Chris Chatfield

Chris is a London based partner who specialises in marine insurance. He qualified in 1997.

Chris handles goods in transit work, policy disputes, insurance litigation and the drafting of commercial contracts. His goods in transit work includes both recoveries and liability work. He also specialises in warehouse claims, defending and pursuing claims in relation to damage and loss to cargo arising from theft, floods, fires and other such causes. Chris’s work regarding carriage of goods includes both claims and liability matters involving domestic and international carriage by road, rail, sea and air.

He has represented stevedores and freight and port terminals in regard to claims by cargo interests, equipment claims and general liability issues. Chris specialises in cargo and freight liability policies and has been responsible for drafting policies in this area for many leading insurers. He has recently been heavily involved in advising a number of carriers, cargo interests and freight organisations on losses and liabilities arising in relation to loss and damage to temperature sensitive cargoes. This includes the issue of fear of loss claims and issues arising from the access of containers by clandestine entrants. He has also been instructed by a number of major insurers to draft their marine cargo and marine liability insurance policies.

In addition, Chris drafts commercial contracts and has drafted the standard trading conditions of inter alia, NVOCs, shipping lines, freight forwarders, road hauliers, courier companies, warehouse keepers, container terminals and cargo owners. He has also been responsible for advising clients on, and the negotiation of, multi-million pound freight distribution agreements and similar supply chain agreements. Chris regularly drafts contracts for cargo interests including multinational car manufacturers, satellite and aircraft manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and electronics manufacturers. He has been consulted by trade groups with regard to the drafting of some of their commonly used forms.

Chris is a qualified and accredited mediator, having received his certificate in 2024.

Chris has been listed in Chambers and Partners as a leading lawyer in the logistics industry for many years. 

He is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers, and holds a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Nottingham.

Chris co-authored the marine chapter in the latest edition of Kennedys’ Claims Handling Law and Practice Guide which was published in February 2021.

Qualification

• Qualified in England and Wales in 1997