We provide a comprehensive offering to the superyacht sector and have a depth of experience in acting for superyacht owners, buyers, family offices, trustees/fiduciaries, yacht managers, shipyards, yacht designers, financiers, project managers and yacht brokers. We also often assist other law firms, both in the United Kingdom and Internationally, where specialist maritime advice is required.

Yacht Sale and Purchase: We are regularly instructed to act for buyers and sellers of superyachts, tenders and support yachts. We have been involved in the sale and purchase of yachts of all types and sizes ranging from 15 metre, high-performance racing / ‘go fast’ boats through to superyachts of 100 metres and above.

Yacht Construction: We have significant experience acting for purchasers of yachts and for shipyards and have been involved in the construction and delivery of everything from semi-custom yachts of 30 metres in length up to fully custom, ice class, expedition yachts of 140 metres.

Refits and Conversion: Akin to our yacht construction work, we routinely handle yacht refit and conversion contracts and have worked with many of the major yacht refit shipyards.

Yacht Design and Management: In addition to yacht build contracts, we have wide experience negotiating and drafting design agreements, project management agreements and the full suite of other agreements that go hand in hand with yacht construction and ownership

Yacht Finance: We are well known for our legal expertise in maritime finance work, acting for both borrowers and lenders in the UK and internationally. Most yacht finance projects will require foreign legal advice and we have established relationships with law firms in almost all of the most prominent yacht ownership jurisdictions, enabling us to source the required foreign advice expeditiously.

Dispute Resolution – Arbitration and Litigation: Our litigation lawyers have helped successfully resolve disputes both large and small relating to a broad variety of yacht related issues including post build warranty claims, yacht construction disputes, crew disputes and charter disputes. We are at home handling litigation in the English courts and in running arbitrations under a variety of rules including the LMAA (London Maritime Arbitrators Association) rules.

Ownership Structuring, Management and Operation: A well run superyacht requires a robust and well thought out ownership structure tailored to the circumstances of the particular yacht owner. There is no ‘one size fits all’ structure and relevant considerations include, chartering, management, crewing, flagging and tax (VAT).

For more information or for an informal conversation about how we might be able to help you, please contact Mark Needham or Adam Ramlugon.