Lester Aldridge (LA Marine)

LA Marine is the specialist shipping and marine law team of Lester Aldridge, providing expert advice and practical solutions to both the commercial shipping and leisure marine industries.

The team comprises lawyers with extensive experience in their fields, the two partners in the team both having previously been partners in specialist City of London shipping law firms. Chambers and Partners, in its independent guide to the legal profession, identifies the team as one of the top marine law practices outside London. It reports that “with both yachting and commercial aspects to this Southampton-based firm, it has forged a respected profile in this market.”

Boasting a substantial client base including insurance companies, P&I clubs, marine finance companies, ship owners and operators, yacht charter companies and private individuals, LA Marine deals with all aspects of maritime law, including collisions, charterparty issues, bill of lading disputes and demurrage claims together with more general topics such as breach of contract, claims against marine surveyors, negligence and personal injury claims.

LA Marine offers expertise in non-contentious matters such as sale and purchase contracts, charter agreements and marina/port developments. It offers a fixed fee yacht registration service and has considerable experience in defending MCA prosecutions.

Members of the department also provide a variety of seminars to clients and professional bodies worldwide. Although based in Southampton, LA Marine also has the benefit of the firm’s London office and is ideally placed to provide a first class personal service to both domestic and international clients. With extremely competitive current hourly charging rates we are a genuine alternative to the traditional shipping firms in London.