Consultant offers advice on legal issues

THERE'S A vast abyss of uncharted territory between a cargo transaction gone wrong and the point at which the claimant decides to go to litigation. And it's this vacuum that Bruce Lennon of Durban-based Stimela Consulting fills. As the general manager of MSC's legal/claims department for almost five years, Lennon became aware that much of his time was taken up with consultancy-type queries. He saw a gap in the market and set up Stimela Consulting two years ago to provide advice to the maritime transport sector from a legal perspective. Practical solutions "The idea is to look for practical solutions to problems," says Lennon. "I believe in talking before litigating - a lot can be done before you reach that stage." Claims, for example, are a big part of any business, but these should be handed over to the lawyer as a last resort, says Lennon. "We can complement each other so that when the claim reaches the lawyer it has been well researched and documented." In cases where insurance companies have paid out claims and there's a chance of recovering the claims from a third party, Lennon takes on the case on a no cure no pay basis. A qualified maritime lawyer, Lennon combines a comprehensive mix of practical commercial shipping experience and theoretical knowledge of maritime law as it applies to a number of shipping and transport issues."