LSLC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Dinner

Breaking barriers and uniting ideas to take shipping forward

A vision of synergy for the exchange of knowledge, the forging of bonds and the promotion of the maritime and legal strengths of London gave birth to the London

Shipping Law Centre and provided the basis for 25 years of service to the industry.  Over 300 leading maritime professionals, gathered to celebrate the organisation’s 25^th anniversary at the Savoy Hotel, London on November 27^th.

Dr Aleka Sheppard, the LSLC’s Founder and Chairman (a practising arbitrator) opened the celebration by recounting how it all began. After 14 years as a solicitor in shipping practice in the City of London, she switched to teaching and directing the shipping law courses at University College, London.

She was inspired to create something that would break barriers and unite ideas. “I realised that what this great city was lacking was a synergy between the various maritime professionals”, said Dr Sheppard. “I was looking for a magic wand to bring the industry sectors, the legal profession and academia together; and it was this vision of synergy for the exchange of knowledge, the forging of bonds, and the promotion of the maritime and legal strengths of London, that gave birth to the London Shipping Law Centre.”

The late Lord Mustill was the first to support it, followed immediately by leading maritime lawyers and industry figures who formed the first steering committee.  In 1997, the LSLC was inaugurated at the House of Lords. “The rest,” added Dr. Sheppard, “is history.”

For 25 years, the Forum has provided an unrivalled platform for informing, explaining and debating across an outstanding spectrum of maritime, legal and commercial subjects. Between 1994 and Sept 2019, the LSLC had held over 300 workshops, debates and seminars, involving interactive exchange of views. There have been breakthroughs in original thinking.  The risk management series led the way in assessing and calculating aspects of ship safety.

Reflecting on  the LSLC’s beginnings and achievements, Dr Sheppard quoted John F. Kennedy: “We choose to go to the moon, not because that will be easy but because it will be hard – because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills – because that challenge is one we are unwilling to postpone and one which we intend to win.”

She thanked all of the Centre’s supporters and volunteers and stressed that the Centre had served to organize and measure the best of their creative energies and skills.  “It is not just about the learning which is unrivalled but it’s also about the cohesion and promotion of our community. We nurtured the Centre together and we have supported those who would not have an opportunity to show what they can do, including our youth.”

View Highlights

Post-Dinner Reflections from the Speakers

The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, one of the UK’s most distinguished jurists, shared his reflections with the guests about the great achievements of the LSLC over the past 25 years, “the greatest being what the Centre has contributed to the youth of our maritime community. The experience and knowledge and the encouragement given to our youth is an enormous achievement.”

Lord Thomas expressed the enormous debt of gratitude legal and shipping industry sectors owed to Dr Sheppard and her team, and outlined five key reasons of Dr Sheppard’s success: “understanding the business of shipping,  capitalization on the ideas of all sectors, recognising the importance of jurisdictions, the importance of continued education, making the law coherent and bringing international learning together.”

Lord Thomas stressed the importance of the concept of good faith and how Dr Sheppard’ s vision united the shipping world and academia in the true meaning of “good faith”.

The legacy set by Dr Sheppard and the LSLC was one of strong ethical standards and leadership. “The Centre is a centre of leadership. Armed with these values, “our future will be one worth fighting for,” concluded Lord Thomas.

Mattheos Los, who has been heavily involved in shipping issues throughout the Forum’s lifetime, summarised the huge changes that have taken place in the industry in the past 25 years. In a context of globalisation and increasing regulation, these included vessel cost, financing purchases, stock market investment by people who knew nothing of shipping, the development of gas carriers and containerships and changing crewing patterns.

He highlighted subjects tackled by the LSLC. “The tireless efforts of the Centre have produced the Cadwallader debates and an endless number of seminars, mock trials, workshops and lectures. These have given life and colour to their subjects for aspiring students, shipping lawyers and maritime professionals by providing an invaluable forum for showing what the many regulations signify, how they are implemented and how they can affect the day to day life of the legal practitioner.”

Mr George Tsavliris quoted Darwin in stressing “the ability to adapt” as a key mindset we all need to have to address our future.”  Mr Tsavliris thanked Dr Sheppard, Gerard Matthews, and all involved in the committees of the LSLC, for their contribution from which the shipping and education sectors have all benefited.

The Centre donated 10% of its sponsorship funds to the RNLI to support its invaluable work in saving lives at sea and the guests topped up the fund by making generous contributions on the night.

Sponsors of this 25th Anniversary Dinner

The Programme

Click here to view the full programme of the 25th Anniversary event.

Organisations represented at this dinner

3 Verulam Buildings
36 Stone (Sponsor)
4 – 5 Gray’s Inn Square
4 Pump Court
7 King’s Bench Walk
ACF Shipping & Trading Inc.
A E T
Admiralty & Commercial Court
Aereon Marine, Inc.
AllAboutShipping.co.uk
Arb D B Chambers
Arbitrators at 10 Fleet Street
Arcelor Mittal Shipping Ltd.
Aurelius Advice
B B Energy Holdings NV
B I M C O (Denmark)
Baker International Resolutions
Beaufort Shipping
Berlingieri Maresca Studio Legale Associato (Italy)
Birch – Reynardson & Co
Blackfriars Chambers
Blue Planet
Britannia Steamship Insurance Association Ltd
Catlin Underwriting Agencies Ltd.
C B Arbitrations Ltd
C P I Services
Campbell Johnston Clark
Chambers of Tam Latymer
Charles Taylor & Co Ltd
China P & I
Cirese Studio Legale (Italy)
CJH Energy Ltd.
Clyde & Co
Commercial Arbitrators
Cwaves Ltd
Dardani Studio Legale (Italy)
Dorian LPG (UK) Ltd.
E G Arghyrakis & Co
Essex Court Chambers (Sponsor)
Eurobank Private Bank Luxembourg
G L S Legal A S (Norway)
H C O Legal
HFW (Principal Sponsor)
Hannaford Turner
Helios LPG Pool LLC
Hill Dickinson LLP
Hiscox London Market
House of Commons
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM)
IMO
I N S B Class (Greece)
Ince
Independent OSV Consultancy
Intermar Chartering/ Schjodt
International Chamber of Shipping
International Group
Jackson Parton LLP
Julian Brown Limited
K Line Bulk Shipping
Kennedys Law
KeyStone law
L M A A Arbitrators
Latsco (London) Ltd
Leicester Maritime
Linklaters
Lloyd’s List
Lomar Shipping Ltd
London Offshore Consultants
M F B
MOL LNG transport (Europe) Ltd
MOL Chemical Tankers
M C Kershaw & Co Ltd
Margaret Black Ltd.
Miller Insurance Services Ltd.
Mutual Service Korea Limited
Nautilus International
Navig8
North of England P & I Assoc Ltd
NOVUS Solutions (Sponsor)
Ocean Agencies Ltd.
Pacific Basin (UK) Ltd
Patton Moreno & Asvat
Penningtons Manches Cooper
Peter Daniel & Co.
Petredec Ltd.
Political & Religious Intelligence Ltd.
Quadrant Chambers (Sponsor)
Reed Smith LLP
Roose & Partners
Royal Courts of Justice
SMT Shipping
S S L Endeavour Cyprus & Greece
S Y Michael & Co. Ltd
Shipowners Club
Siccardi Bregante & Co. (Italy)
Southern Shipping & Finance
Sovcomflot
Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP
Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd
Stephenson Harwood
Subsea 7
TWENTY ESSEX
The Honourable Company of Master Mariners
The London P & I Club
The Swedish Club
Thomas Miller (War Risks)
Thomas Miller P & I Ltd. (Hellas)
Tindall Riley (Britannia) Ltd.
TradeWinds News
Tri Marine S A
Tsavliris Salvage Group (Greece)
Tufton Oceanic
UK Defence Club
Union Maritime
University of Bristol
University of Law
Vafeidou Law Office (Greece)
W E Cox Claims Group
WEST
WK Webster
World Maritime University (Sweden)
Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd