Source: https://www.quadrantchambers.com/barristers/profile/john-a-kimbell-qc
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 02:05:21+00:00

Document:
John Kimbell QC specializes in aviation, shipping law and international personal injury law. In September 2018, he was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge (sitting in both the Chancery and Queen’s Bench Divisions). In addition to his work in the High Court, he represents a wide range of clients in commercial arbitration (LMAA, GMAA, ICC, LCIA and DIS).
In the aviation field he has handled a wide range of disputes from aircraft sale, leasing and security disputes to fatal accidents (in the UK and abroad). John specializes in advising clients in multi-jurisdictional disputes with foreign law aspects. He has been retained in relation to the loss of Egyptair Flight 804 and Air France Flight 447, the shooting down of Malaysian Air MH17 and the Shoreham Air Show crash. He also has extensive experience in dealing with helicopter, light aircraft crashes including attendance at inquests.
His shipping work encompasses both ‘wet’ collision and other Admiralty Court matters and ‘dry’ bill of lading and charterparty disputes. He regularly appears in the Commercial and Admiralty Court as well as in maritime (LMAA) arbitrations in London and in Hamburg (GMAA). He is the joint editor of Admiralty Jurisdiction & Practice (2017), and has recently taken over joint editorship of Marsden on Collisions at Sea. He is chair of the Admiralty Bar Group www.admiraltybar.org.
John is fluent in German and accepts instructions in that language. Since 2001 he has been qualified to practice as a lawyer (‘Rechtsanwalt’) in Germany. He uses his knowledge of German and German law to provide a specialist service to German, Austrian and Swiss commercial clients involved in London court or arbitration proceedings. He recently represented AIG Europe in Woodford v AIG (Europe)  EWHC 358 (QB), a directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage dispute.
He is a co-author of Foreign Currency: Claims, Judgments and Damages (2016) Informa and a contributor to Palmer on Bailment (3rd edition).
John is recommended in the current editions of The Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a leading silk in the fields of Aviation, Shipping and Travel.
"He's very smart, very pragmatic, very practical in his suggestions and in mediation and advice. He's able to get to the nub of the issue very quickly."... "A very good lawyer who does a heck of a lot of aviation."
"Very good on his feet. A safe pair of hands." ..."He has a good bedside manner and he is very sensible. He understands the commercial realities and he expresses himself clearly."
"Very approachable and organised."..."Always a joy to work with. One of the most solicitor-friendly barristers at the Commercial Bar. His advice is always based on sound legal knowledge."
"He is quick-thinking, pragmatic in responses, eloquent in making points, and he's a great person to have on a claim, because he's a really straight-line thinker."
"Can deal with cases of the highest magnitude, very personable and human with it."
"He’s very good academically and has strong experience of the higher courts and European courts."
"Very approachable, easy to talk to, very practical and excellent at drafting."
"A very clever, tough and tactically shrewd advocate" “Absolutely brilliant, he is a very robust litigator. Wonderful with clients”. “Has the drive to deliver successful strategies." “A commanding presence and precise intellect when it comes to complex, multi-jurisdictional matters"
"Intelligent, fearless and a superlative tactician in court"
"John Kimbell has a 'commanding presence and precise intellect when it comes to complex, multi-jurisdictional matters'; 'smooth and polished'; 'a very tenacious, forthright litigator'"
Stott v Thomas Cook  UK SC 15  AC 1347  2 WLR 521;  2 Lloyd’s Rep 207: on appeal from Hook & Stott v. British Airways & Thomas Cook  [EWCA] Civ 66,  1 Lloyd’s Rep 386 – The first case in which the Supreme Court has considered the Montreal Convention 1999. The issue was the relationship between EC Regulation 1107/2006 and the Montreal Convention 1999. The Supreme Court upheld the airline’s case that the Montreal Convention is the exclusive source of damages claims for claims arising out of carriage by air and refused to refer this issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Rogers v Hoyle  EWCA Civ 257  3 WLR 148 :  3 All ER 550 – a test case in which the Court of Appeal held that air accident investigation reports produced the Department of Transport are admissible in civil proceedings outside of the provisions of CPR Part 35.
Donkers v Storm Aviation and Lufthansa Cityline  1 All ER (Comm) 282 – a High Court claim arising out of an accident during ground handling at Manchester Airport involving issues of German law, EU social security law and the law applicable to IATA ground handling agreements.
Graham v Thomas Cook  EWCA Civ 1355. A Court of Appeal case on the remedies available under EU Regulation 261/2004.
Coakley v. Air France SA  QBD - A claim arising out of the loss of AF447 on 1 June 2009 in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Paris from Brazil.
Blue Sky One Limited and Others v. Mahan Air and Others  EWCA Civ 544 & 771;  EWHC 3314 (Comm) (“Phase 1”) and  EWHC 631 (Comm) (“Phase 2”): Heavy Commercial Court dispute concerning ownership and aircraft mortgage rights in three 747 aircraft being operated in Iran involving issues of US sanctions laws, private international law, Iranian and Dutch property law.
TOMBARRA  Admiralty Court – a fatal accident on a car carrier in port involving issues of foreign law pursuant to the Rome II Regulation.
MIOM 1 LTD v SEA ECHO ENE (No.2)  EWHC 2715 - a case on the ‘single liability principle’ in collision cases and the application of s.190 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 to counterclaims.
MIOM 1 LTD v SEA ECHO ENE (No. 1)  EWHC 3180 - collision between two vessels in the river Mersey.
LMAA arbitration (2009-2010) - Collision between two cruise vessels in Norway.
A large proportion of John’s wide-ranging arbitration practice features an international element. He regularly appears before a variety of institutional arbitral tribunals such as the ICC and LCIA as well as a variety of ad hoc panels.
John has extensive experience in dealing with arbitrations outside London including significant involvement in arbitrations with their seats in Hamburg, New York, Frankfurt and Zurich. He has acted as an arbitrator in London and Hamburg.
John advises in relation to Shipbuilding disputes concerning both the market standard vessel sale and purchase forms (such as Saleform) and also custom drafted MOAs.
LMAA arbitrations (2016 – 2018) a series of arbitrations acting for German companies concerning the cancellation shipbuilding contracts for vessels built in China on the ground of delay.
LCIA arbitration (2013) concerning major structural errors in the construction of a car carrier.
LMAA arbitration (2012) arising out of the sale of cargo vessel in which owners claimed US2 million in damages.
LMAA arbitration  concerning the construction of a series of vessels in China and rights of cancellation for delay in construction and the enforceability of supporting bank guarantees.
ICC arbitration  concerning a contract for the supply of pumping equipment in Libya.
LMAA arbitration  concerning a contract for a supply vessel to the oil industry off the West African coast.
"He's very smart, very pragmatic, very practical in his suggestions and in mediation and advice. He's able to get to the nub of the issue very quickly."
Rechtsanwalt (Hamburg, Germany) since 2001 - quallified to practice as a lawyer in Germany.

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