International legal firm Ince has announced two new Partner promotions, Natalie Jensen in Dubai and Richard Oakley in Hong Kong.

Natalie joined Ince in 2016 as a Senior Solicitor and her promotion to Partner in the Dubai office, which will come into effect on 1 October 2021, will bolster the firm¹s shipping and marine insurance practice locally and internationally. This appointment reflects the firm’s continued success and growth across the Middle East and its wider international network, as well as its support of the development of its industry-leading talent.

Natalie has over 10 years of experience in the maritime and international trade industries, as well as the energy and marine insurance sectors, handling both contentious and non-contentious matters. Natalie has first-hand experience of working at a leading International Group P&I Club where she advised on a wide variety of FD&D matters and gained invaluable experience into owners, charterers and P&I Club¹s requirements for their legal advisors. She has extensive expertise representing clients in both the English High Court, UAE Courts and DIFC, as well as London and Dubai based maritime arbitration centres. Natalie’s client base spans shipowners, charterers, bunker suppliers, cargo interests, P&I Clubs and insurers, whom she advises in connection with matters arising out of charterparties, bills of lading, contracts of affreightment, other contracts of carriage and bunker supply contracts. Her expertise extends to disputes arising out of allisions. In addition, Natalie advises clients on a wide range of marine insurance matters.

Rania Tadros, Managing Partner at Ince in Dubai, commented: “Natalie’s well-deserved promotion to Partner is testament to her skills and exceptional development over the last five years. Natalie has been a key trusted advisor to her clients and a crucial member of the Dubai team. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Natalie in this new, exciting chapter of her career with Ince.”

Richard Oakley joined Ince in 2008 in London and soon relocated to the firm’s Shanghai office where he led the China casualty investigation team, coming back to London in 2012 to obtain further in-depth experience of the full range of disputes arising out of marine casualties. Richard returned to the Asia Pacific region in 2015 joining the firm’s Hong Kong office to build upon his successful practice, where he is promoted to Partner effective from 1 October 2021. As a Partner, Richard will continue to contribute to Ince Hong Kong’s legal services offering with his valuable expertise and his first-hand experience as a seafarer.

Richard is a solicitor and master mariner and has a wealth of experience in advising and handling a full range of admiralty matters including casualty investigation, collisions, pollution, grounding and total loss cases. Prior to embarking on his legal career, Richard spent five years at a leading international P&I Club where he handled the full range of P&I and FD&D matters. Previously, he had served in the Merchant Navy for nine years, where he obtained his master mariner¹s qualification and worked on a wide variety of vessel types including container ships, coastal bulk ships, RoRos, ferries, passenger ships and high speed catamarans.

Paul Ho, Partner and Head of Greater China, said: “Richard brings a valuable combination of knowledge and industry relationships to our Hong Kong office, following his roles in both China and London. In addition to his expertise in handling casualty disputes amongst a broader range of admiralty cases, his operational experience gives him a level of insight that is rare. We are delighted that his contribution has been recognised and wish him all the best on the next step of his career.”

Julian Clark, Global Senior Partner said: “I am delighted to welcome Richard and Natalie to the Partnership. These two promotions demonstrate Ince¹s commitment to shipping and trade internationally and strengthen our already strong and dynamic international team. Both Richard and Natalie are known and respected for their ‘client first’ approach which is synonymous with the new Ince.”