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Katie Pritchard
Partner
Katie Pritchard is a partner in the Commodities & Shipping Group, specializing in international commodity trading and shipping and international commercial arbitration and litigation.
Katie regularly acts for commodity producers, trading companies, vessel charterers and owners, banks and insurers in litigation and arbitration and advises on contract drafting.
Katie represents clients in the English High Court and in commercial arbitration, in particular before LCIA, LMAA, GAFTA, FOSFA and RSA tribunals. Her court experience includes seeking the assistance of the English High Court to enforce arbitration awards and agreements to arbitrate and she regularly obtains anti-suit injunctions, asset disclosure orders and worldwide freezing orders. She has obtained contempt of court orders, including penal sanctions, against defendants breaching High Court injunctions.
Katie has spoken at international grain conferences and delivered international training courses on commodity trading and shipping for GAFTA. She supports events and initiatives highlighting the role of women in the law and in the shipping and commodities industries.
- Defending Asia Coal Energy Ventures Ltd in US$70 million claim by Raiffeisen Bank for alleged breach of sale and purchase agreement for suite of loans and collateral relating to Indonesian mining assets (Raiffeisen Bank International AG v (1) Asia Coal Energy Ventures Ltd; (2) Ashurst LLP (England High Court)).
- Acting for insured in relation to claim under marine insurance policy for cargo on board vessel seized by pirates.
- Advising various insurers and insured parties on construction of insurance policies.
- Acting for European state in enforcement of ICC Award in UK.
- Advising Dubai company in relation to enforcement of Dubai Award in UK.
- Defending Timis group entities against claims for breach of iron ore offtake agreement (Gerald Metals v Timis & Ors (England High Court)).
- Defending Timis against claims by contractor arising out of services provided to iron ore mine in Sierra Leone (Dawnus Sierra Leone Ltd v Timis Mining Corporation).
- Acting in two LCIA arbitrations, each involving claims worth US$250 million plus, between grain trading companies arising out of joint venture agreements relating to a grain terminal and oilseed crushing plant in Ukraine.
- Acting for US grain multinational to enforce GAFTA award against Nicaraguan company through worldwide freezing injunction and contempt of court proceedings (ADM v Corcosa), obtaining 24 month prison sentences for contempt of court against directors of defendant.
- Acting for US grain multinational to enforce GAFTA award against Moroccan company through asset disclosure order and worldwide freezing injunction (ADM v GHI), obtaining 12 month prison sentence against director of defendant.
- Acting for international energy trading company to obtain anti-suit injunction and worldwide freezing injunction (Mercuria v Image Mine).
- Acting for international energy trading company in LCIA arbitration involving dispute under coal sale contract.
- Advising German manufacturing company in relation to potential ICC arbitration claim against Chinese company.
- Advising Australian PPE company in relation to potential LCIA arbitration claim against US company.
- Acting for international ethanol trading company in relation to 2 LCIA arbitrations.
- Acting for US company in 2 New York commodity arbitrations.
- Representing various commodity trading companies as vessel charterers or owners in several LMAA arbitrations, dealing with issues such as cargo damage, off-hire, laytime and demurrage and unsafe ports.
- Representing various trading companies in advice and disputes arising out of commodity sale and purchase contracts relating to issues including cargo quality, letter of credit discrepancies, non-compliant shipping documents and force majeure.
- Advising commodity trading companies in relation to urgent issues arising from rejected/distressed cargoes and vessels/cargoes stranded on high seas or subjected to prolonged delays waiting outside ports.
Education
- London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.M., 2003
- Inns of Court School of Law, Bar Vocational Course, 2002
- London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.B., 2001
Admissions
- Senior Courts of England and Wales, 2008
- England and Wales (barrister), 2002
- The Legal 500 UK 2023 interviewees describe Katie as follows: "Katie Pritchard is an exceptional fighter. If the client wants to take a matter to trial, it can have complete confidence that Katie will fight every step of the way and that no stone will be left unturned."
- Noted – International Arbitration, The Legal 500 2020.