US-based shipping publication Marine Log invited Maria Borg Barthet to be part of the ‘Women make their mark in maritime’ feature section in its December 2020 edition. The CJC Currents editorial team persuaded Maria to expand on a contribution which focused on ensuring that women in shipping secure get their fair share of opportunities.
Today there are more successful women in all areas of shipping than ever before, but a maritime meeting room almost entirely populated by men remains a common sight. For women just starting out in the industry, this can be a daunting prospect, says CJC partner and director at the London office Maria Borg Barthet. “But you mustn’t let that fear hold you back,” she advises.
Beginning in her native Malta, Maria’s own path to success in the shipping industry took a decisive turn when she accepted a teaching job at the University of Southampton. There, she tutored Master of Laws students in the subjects of international trade, carriage of goods and admiralty law – yet the experience was as much about learning as it was teaching, she says. “Tutoring extremely bright people, my age or older, was terrifying at first, but I enjoyed every minute of it and will always value the rapport I developed with those students. In all honesty, they probably taught me more than I ever taught them.”
The teaching post at Southampton University also “opened up many doors career-wise” and led on to five years of “building foundations” at a law firm in London. She credits these experiences, combined with the guidance of her first shipping mentor in Malta, with giving her the tools to contribute to CJC’s growth. When Maria joined the firm, there were fewer than 10 members of staff at the London office; now there are 60 employees working from offices in Newcastle, Singapore and Miami, as well as London.
“We have successfully built a structure and culture that differentiates CJC from many of its competitors,” Maria says. “With no partner billings or targets, it’s one team focusing 100 per cent on the client. Being a part of the recruitment, development, management and mentoring of that team has been a true privilege.”
Maria has been involved in several high-profile casualties and dry litigation cases at CJC and recently worked on a case that set a new precedent for the interpretation of an aspect of the international Convention on the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims. Her contributions to the firm and to marine law in general have been recognised in the latest edition of the Legal 500 directory, which lists her as a Leading Individual possessing “tremendous commercial acumen”.
Maria makes a point of offering encouragement and advice to women looking to follow a similar path: “Never dismiss opportunities, especially not the risky ones; they may work out better than you imagined – and even if it is not immediately apparent, there is always a plan B,” she says. “Also, this is not a nine-to-five industry, so make sure to find time for yourself, your friends and your family. But most importantly, enjoy it – the maritime sector has a great deal to offer those who fully embrace it.”