Simon Rainey is regarded as the foremost shipping KC at the English Bar today. He has been ranked in the unique category of “Star Individual” (a special category, ranked above Band 1) for ‘Shipping and Commodities’ by Chambers & Partners UK every year since 2015. Simon was awarded the title of ‘Shipping Silk of the Year’ by both Chambers and Partners UK and Legal 500 UK Awards in 2017 and 2022. He was also shortlisted for ‘Shipping Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2018, for ‘Shipping Silk of the Year’ at the Legal 500 UK Awards in 2019 and 2020. He was named ‘number one’ in the Lloyd’s List top 10 maritime lawyers in 2021 and again in 2025, having previously featured in the top ten in 2017, 2018 and 2020. Simon sits as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Commercial Court, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Visiting Professor at the University of Swansea and an honorary fellow of its prestigious Institute of International Trade and Shipping Law.