Fei is a disputes lawyer specialising in shipping, commodities, aviation, and cross-border litigation and arbitration. Within the shipping industry she often advises on charterparties, bills of lading, international sales of goods, and shipbuilding contracts and disputes.
As an experienced litigator, Fei regularly handles litigation and arbitration in London and elsewhere, and has run many international arbitrations under the auspices of LMAA, FOSFA, GAFTA, HKIAC, LCIA, ICC, etc.
She also advises on non-contentious matters, such as drafting various transportation agreements, charterparty terms, sale and purchase agreements, shipbuilding contracts and the ancillary documents, share purchase agreements, and joint venture agreements.
Fei’s clients include shipowners, charterers, trading companies, shipyards, banks, P&I clubs, insurance companies, airlines, leasing companies and other types of commercial entities. She regularly advises many PRC state-owned companies as well as multinational corporations.
Fei is an alumnus of Oxford University, Xiamen University, and South-Central University of Economics and Law. She is fluent in English and Mandarin.
Expertise
- Shipping
- Commodities
- Shipbuilding
- Aviation
- Commercial litigation
- Cross-border litigation and international arbitration
- Charterparties
- Transportation agreements
- Bills of lading
- International sales of goods
- Letters of credit
- Ship sale and purchase
Experience
Commodities & Trade
- Acted on behalf of a buyer in an ICC arbitration for disputes arising from a contract of sale of steels for non-payment of the contract price and the alleged counterclaim of off-spec cargo.
- Advised commodities traders on many FOSFA arbitrations in connection with various claims (including sunflower seeds oil contamination claims, non-performance of soybean futures contracts, unlawful termination of a fish oil sale contract).
- Acted on behalf of a buyer in a FOSFA arbitration commenced by the seller against it for demurrage under the contract of sale of soy beans.
- Advised a commodities trader on a GAFTA arbitration in connection with a joint venture agreement for the sale and purchase of fertilizers.
- Acted on behalf of the seller in High Court litigation for non-payment of the contract price for the sale of fish.
- Advised a commodities trader on SMA arbitrations for disputes arising from a series of contracts of sales of DDGS.
Shipping & Offshore
- Advised (including acting on behalf of various parties in LMAA arbitrations) on numerous charterparty disputes including but not limited to cargo claims, hire claims, early redelivery of the vessel under time charters, claims for damage to the vessels, speed and performance claims, demurrage claims, arrest proceedings, claims for disputes arising out of fire on board, claims arising out of piracy related issues, claims arising out of delivery of cargoes without production of bills of lading, claims arising out of alleged mistakes in the charterparty; ex parte or on notice applications for various court orders, construction of charterparty terms, enforcement of arbitration awards, and claims for recoverable cost.
- Acted on behalf of a bank in High Court proceedings in respect of a dispute arising out of the alleged fraudulent charterparty.
- Acted on behalf of the cargo interests in an LOF Arbitration in relation to a claim from the salvors for remuneration for the salvage services rendered to the ship and cargo.
- Acted on behalf of shipowners in HKIAC arbitration in connection with unpaid freight under the voyage charters.
- Advised an offshore engineering company on an ad hoc arbitration in connection with a dispute arising from the delay in completing an offshore construction project.
- Advised a shipowner on the termination of a complex UK tax lease structure.
Shipbuilding
- Advised a shipyard in an HKIAC arbitration in connection with the Buyer’s termination of the shipbuilding contract.
- Acted on behalf of the Yard in an LMAA arbitration to defend the Owner’s claim for loss and damage suffered as a result of the alleged structural defects in the newbuilt.
- Advised a seller/builder on an LMAA arbitration commenced by the seller/builder against the buyer’s parent company for payment of the contract price under the payment guarantee provided by the parent company.
- Advised the seller on an LMAA arbitration commenced by the buyer for refund of the advance payments made by the buyer to the seller on account of the vessel due to non-delivery of the vessel.
- Advised the seller’s agent (who procured the refund guarantees to be issued to the buyer by its bank) on an LMAA arbitration commenced by the buyer for refund of the advance payments made by the buyer to the seller due to the buyer’s administration.
- Advised a shipyard on a dispute arising from a brokerage agreement in connection with the commission allegedly due by the yard to the broker for introducing the buyer.
- Advised banks on issues arising out of the payment guarantees or refund guarantees.
Aviation
- Advised an airline on recovery of losses as a result of delays in the supply and installation of the aircraft seating by the seating company.
- Advised a cargo owner for the loss and damage to the cargo carried by air caused by the air carrier’s mishandling of the cargo at loading, the contract of carriage being subject to the Warsaw Convention and Montreal Convention.
Commercial
- Advised a retail company on an HKIAC arbitration in connection with a dispute arising out of a joint venture agreement and a financing agreement.
- Advised an energy company on an LCIA arbitration for a claim for recovery of certain third-party expenses by the buyer from the seller under the share purchase agreement.
- Advised a start-up incubation company on a number of issues arising from a director’s breach of fiduciary duties and fraud, including the director’s removal and recovery of losses from the director.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 2022 for Oil & Gas
Recognised by The Legal 500 2022 for Shipping
Recommended in The Legal 500 for Shipping since 2015
“Fei Mao is an experienced and professional lawyer. We have learned a lot in coorporation with her.” The Legal 500 2021
“Fei has extensive experience in cross-border commercial litigation and is singled out for her ‘rich shipping sector knowledge and personal charm’”.
The Legal 500 2019
“Fei has been praised by the clients for her ‘strong professional knowledge’ and ‘practical approach’”
The Legal 500 2018
Recommended “Next Generation Partner”
The Legal 500 2015–2017
Career
Fei is qualified in England & Wales as a solicitor, and also in China as a lawyer (non-practising). Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2019, she worked at the following firms:
- Ince
- DLA Piper
- HFW
- Reed Smith