Posted on: 1 September 2020
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) is delighted to announce that long-standing Athens Office Head George Paleokrassas has been named Global Maritime Sector Co-Head, alongside London-based Lindsey Keeble, who has led the sector since 2014. With over 70 active partners, WFW has the largest dedicated, full-service maritime legal practice in the world.
George is universally recognised as one of the leading lawyers in the maritime sector both in Greece and internationally, and is the only lawyer listed in top legal directory Chambers Global 2020’s elite ‘eminent practitioner’ category for shipping finance in Greece. He has decades of experience advising many of the world’s leading shipping lenders and shipowners on the structuring and restructuring of loan and leasing transactions, shipbuilding projects, joint ventures, the acquisition, sale and transfer of shipping loan portfolios and transactions involving distressed assets.
Lindsey is also a recognised leader in her field, most recently having been named one of Lloyd’s List’s Top 10 Maritime Lawyers 2020, a highly prestigious ranking spanning private practice lawyers, in-house counsel and barristers worldwide. Under her leadership, the firm’s maritime practice has seen its billings increase by 50%. Since January 2020, Lindsey has also led the firm’s London Assets & Structured Finance Group.
Lindsey commented: “I’m absolutely delighted that George is joining me as Global Maritime Sector Co-Head. We both trained at WFW and have worked closely together for many years, including as members of the firm’s Shipping Executive, and I can think of no one I could want to work with more in further implementing our ambitious plans for our maritime practice than him. He is one of the most talented, hard-working and strategic lawyers I have worked alongside in my career”.
George added: “Lindsey has done a phenomenal job as Global Maritime Sector Head over the past six years and has proven herself a real catalyst for growth, bringing in both new talent and new clients to the firm. The successful vision and strategic approach she set for the sector will continue going forward and I look forward to working even more closely with her in leading our maritime practice to further success”.
