About us

CDG is a law firm specialising in the provision of maritime legal services with a particular focus on the shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas sectors.  Over the past 15 years we have built a significant reputation within these sectors with a team of lawyers that is internationally regarded for its industry knowledge, expertise and commercially driven advice. 

Our shipping clients comprise shipowners, charterers, shipyards, financing banks and insurers, including P&I clubs, covering the entire spectrum of commercial shipping and including the rapidly growing international superyacht sector. In many cases we are engaged by, and work with, professional advisors, overseas lawyers or other intermediaries to represent their clients.

We are generally acknowledged as the UK market leaders in the provision of legal advice in relation to shipbuilding and ship conversion projects of all kinds. Our senior partner, Simon Curtis is author of the leading textbook on shipbuilding contract law, The Law of Shipbuilding Contracts published by LLP, and the firm is continuously involved in a wide range of international newbuilding and ship conversion projects and disputes. 

Our offshore clients include major oil and gas companies with worldwide development interests, smaller independent oil and gas companies, offshore contractors providing a range of exploration and production services and specialist suppliers of oilfield services and equipment, including shipyards.

Our expertise extends from upstream licensing arrangements, through the exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas. We advise our clients on the operational issues involved in the extraction, processing and transportation of these products, and on the procurement, construction and installation of offshore drilling and production facilities and transportation pipelines.

Our success has been built on a strategy to excel in a chosen number of areas of legal expertise. Our offices are located close to Heathrow Airport in London for the convenience of our international, largely European client base.