About Pitman

I am a general business and maritime solicitor in the UK. After training at the Bar, I worked at a prominent international law firm.

My personal experience is supplemented by direct access to a network of leading specialist barristers in the UK and lawyers in many jurisdictions.

Languages: English, Portuguese Spanish.

Among the wide range of cases I have personally handled, examples of areas are:

Drafting contracts and structuring issues

agency, distribution, confidentiality, non-circumvention

Trade finance

letters of credit / bankers’ documentary credits

Shipping and trade

charter parties, bills of lading, cargo claims, salvage and wreck removal

Shipping trade disputes

through negotiation, mediation and arbitration

UK/EU Import and export regulation

Conduct of corporate due diligence

Sale and purchase

assets and shares, minority shareholders’ rights, duty of good faith, delivery and risk in sale of goods

Corporate fraud

Minority shareholders rights

Advising businesses entering new markets

in the UK and Brazil

Breach of contract

contractual construction, misrepresentation, performance, defences, remedies, illegality, frustration and force majeure

I have mediation and arbitration experience with CEDR, LCIA, ICC, LMAA, FOSFA and GAFTA, including high value multi party disputes.

Industry sectors have included:

  • coffee
  • fishing
  • sugar
  • animal by-products
  • paper
  • banking
  • heavy machinery
  • mining
  • steel and iron ore trades
  • education technology
Owner

Robert Jonathan Pitman

After graduating in law at Cambridge, I qualified as a barrister, and subsequently as a solicitor. After ten years in the marine insurance industry and ten years with a major cross-border law firm in London and New York, where I specialised in shipping, international trade and capital markets, I opened my own practice in 1996.

My work in New York involved working with senior management on due diligence investigations and prospectus drafting for corporate and sovereign bond issuers in Latin America, stock and asset purchase agreements and management buy-out negotiations.

I am a SRA Regulated Freelance Solicitor, a member of the Law Society and of the Middle Temple, a CEDR accredited mediator; a Freeman of the City of London and an associate member of Expert Evidence.

CONSULTANT

Anthony de Winton

Anthony held senior legal roles with a major multinational covering the Middle East and Africa. He has wide experience in drafting and negotiating contracts and devising contract structures including:

  • Master agreements and multi party structures.
  • Standard agreements.
  • Procurement of goods and services including: commodities to capital equipment, marketing, advertising and design.
  • External manufacturing and licensing agreements.
  • Logistics and transport.
  • Development agreements.
  • Distribution agreements.

He is a supporting member of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association.