Sally-Ann is a partner in our London office, having trained at the firm, and has been in the shipping industry for over 25 years. Sally-Ann is Co-Office Managing Partner of our Athens office, and splits her time between the London and Athens offices.
Sally-Ann deals with disputes arising out of all types of shipping contracts, including charterparties, bills of lading, ship management and shipbuilding contracts, as well as sale contracts and worldwide logistics issues. She appreciates that those in the industry are facing real time problems that can greatly impact on their business. She has a reputation for being responsive and commercial so as to ensure that clients can deal with any issues quickly and effectively.
Should matters not be capable of resolution, she has in depth experience of an array of options, including mediation, interlocutory applications, and interim awards, as well as full-blown arbitrations (including LMAA and LCIA), and trials.
Sally-Ann is recommended as a lawyer in Legal 500 UK 2019. In the 2017/18 rankings she was described as an ”extremely responsive, diligent, intelligent and practical lawyer”. Sally-Ann has also been recognised in the 2023 Best Lawyers UK for shipping.
Sally-Ann is recommended as a lawyer in Legal 500 UK 2022 and ranked in the Chambers and Partners UK 2022. In her Legal 500 UK 2022 entry, clients say “Sally-Ann Underhill is a competent and established practitioner who easily guides clients in a variety of arenas. Her advice is client-centric, accurate and practical. Highly recommended.” In Chambers 2022 clients say "Sally-Ann is very commercial and really understands the client's concerns."
Shipping
Sally-Ann deals with disputes arising out of all types of shipping contracts, including charterparties, bills of lading, ship management and shipbuilding contracts, as well as sale contracts and worldwide logistics issues. She has particular experience of cargo claims (including the carriage of oil and gas products ( LPG and LNG), dry bulk cargoes and containers, as well as pharmaceutical products), cruise ship issues including COVID related disputes and P&I Club cover issues, highly technical shipbuilding disputes, tank cleaning, ship management, and all sorts of delays and breakdowns, including claims for demurrage, hire and damages, yacht disputes, bunker quality disputes and LOI issues. As well as disputes under long term contracts, including exchange rate issues. She is well used to dealing with complex multi-contractual and multi-jurisdictional issues.
She has considerable experience of drafting standard form amendments to charterparties, COAs, pool agreements, ship management agreements and freight forwarding agreements.
Trading
Sally-Ann also deals with a wide range of issues arising for charterers / traders including Mississippi issues, demurrage disputes, cargo claims, LOI issues, terminal rejections of vessels, explosions, fires, GA and salvage issues, and also risk management.
Logistics
She has in depth experience of issues that arise under ocean freight contracts and warehousing agreements, including damage to cargo in warehouses, delays including when cargo is held at port, and lost cargo including issues relating to reputational damage. Her experience includes both disputes and drafting of the underlying documentation.
Arbitration / litigation
Sally-Ann has extensive experience of arbitration and Commercial Court litigation including arbitration appeals and challenges under ss 67, 68, 69 Arbitration Act 1996, as well as a wide range of litigation related issues including mortgage enforcement, limitation, security for costs, litigation funding and ATE insurance. Her experience also includes the exercise of liens and arrests in many jurisdictions, anti-suit injunctions and enforcement.
Sally-Ann is a well-known member of the shipping community, being a supporting member of the LMAA and a member of WISTA Hellas. She has chaired the last two RS LISW events and numerous webinars for the Greek office as well as speaking to the oil and gas community on issues of interest to them.
