What Campbell Johnston Clark does

Campbell Johnston Clark (CJC) is a full-service international shipping law firm founded in London in 2010, headquartered at 59 Mansell Street, London, E1 8AN, with operating offices in Newcastle, Singapore, Miami, and most recently Genoa (opened 2025). The firm serves the maritime sector across both contentious (wet) and non-contentious (dry) work, spanning Admiralty and Casualty (collisions, groundings, salvage, pollution), Commercial Shipping, Shipping Litigation, Marine Insurance and Reinsurance, Charterparty and Bill of Lading Disputes, Shipping Finance, Corporate and Transactional work, International Trade, Offshore, Shipbuilding, Yachts & Superyachts, Private Equity maritime matters, and jurisdiction-specific advice covering UK, US, Italian and EU, and Marshall Islands law. Named clients include the International Group P&I Clubs, major ship owners and charterers (including Maersk A/S and MSC Shipping SA), banks and investment banks active in shipping finance, hull and machinery insurers, superyacht owners, and the UK Government under multi-year mandates; the firm also assisted Yangzijiang Maritime Development with its primary listing on the SGX-ST Main Board. The firm's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales via direct client relationships and a 24/7 casualty response hotline (+44 0)203 301 8888) with content marketing through CJC Currents (quarterly), CJC Exchange (weekly with Gibson Shipbrokers), LinkedIn, and industry events.

CJC's differentiated asset base is its Mariners team, comprising Master Mariners, Nautical Surveyors, and former sea-going professionals (including Andrew Gray, Andrew Shannon, Amarinder Singh Brar, and Paul Martin) who provide operational context to casualty and dispute work alongside qualified solicitors, supporting wet shipping advisory in collision, salvage, and grounding matters that pure legal practices struggle to staff. The firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 596892), registered as a private limited company in England and Wales (registered number 08431508), and holds Cyber Essentials certification; it has no parent company, no public listing, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no API or platform technology stack — revenue is generated entirely from professional legal fees on a quote-based, matter-by-matter pricing structure with multi-year client engagements, and specific fee levels are not publicly disclosed.

The firm entered 2025 with 22 directors following the promotions of Kate Law and Neil Jackson to the partnership on 1 January 2025, alongside five additional Managing Associate promotions; headcount sits in the 101–250 band across London, Newcastle, Singapore, Miami, and Genoa. CJC is privately held with no disclosed PE/VC backing, and ownership is implied to rest with the partner group. Recent recognitions include The Times Best Law Firms 2026 listing, Legal 500 ranking for 'acute understanding of commercial realities', Chambers and Partners boutique shipping ranking, and the Global Maritime Legal Leadership Award presented at the Maritime SheEO Conference during India Maritime Week 2025.

Name

Campbell Johnston Clark

Legal name

Campbell Johnston Clark Limited

Website

https://cjclaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Campbell Johnston Clark is a full-service international shipping law firm founded in 2010, operating from London, Newcastle, Singapore, Miami, and Genoa to serve ship owners, charterers, P&I clubs, marine insurers, banks, and government clients in wet and dry maritime matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: CJC generates revenue through providing comprehensive legal services in shipping, maritime, and international trade law. Services include Admiralty and Casualty handling, Commercial Shipping, Corporate/Transactional work, Shipping Finance, Insurance and Reinsurance, International Trade, Shipping Litigation, and more. Fees are charged for legal advisory, representation, and ongoing client relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Campbell Johnston Clark is a full-service international shipping law firm providing comprehensive legal services across the maritime sector. The firm covers all aspects of shipping including Admiralty and Casualty handling, Commercial Shipping, Corporate and Transactional work, Shipping Finance, Insurance and Reinsurance, Shipping Litigation, International Trade, Offshore, Shipbuilding, Private Equity, Yachts & Superyachts, and U.S./Italian/EU/Marshall Islands law advice. It operates from five offices with a 24-hour emergency response service for maritime casualties.

Product overview

Campbell Johnston Clark (CJC) is a full-service international shipping law firm offering comprehensive legal services across the maritime sector. The firm's portfolio includes 14 core legal service areas covering both wet (casualty/collision/salvage) and dry (charterparty/insurance/finance) shipping matters, ranging from Admiralty and Casualty, Commercial Shipping, Corporate, Insurance and Reinsurance, International Trade, Shipping Litigation, Shipping Finance, to specialized areas like Yachts & Superyachts and U.S. Advice. The firm also publishes two knowledge products: CJC Currents (a quarterly newsletter) and CJC Exchange (a weekly newsletter produced in collaboration with Gibson Shipbrokers), along with a 24-hour Emergency Response service. CJC operates from offices in London, Newcastle, Singapore, Miami, and Genoa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Admiralty and Casualty Services
• Commercial Shipping Services
• Corporate Services
• Insurance and Reinsurance
• International Trade
• Italian and EU Law & Advice
• Marshall Islands Advice
• Offshore Services
• Private Equity
• Shipbuilding & Offshore Construction
• Shipping Finance
• Shipping Litigation
• U.S. Advice and Representation
• Yachts & Superyachts
• 24-Hour Emergency Response

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked in Legal 500 as one of the most reliable firms in the sector with 'acute understanding of commercial realities'
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gibson ShipbrokerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJC Exchange is a weekly newsletter brought to you by Campbell Johnston Clark (CJC) in collaboration with Gibson Shipbrokers. It offers a unique mix of market insights and industry updates, including the most recent Gibson Sale & Purchase Market Report. The newsletter is distributed free of charge to parties on the CJC mailing list.
• The Swedish ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJC collaborated with The Swedish Club on the updated edition of their series of Forward Defence Guides concerning Deductions from Hire and Remedies. The Guides were developed in collaboration with James Mackay, Director at CJC's London office, designed to provide practical insights on common issues in time charter disputes.
• 36 StonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJC and 36 Stone co-hosted an expert-led session during London Arbitration Week 2025 to examine key aspects of the Arbitration Act 2025. The session was held as part of London Arbitration Week activities.
• EyeseaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampbell Johnston Clark was proud to host Eyesea's first London Market event, bringing together the shipping community to explore how data, technology, and collaboration can help tackle marine pollution.
• Shipping Professional Network London (SPNL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCJC hosted a SPNL panel discussion on Sustainable Ship Finance: Navigating the Future of Maritime Investment, bringing together industry professionals for insights on maritime investment sustainability.
• UK Chamber of ShippingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJC Director Helen McCormick participated in panel discussion exploring UK Standard Conditions for Towage and Other Services (UKSTC 2024) revisions. The review involved consultation across maritime stakeholders including UK Chamber of Shipping and British Tugowners Association.
• British Tugowners AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJC participated in panel discussion on UKSTC 2024 revisions alongside British Tugowners Association representatives who served on the UKSTC Review Panel.
• The Shipowners' ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel discussion on UKSTC 2024 included representatives from The Shipowners' Club, including Alex McCooke (UKSTC Review Panel Coordinator) and Robert Shearer (Senior Claims Executive, Offshore Syndicate).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holman Fenwick Willan: Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) is one of the largest international shipping and maritime law firms, with a global network of offices and a deep practice spanning wet and dry shipping, marine insurance, and commodities. It is CJC's most direct large-scale competitor for the same client base of P&I clubs, shipowners, charterers, and banks.
• Ince & Co: Ince & Co is a historic London shipping law firm with deep expertise in wet and dry maritime disputes, marine insurance, and ship finance. Despite recent restructuring, it remains a direct specialist competitor to CJC, particularly for casualty work and P&I club mandates.
• Hill Dickinson: Hill Dickinson is a UK-headquartered law firm with a substantial shipping and marine practice serving P&I clubs, shipowners, and charterers. It competes directly with CJC in wet and dry shipping, particularly in the London market, and has comparable specialist shipping positioning.
• Clyde & Co: Clyde & Co operates one of the world's largest marine and shipping practices with strong ties to P&I clubs, hull underwriters, and shipping corporates. It directly competes with CJC for the same maritime legal mandates and shares key London and Singapore presence, with significantly greater scale.
• Watson Farley & Williams: Watson Farley & Williams is a leading international law firm specializing in shipping finance, asset finance, and maritime disputes. It competes head-on with CJC's shipping finance and litigation practices and shares key offices in London, Singapore, and other major maritime hubs.
• Stephenson Harwood: Stephenson Harwood has a well-established shipping, commodities, and international trade practice competing directly with CJC. It serves shipowners, charterers, P&I clubs, and banks from London, Singapore, and Hong Kong with a comparable specialist boutique-style approach within a broader firm.

Broad incumbents

• Reed Smith: Reed Smith is a global full-service law firm with a sizable shipping and maritime practice in London, New York, Singapore, and other hubs. It offers broader practice breadth than CJC but competes for the same shipping client mandates, particularly in finance and litigation.
• Norton Rose Fulbright: Norton Rose Fulbright is a global full-service law firm with a substantial shipping and offshore practice. While offering a much broader practice than CJC, it directly competes for major shipping finance mandates, cross-border disputes, and offshore work in London, Singapore, and the Americas.

Emerging players

• Brookes Bell: Brookes Bell is a marine technical consultancy and surveying firm providing expert witness, cargo, and casualty investigation services. It is adjacent to CJC's practice as a frequently engaged expert alongside legal counsel in maritime disputes, with overlapping shipping clientele.

Others

• Standard Club (Standard Club Management Ltd / NorthStandard): NorthStandard (formerly Standard Club / The Standard Club UK and the Standard Club Europe) is one of the International Group P&I Clubs and a major client/adversary relationship for CJC. P&I clubs frequently appoint external shipping counsel, making them both a primary client segment and a related industry participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/campbell-johnston-clark-llp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Campbell Johnston Clark