Full Profile
Stefan advises and represents insurance companies in maritime and non-maritime matters including complex insurance disputes, in particular such as cover defence, third-party liability and recourse actions. His experience also spans the fine art and cultural property worlds, with a client base ranging from insurers underwriting these risks in the London market and overseas, to auction houses, galleries, dealers and collectors, consignees and carriers.
Beside his regular and frequent appearance in front of the German court and arbitration tribunals, Stefan is also coordinating worldwide disputes and court cases for insurance companies.
Stefan has extensive experience in marine (hull, war risk, loss of hire) and yacht insurance as well as cargo and transport policies and the underlying contracts of carriage. Over the last years he has also gained significant experience in dealing with cover disputes under entertainment and fine art & specie policies.
Stefan frequently advises underwriting and claims departments of well-known underwriters on marine (hull, war risk, loss of hire) yacht, third-party liability, cargo and entertainment matters. Not only does he provide advice under German Law but is also involved in international projects, coordinating obtaining advice for clients from various jurisdictions.
Stefan’s experience in the entertainment sector is built up and constantly widened by his involvement in many event cancellation, film production etc cover defences for world-leading underwriters in the entertainment sector. His experience in the marine and entertainment sector have made him a trusted advisor for underwriting teams of underwriters and cover holder when it comes to wording renewals and development of new insurance products.
Having studied law and Swedish language in both Würzburg (Germany) and Lund (Sweden), Stefan obtained an additional degree in European law and submitted his doctoral thesis on Hanseatic commercial and shipping law.
Prior to joining Clydes, Stefan worked for well-known international law firms with a focus on insurance and shipping as well as one of the leading German shipping companies both before and after his qualification as German Rechtsanwalt and his admittance to the Hamburg Bar Association.
Experience
- Leading H&M (Hull & Machinery) underwriter on cover exclusion for damage to machinery on container vessel
- Consortium of international underwriters in high-profile fraudulent yacht claims, including alleged scuttling, misappropriation, arson and theft
- Cargo underwriters on cover issues regarding fire on board of a container vessel whilst en route from Asia to Europe
- H&M underwriters of superyacht regarding cover exclusions
- Entertainment underwriters regarding event cancellation cover for world-wide tour of international renowned musicians
- H&M underwriters in respect of fire on board of a car carrier in the port of Hamburg
- Cargo underwriters on cover regarding damage to concrete pipes shipped from Europe to Arabia and conducting corresponding recourse
- Cargo underwriters on cover regarding damage to high-tech machinery equipment whilst stored
- Entertainment underwriters regarding film production cancellation cover for international film projects
- Underwriting department of international cargo underwriter on policy wording by way of an risk assessment
- TPL-underwriters and coordinating joint defence in a severe yacht collision case involving several jurisdictions
- Specie underwriters on cover for high value specimen transports
- Entertainment underwriters on event cancellation policy defence for multi-million world wide concert tours and sport events.
- Road haulage liability underwriters regarding cases of self-ignition of cargo and interruption of cool-chain
- Inland shipping companies, advice and defence against claims for contamination of cargo
- Fine Art Underwriters regarding cover defence for artwork damaged during international renown art exhibition
- Art Investor Fund on three digit million loss recovery for fraudulently lost artwork
- Fine Art Underwriters on cover defence for damage to humidity sensible precious unique artwork
- Lloyds’ and Company Market Underwriters/ Reinsurers on big War Risk cover cases connected amongst others to Ukraine, Venezuela, Nigeria and Iraq
