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Alexander is a senior London solicitor with over 15 years of practical experience.​  His solo practice is built on exceptional client service and long‑term, trusted client relationships.

 

Commercially minded and pragmatic, Alexander works closely with clients to deliver efficient, effective and practical solutions, drawing on a panel of leading London barristers whenever additional support or court advocacy is required.​ 

 

His freelance practice is regulated by the SRA and provides the full range of reserved legal services at a significantly lower cost than traditional firms.  Before establishing his own practice, he trained with leading 'Silver Circle' firm BLP, now Bryan Cave Leighton Pasiner, in the City of London.​​​​​​​​​​

COMMERCIAL AND SHIPPING
LAW PRACTICE

Commercial | Fisheries & Aquaculture | International Trade | Investigations | International Private Client | Shipping

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Alexander de Berniere, Solicitor

Chancery House

Chancery Lane

London WC2A 1QS

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+447491753796

alexander@deberniere.co.uk​​​​

​

​Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

SRA Practice Number: 8014484

UK VAT Number: GB 506 3172 19

ATTORNEYS

ABOUT THE LAW PRACTICE

​Alexander operates as an independent solicitor in England & Wales, in a freelance model similar to how barristers operate.  This independence enables Alexander to offer clients a more personal service, more competitive rates, and a wider range of alternative fee arrangements including conditional fees, success fees, fixed fees, capped fees, monthly retainers, and daily attendance fees.   

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He has advised businesses involved in fisheries and aquaculture, shipping, chartering, ship management, ship finance, marine insurance (Hull, P&I, FDD), international trade, construction, manufacturing, and the sale and supply of pharmaceutical and medical products.​  Alexander also undertakes international private client work.​

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Alexander conducts litigation in the Admiralty Court, Commercial Court, London Circuit Commercial Court, and Central London County Court.  He is authorised to conduct litigation up to the Supreme Court.  He been involved in numerous London arbitrations under LMAA and LCIA rules.​​

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He has particular expertise in fisheries matters involving ICCAT, Bluefin Tuna, and claims for loss of fishing profits in the English courts. He is also highly experienced in negotiating the swift release of ships arrested or detained – especially in ports across Africa and South Asia – following allegations of damage to port infrastructure.​

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Alexander's experience also includes conducting investigations, gathering witness evidence, and negotiating commercial settlements in jurisdictions such as Algeria, Colombia, Malta, the Netherlands, and Spain. He has also worked in the United States alongside US attorneys – investigating allegations by the US Coast Guard of violations of international anti-pollution laws (MARPOL) – and has attended on board ships to safeguard the interests of owners and crew during inspections.​

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His in-house experience includes working in the Casualty Response Team of a Norwegian P&I Club in Oslo and as an advisor to the senior management of a tanker owner and operator in Athens.   He also has extensive experience in the Maltese market.

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Born and educated in Hampshire, England, Alexander studied War Studies at King’s College London and graduated with an LLB from Warwick University and a specialist LLM in Maritime Law from Southampton University.  He lives in central London. 

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PRACTICE AREAS

EXPERTISE & PRACTICE AREAS​

ALEXANDER DE BERNIERE
SOLICITOR

  • War Studies, King's College London

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  • ​LLB Law, Warwick University1st Class Dissertation

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  • LLM in Maritime Law, Southampton University1st Class Dissertation

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  • Called to the Bar at Gray's Inn: 2010

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  • Solicitor in England & Wales: 2013

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  • Registered Lawyer in Malta: 2021

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  • ​Authorised to conduct litigation in the ​Senior Courts of England & Wales

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WET SHIPPING

  • Collisions

  • Groundings

  • Unsafe ports

  • Wreck removals

  • Damage to port infrastructure

  • Damage to hull and equipment​

DRY SHIPPING

  • Bills of Lading

  • Charterparties

  • Ship-management agreements​

  • Shipbuilding and recycling

  • Port and terminal infrastructure

  • Ship arrest and security actions​

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

  • Trade finance

  • Letters of credit

  • Guarantees

  • Performance bonds

  • Commodities

  • Foreign exchange

COMMERCIAL

  • Drafting commercial contracts

  • Negotiations and variations

  • Sale and supply agreements

  • Joint venture agreements

  • Framework agreements

  • Construction agreements

FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE

  • Aquaculture assets

  • Fishing vessels and grounds

  • Loss of fishing profits

  • Sale and purchase of fish

  • ICCAT and Bluefin Tuna

  • Catching and towage​

INVESTIGATIONS

  • Flag and Coastal State investigations

  • Product liability investigations

  • Fatality investigations

  • Unsafe port investigations

  • Internal investigations

  • MARPOL investigations

CONTACT

COMMERCIAL AND SHIPPING
LAW PRACTICE

Commercial | Fisheries | International Trade | Investigations | International Private Client | Shipping

​​

Alexander de Berniere, Solicitor

Chancery House

Chancery Lane

London WC2A 1QS

​

+447491753796

alexander@deberniere.co.uk​​​​

​

​Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

SRA Practice Number: 8014484

UK VAT Number: GB 506 3172 19

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© 2020 Alexander de Berniere

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