In its profile of Wilkins, Lloyd’s List notes: “After 25 years of giving advice on financings and investment, Rob Wilkins, a partner in its Transportation Industry Group, is widely hailed as one of the leading shipping transactional lawyers of his generation. While his clients do include shipowners, commodity traders, shipmanagers and banks, he is even better known for acting for an impressive roster of private equity and hedge funds.”

Wilkins, the former chair of Reed Smith’s Transportation Industry Group, has also been an integral part of the firm’s leadership for more than ten years. He is recognised for his extensive experience advising on complex financings, investments, restructurings, and high-value maritime transactions.

This accolade follows Reed Smith’s continued recognition for excellence in maritime law. Last year, Antonia Panayides was included in the Top 10 Maritime Lawyers list for her impactful role in addressing some of the industry’s most pressing decarbonisation challenges, particularly as shipping faces evolving environmental and regulatory demands. In 2023, Leigh Hansson was featured for her work on matters involving shipping sanctions, earning her the distinction of being “arguably the best-known name in the specialism.”

Reed Smith has advised the shipping industry for more than a century, offering comprehensive guidance on both contentious and non-contentious issues. The practice includes more than 100 lawyers, among them former master mariners, and operates from major global shipping hubs including London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Houston, New York, Paris, and Athens.