firms globally" Chris says.
Chris elaborates:
"This has been spurred by the recent growth of the London office, the disappearance of old well-known names from the market and the fact we have an already strong and established emergency response team globally especially in Norway and Asia.
Accordingly, it makes perfect strategic sense for us to add not just a casualty partner to the team but a mariner casualty partner – a lawyer who has sailed on and navigated the big ships (without any accidents himself) that get into trouble and need our help. Matt is the man who fulfils that combination. He has spent more of his working life as a lawyer than a sailor, but he has great experience on large tankers, and has built up a really stellar reputation as an investigator and casualty litigator among the major insurers and with some of our large owner clients. Having joined WR from a former big name firm, mid pandemic in 2021, he already brings in a lot of cases and we are delighted to recognise his talent by promoting him to the partnership.
I congratulate Matt on this amazing achievement and look forward to him joining partnership in 2025!"
Finn Bjørnstad, Head of Shipping Offshore, is also very pleased to present the new Partner starting from January 1st:
"It is a great pleasure to welcome Matt as a partner in the Emergency Response Team of Wikborg Rein in London. As a former mariner, he is perfect for handling complex collisions, groundings, salvage, and pollution incidents, no matter where they occur. With Matt on board, Wikborg Rein London will have one of the strongest Emergency Response Teams for handling worldwide casualties for shipowners, P&I clubs, and H&M insurers."
Matt himself is looking forward to starting the role.
"I would like to thank the partnership for giving me this opportunity and I also want to thank all of my colleagues for their support as well. I look forward to starting the role in January and getting stuck in" Matt finishes.
A big congratulations to our new Partner in London!