Biography: Shipping & Maritime

Tony Norton is a director at ENS (Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs), and has 22 years experience. He currently practices as an attorney in the shipping and logistics department, and specialises in maritime law.

Tony has acted for the owners and operators of vessels as well as the various trade associations that represent their interests, their insurers (including Hull Underwriters and Protection and Indemnity Clubs), mortgagee banks, ships' agents as well as clearing and forwarding agents.

Tony's practice experience includes the processing and defending of maritime claims in the High Court in the exercise of its admiralty jurisdiction as well as logistics related claims in the high court in the exercise of its parochial jurisdiction. He also advises and deals with policy issues relating to various trade associations in the shipping industry. He also has experience in protecting the interests of owners and operators of vessels in respect of maritime casualties in the event of sinkings, groundings, collisions, marine pollution, salvage and general average situations.

He has been a member of the Maritime Law Association of South Africa for 22 years, and spent two of them as president. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and has been chairman of the South African branch. He has been chairperson of the National Port Users Forum, an association of trade associations in the broader shipping industry. He has also lectured and spoken on Maritime Law and Commodity Trading matters at various seminars and forums.

Tony is recognised as a leading lawyer by the following reputable rating agencies and their publications: The Guide to the World's Leading Maritime & Shipping Lawyers 2010, for maritime and shipping (South Africa); CorporateINT shipping and maritime feature 2010 (South Africa); Expert Guides – Best of the Best 2011, for maritime and shipping; and The International Who's Who of Shipping and Maritime Lawyers 2011 (South Africa).

Tony's qualifications include: BA (University of KwaZulu-Natal); LLB, summa cum laude, (University of KwaZulu-Natal); and a Diploma in Maritime Law (University of KwaZulu-Natal). He is admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa.