Our People

Jenny Salmon

Senior Associate, Shipping

I studied French and Modern Greek at university, before going on to do my GDL and LPC and a post-graduate degree in European Legal Studies in Bruges, Belgium.

I trained at another firm, doing one dispute resolution seat in their Marine, Energy and Trade department. I enjoyed the challenging legal issues that shipping litigation throws up, the fact that no two days were the same and the interesting people around the world I was given the opportunity to deal with. Shipping also suited my background in languages and I therefore qualified as a shipping lawyer in 2008.

At three years' qualified, I joined HFW's London office and sat in the 'wet' Shipping team dealing with marine casualties as well as offshore shipping claims and marine insurance disputes. There is a phenomenal breadth of experience in shipping expertise at HFW as well as a very open and friendly culture, which has allowed me to learn from every person I have worked with. As an Associate, I had the opportunity to be heavily involved in cases and to work front-line with clients, barristers, experts and witnesses. I also spent 6 months on part-time secondment to a London insurer which, as well as letting me get to know the clients on a personal level, gave me an insight into the challenges faced by our insurer clients and a new perspective on dealing with the issues we are asked to advise on. In many cases, our clients are claiming or defending claims in arbitration or English Court proceedings. I find it interesting and challenging to be able to follow a claim through from the beginning to the final hearing or trial and to watch how the witness and expert evidence which I have seen develop over the previous two or three years stands up to cross-examination. After a particularly challenging two week arbitration, receiving an arbitration award in our clients' favour and being able to report to them that their claim was been successful was definitely a highlight of my career so far. As shipping is a global industry, the vast majority of our day to day work in the London office is with clients based outside the UK. I have therefore had many opportunities to use the languages I have learned and to develop them further. In addition, I have had the chance to travel to visit clients and attend conferences and meetings all over the world, including Monte Carlo and the Netherlands in the last 12 months. In February 2017, I transferred to our Piraeus office for a 12 month period. Working with a well-respected firm in the port of Piraeus gives you unique and first hand exposure to the Greek shipping market. I returned to London in 2019.