Assistant Legal Counsel - Shipping & Insurance

About the role

Berge Bulk Group is looking for a commercially minded and highly analytical Assistant Legal Counsel to join its in-house Legal & Insurance team. As a key legal resource for the Group, you will draft and negotiate complex shipping and commercial contracts, navigate international regulatory frameworks, manage shipping disputes and claims, and mitigate legal and operational risks across the fleet and operations, while supporting the General Counsel.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate shipping and commercial contracts, including time and voyage charterparties, contracts of affreightment, bills of lading and ship management agreements.
• Support vessel acquisitions and disposals, including MOAs, due diligence, delivery documents and closings.
• Support ship financing and refinancing, and liaise with banks and external counsel.
• Advise on newbuilding, refit and repair contracts and warranty and performance issues.
• Manage disputes, claims and arbitrations (e.g. LMAA/SCMA) such as demurrage, cargo, collision and charterparty claims, coordinating with P&I Clubs, insurers, average adjusters and external lawyers.
• Advise on maritime regulatory and compliance matters, including sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, trade controls and IMO/flag state/class requirements.
• Advise operations, commercial, chartering, technical, crew and finance teams on day-to-day legal issues, including vessel incidents, arrests and detentions.
• Review insurance arrangements (hull & machinery, P&I, FD&D) and indemnity/letter of undertaking issues.
• Manage and instruct external counsel, monitor legal costs and budgets, and assist with corporate and group restructuring matters.
• Develop legal templates, policies, playbooks and training, and support renewables investment work.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB or equivalent), admitted to practise in a common law jurisdiction.
• Minimum 4-5 years' post-qualification experience in a shipping/maritime practice at a leading law firm and/or in-house with a P&I Club or shipowner/operator.
• Experience in shipping transactions and/or dispute resolution; renewables experience highly desirable.
• Ability to manage multiple matters with minimal supervision, with strong communication, stakeholder management and discretion.

Required skills

• Strong working knowledge of English law and common law principles as applied to shipping, and familiarity with NYPE, BIMCO and Norwegian Saleform forms.
• Good working knowledge of marine insurance (hull & machinery, P&I, FD&D).
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and analytical skills; contract and management systems familiarity is an advantage.
• Desirable: experience using AI tools for contract review, drafting and workflow automation.