陈柚牧 Mervyn Chen

Mr. Chen Youmu (also known as Mervyn Chen) is the Director of the firm managing 400+professionals, including partners, lawyers, and supporting staff across a worldwide network of 19 offices. With extensive experience in law firm management since 2005, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s strategic direction, fostering cross-border collaboration, and ensuring the seamless delivery of high-quality legal services to international and domestic clients.

Under his leadership, the firm has strengthened its presence in the shipping and maritime sectors, expanding its capabilities in dispute resolution, transactional work, and regulatory compliance. He has been instrumental in developing the firm’s client-focused approach, implementing innovative legal solutions, and enhancing operational efficiency across multiple jurisdictions.

Recognized by Chambers Asia Pacific as a“notable practitioner”, Mr Chen is highly regarded for his commercial awareness and strategic problem-solving. Clients praise him as a “well-reputed” lawyer with a deep understanding of market dynamics, enabling him to deliver practical, business-oriented legal solutions.

He specializes in handling of complicated commercial litigation and transactions. He is well versed in advising on both wet and dry claims. He has particular experience in handling collisions, fire, explosion, personal injuries, and disputes arising from bills of lading, charterparties, ship mortgage, shipbuilding and repairing, ship sale and purchase, international trade and shipping finance. He also has a deep understanding in the insurance area and provides extensive legal services for various insurance companies and P&I clubs home and abroad.

Beyond shipping, he is a recognized expert in corporate compliance, having successfully led clients through delisting petition processes and complex economic sanctions matters. His proficiency in the area of economic sanctions and his understanding of the complexities of the shipping markets has enabled him to provide strategic advice and pratical guidance to client throughout the process.

Mr Chen is known for his strong leadership, client-centric approach, and ability to bridge legal expertise with business needs. His deep industry knowledge and hands-on management style have earned him widespread recognition from clients, courts, and regulatory authorities.

He is the Deputy Director of Maritime Law Committee of All China Lawyers' Association, the Vice Chairman of Maritime Law Research Association of Shanghai Law Society, and the Legal Counsel to the CPC Shanghai Pudong New Area Committee, Pudong New Area People's Government, and the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Administration. He is currently a supporting member of LMAA, an arbitrator of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC), an arbitrator of Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (Shanghai International Arbitration Center), and as a lawyer, he is also a tutor to the LLM graduate students at Shanghai University of  Political Science and Law. He is a Registered Foreign Lawyer before the Singapore International Commercial Court (“SICC”) and a panel  arbitrator  of the  SCMA.

He is fluent in Mandarin, Shanghainese and English.

He is listed as a notable practitioner in Chambers Asia-Pacific.

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022 notes “He is very familiar with the shipping businesses, applicable laws

and regulations in the PRC and the latest case precedents.”

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020 notes Mervyn Chen “as a ‘well reputed’ lawyer and offers praise for his

commercial awareness."

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019 notes “He is regularly involved in cross-border cases”.

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2017 notes: “Mervyn Chen is a widely recognized practitioner, with interviewees saying he is ‘quite outstanding’”.

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2015 states Mervyn “is held in high regard by clients, one of whom asserted:

'We always look to him when we have difficult cases.’ He is noted for his ability to handle large  disputes.”

• Represented CCIC in a marine insurance claim arising out of the stranding of the vessel "Sagan". M/V “Sagan” stranded near the island of Japan and suffered total loss. After the accident, the Japanese government issued a report stating that the accident was caused by bad weather. The owners of the vessel alleged that the insurer shall be liable for not only the whole value of the vessel as well as the costs for salvage, which was just a little lower than the insured value of the vessel. We were instructed by the insurer to handle the claim. After the first trial in Shanghai Maritime Court and the second trial in Shanghai High People's Court, the court rejected all of the plaintiff's claims. This case was selected as 2022 the 12th issue of the  Gazette of the Supreme People's Court.

• Sanfu Ship Engineering v. PICC Shipping Insurance Operation Center. Acting for the insurer under ship construction insurance contract. Successfully convinced the Supreme Court to revoke both the first and the second instance judgments and mitigated loss of more than 10 million. This case was listed as one of the top 10 representative judgments by the Supreme Court and was one of China Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year for 2018.

• Representing the owners of the MV "EVER GIVEN" in relation to the disputes arising from the  grounding of the vessel in the Suez Canal and mainly responsible for the claims filed by Chinese  cargo interests.

• Advised clients on delisting, and heldped clients to persuade the U.S authority to lift all those  sanctions and delist clients from the SDN list eventually. This case is a rare example in recent  years where a Chinese company obtained the comprehensive lifting of US economic sanctions  without paying any fines or being subject to any follow-up conditions. The achievement not  only demonstrates the effectiveness of reasonable and active legal action, but also highlights the  importance of persistence and determination in the face of adversity.

• Advised ABC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. on a finance leasing transaction in respect of one new-building offshore wind-turbines installment vessel. The contract price of the vessel is around RMB 1.2 billion. We have been providing legal support to the development of the  offshore clean energy since 2021, and this transaction is a representative sample.

• Acting for the Polar Research Institute of China in the rescue of the icebreaker “XUE LONG” trapped in thick ice floes after her successfully evacuating 52 passengers onboard stranded  Russian vessel “AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY”, saving a huge amount of salvage costs.

• “Maritime Lijiang” - cargo loss claim. Acted for the owners of “Maritime Lijiang” to successfully  defend the claim for cargo loss against domestic consignee, through the first instance, the  second instance and the retrial by the Supreme People's Court. This was the first case involving  the safety of the transportation of nickel ore cargoes.

He is the Deputy Director of Maritime Law Committee of All China Lawyers' Association, the Vice Chairman of Maritime Law Research Association of Shanghai Law Society, and the Legal Counsel to the CPC Shanghai Pudong New Area Committee, Pudong New Area People's Government, and the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Administration. He is currently a supporting member of LMAA, an arbitrator of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC), an arbitrator of Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (Shanghai International Arbitration Center), and as a lawyer, he is also a tutor to the LLM graduate students at Shanghai University of  Political Science and Law. He is a Registered Foreign Lawyer before the Singapore International Commercial Court (“SICC”) and a panel  arbitrator  of the  SCMA.

• From 2012 to 2026, Mr Chen has been listed in Chambers Asia-Pacific as a Notable Practitioner in Shipping in the PRC.
• From 2021-2026, Mr Chen has been recommended in the Legalband as one of the Top Ranked Lawyers in Shipping in the PRC.
• From 2024-2026, Mr Chen was named the "Leading Lawyer" in Shipping in the Legal 500  Asia Pacific Guide.