Hamburg maritime team departs Clyde & Co to launch specialist maritime boutique

Six partners, including established shipping and energy practitioners such as Eckehard Volz and Clemens Hillmer, are departing alongside approximately 20 lawyers, including counsel, senior associates, and associates.

The new firm will concentrate on transport, energy and infrastructure, insurance, and private wealth, with a particular emphasis on the shipowner and P&I club segment of the marine market.

Clyde & Co will maintain its Hamburg presence, continuing to focus on marine insurance, cargo, and disputes involving energy and commodities clients, while streamlining its local platform. The Hamburg office was launched in 2018 with a four-partner team hired from Ince & Co, strengthening Clyde & Co’s capabilities in shipping, marine insurance, trade, and offshore energy in one of Europe’s most important maritime hubs.

The spin-off reflects broader structural dynamics in the maritime legal sector, where highly specialized teams often opt for boutique platforms to maintain profitability and client focus, particularly in owner-side shipping and mutual insurance work.

The development comes at a time of continued global expansion for the U.K.-headquartered firm. Clyde & Co recently announced a merger with Seattle-based insurance litigation firm Forsberg & Umlauf, expanding its North American footprint.

While the name of the new Hamburg boutique and its formal launch date have not yet been announced, the departure is expected to reshape the shipping and marine insurance legal landscape in northern Germany, where Hamburg remains a key European center for shipowners, insurers, and maritime commerce.

Sophie Stevenard