Thomas Cooper & Stibbard has opened an office in Vancouver to expand its shipping network.

Shipping lawyer Mark Sachs will head the office and will be the only partner based there, although the 19-partner firm hopes to expand the office in the future.
Sachs, admitted in both Canada and the UK, is the head of Thomas Cooper’s Asia practice. He will retain this role, but partner Paul Barfield, based in the Singapore office, will take over the day-to-day running of the Asia practice.
“Thomas Cooper is the first international shipping firm to open a Canada office,” said Sachs. “Vancouver is North America’s second-largest port in terms of cargo tonnage and the gateway to Asia’s quickly developing economies.”
Vancouver is the base for a number of shipowners from Hong Kong and China. The firm has offices in Athens, London and Singapore.