Pinsent Masons grows energy team with employment specialist

Katie Williams advises oil and gas companies engaged in offshore supply, construction, diving, drilling and well intervention, and shipping companies providing safety and standby vessels operating in the North Sea.

Dual qualified in Scotland and England, Katie also acts for a number of large vessel operators which operate in international markets and are involved in complex legal solutions over multiple jurisdictions.

The appointment strengthens Pinsent Masons’ oil and gas employment team in Aberdeen and adds an employment dimension to the legal firm’s Scottish shipping practice led by Gavin Farquhar.

Katie has joined Pinsent Masons from north east firm Mackinnons which has a 150 year association with marine and offshore law and where she was the sole employment partner. Prior to that she spent nine years working as an employment law specialist in The Hague and London and she holds a Masters in European and International Law.

She said: “Joining Pinsent Masons provides me with an excellent platform to further develop my shipping and marine employment client base. The firm is extremely well connected to Aberdeen’s oil and gas sector but also has an international footprint, both involving high calibre clients, which presents lots of opportunities to grow my area of expertise.

“Aberdeen Harbour is the focal point of the UK offshore industry and with plans to extend its operations at Nigg Bay, and the future potential to be involved in the emerging offshore wind industry, there is no better time to be working with a law firm so embedded in the north east energy sector.”

Pinsent Masons’ Head of Office in Aberdeen, Roger Connon, said: “Katie’s appointment adds strength and depth to our oil and gas employment team in Aberdeen but her experience is also an excellent resource which benefits our energy clients in the UK and internationally.”

The firm was named Energy and Natural Resources Firm of the Year by legal industry bible Legal Business magazine earlier this year. Clients of the firm include Statoil, KCA Deutag, E.ON UK and Wood Group PSN.