Latest news with #ChrisSawyer
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Former war correspondent felt she would die during 'harrowing' Irish Ferries journey
A former war zone correspondent for NBC has told a judge she feared she was going to die in raging seas when Irish Ferries vessel MV Epsilon was dramatically tossed around during Storm Imogen almost 10 years ago. Retired journalist Susan Burt (75) said in the Circuit Civil Court on Wednesday that she, her partner Chris Sawyer and seven passengers from Co Mayo had felt they were not going to survive during what she described as a horrific nightmare over three days when the Epsilon had been unable to dock anywhere during a three-day journey from Cherbourg to Dublin. Advertisement Barrister John Wilde Crosbie, counsel for Ms Burt told Judge Christopher Callan the vessel had been forced to sail back and forth during the storm until the weather improved and it could continue to Dublin. It had set out on February 7th, 2016 and had not docked in Dublin a day late on the 9th. 'The vessel lurched so violently that people were screaming,' Burt, who lives in England and Brussels, told the court. 'Things were flying through the air, dishes were smashing and furniture sliding up and down decks and cabin floors. As the ship would roll we had to crawl.' She said the ship would turn over so far after being hit by huge waves that passengers felt it would capsize. It seemed to go on forever. 'It was a very long drawn out harrowing and awful experience,' she told Mr Crosbie, who appeared with Evan O'Dwyer of O'Dwyer Solicitors, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. Advertisement 'I thought I was going to die. I felt 'this is it,'' she said. 'We were being thrown about and our car was absolutely squashed as vehicles criss-crossed the car deck.' In 2023 Noel Rowland, of Bridgemount, Belcarra, Castlebar, Co Mayo, his wife, and three children, Florence, Beau and Jude, now all resident in Brussels; Chris Sawyer, also Brussels, and two other passengers also living in Brussels but with Irish connections, settled their claims against Irish Ferries. Ireland Man released without charge after death of woman o... Read More At that time the court approved settlement offers of €14,500 each for the three Rowland children. Other settlements were not disclosed. Ms Burt's claim was put back until today for full trial. Cross-examined by defence barrister Roisin Haughey, who appeared with Noble shipping Law Solicitors for Irish Ferries, Ms Burt said she had not developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and had not been physically injured during the harrowing experience. Advertisement Psychological experts for both parties put the absence of PTSD and her not having a requirement for medication down to her stoic attitude and impressive personal coping ability. Her counsel said she had nevertheless suffered psychological damage as a result of her experience. Judge Callan reserved judgment on his assessment of damages in a case in which Irish Ferries had conceded liability.
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Pinsent Masons major hires bolster Aberdeen energy offering
Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has announced two Partner appointments which significantly strengthen its Aberdeen office. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Energy sector specialist Chris Sawyer has joined the firm's corporate team while former Burness Paull director Gillian Harrington joins as a partner to lead the Granite City-based employment team. Both appointments have been described as 'headline hires' by Pinsent Masons Partner and Aberdeen Head of Office Richard Scott. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Sawyer has held a number of C-suite level in-house legal roles over a 20 year period with major oil and gas operators including bp, and more recently EnQuest where he was General Counsel. Gillian Harrington, Partner and head of Pinsent Masons employment team in Aberdeen. His international experience, including a three year period as head of legal for bp's Russian business in Moscow, aligned with two decades of UKCS focused activity, bolsters Pinsent Masons expertise in oil and gas, energy transition, risk management and regulatory compliance. Gillian Harrington is well-established in the north-east having spent her entire career in Aberdeen and for the last six years was a director in Burness Paull's employment team. Her experience of advising executive boards on complex, contentious and non-contentious employment issues, will be an asset to the firm's broad range of UK and international clients. Julia Maguire, Pinsent Masons' Global Sector Head, Energy, said: 'The energy sector, both in the North Sea and globally, offers huge opportunities. Many larger energy companies are selling their mature assets to the smaller independent energy businesses who then redevelop them to extend their lifespan while reducing carbon emissions. Our clients need guidance on navigating shifting markets, driven by the energy transition and the need to ensure a secure energy supply in the context of continuing geopolitical uncertainty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Chris' and Gillian's expertise will help ensure we capitalise on these opportunities and continue to deliver our energy clients' most important and most complex deals across the globe. Having seen our global energy practice grow by 90% over the last four years, we appreciate the continuing and growing client need for the kind of deep sector expertise and experience which Chris and Gillian can offer.' HSE litigation specialist Willie Park has been promoted to Legal Director at Pinsent Masons. Pinsent Masons also recently announced the promotion of Aberdeen-based HSE litigation specialist, Willie Park, to Legal Director. Richard Scott said: 'Both Chris and Gillian are very highly regarded in their respective fields and the stature of these appointments underlines our commitment to clients in Aberdeen and beyond to continue to provide market leading expert legal counsel across the energy sector. 'As Chris and Gillian settle into the team, and with Willie Park's appointment as Legal Director recognising his expertise in and out of court, our offering goes from strength to strength and we will continue to seek out the best practitioners who can add to value to our client portfolio.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Sawyer said: 'I worked with Pinsent Masons at bp and again at EnQuest so know the firm very well and as a recipient of its client outreach seminars and thought-leadership initiatives, I think Pinsent Masons as a truly sector-focused law firm offers clients something quite unique. Energy specialist Chris Sawyer joins Pinsent Masons as a Partner in the corporate team. 'The risk portfolio of operating in the North Sea has gone up significantly in recent years, be that through climate action and awareness, regulation or the taxation system. Those risks are starting to play out in a way that lawyers are being called upon to assess them differently from say five years ago, and coming at this with a 'GC mindset' I will be able to advise clients on navigating those complex issues.' Gillian Harrington added: 'Pinsent Masons has an excellent reputation in the energy sector both in Aberdeen and globally. I see a significant opportunity to further grow our employment practice and to continue to deliver market-leading advice to our clients.
