In our special column this month, Yannis Litinas, Partner- Solicitor at SVW law firm, notes that there has to be more open discussion among green transition experts as well as more awareness of crew conditions and safety onboard.
Yannis describes how he got into the marine business and what he finds exciting about maritime law, emphasising that he particularly appreciates working with a strong team that demonstrates reliability, ingenuity and enthusiasm.
SAFETY4SEA: How did it come about that you joined shipping industry and your field of expertise specifically?
Yannis Litinas: I chose to read law, due to my love for philosophy/argumentation. Then I almost regretted and dropped out of the legal studies, until an inspirational and charismatic lecturer, Sid Harley, an ex barrister and lecturer at the Plymouth Maritime Business Centre, introduced me to maritime law. All made sense after that, and shipping kept me in law.
S4S: What about your current job/ role most excites you and why?
Y.L.: The problems excite me as much as the next lawyer, but then the solutions we can find excite me more, and bring the colleagues and clients together, enabling the creation of a team based on reliability, ingenuity and enthusiasm. I love my team, and I am loyal and grateful to the clients that make us part of their team and invite us to share synapses and time. Work then becomes a communion.
S4S: When you think of the word successful who’s the first person who comes to mind and why?
Y.L.: Both my parents. Never faltered, never hesitated, never compromised on the highest ideals. Taught me with their actions. And instilled responsibility and ambition in me, in that order.
S4S: Who is/was the most influential person/mentor to you & why?
Y.L.: Professionally: Sid Harley, the most lively inspirational converter of intricate knowledge into digestible droplets.
S4S: What is the best and what was the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given and why?
Y.L.: “Calm down”, that has been the best advice, both for pace and temper. An advice that repeats automatically within, and is heeded, when pace heightens. I have been fortunate: never received bad advice (and if I ever did, I cannot recall it)
S4S: What is the most worthwhile career investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
Y.L.: Determination (on my goals) and trust (in others).
S4S: If you could give a piece of advice to your 18-year-old-self one thing, what would it be and why? What piece of advice should you ignore?
Y.L.: Practise true inner humility, and be patient. And ignore any advice that is vague or soft.
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your business life?
Y.L.: Bring life into work and work into life.
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape and your area of expertise specifically and why?
Y.L.: On the maritime landscape, two changes: (1) more open dialogue between experts on the suggested green shifts, before such shifts are commercialized as panacea or as uninjurious; and (2) more awareness on crew conditions and safety.
On the shipping legal services: operational and technical shipping related courses for trainee-lawyers (and qualified lawyers). In Oslo this is easy to achieve, given the small size and highly concentrated expertise within. In larger centres, such as London, this is evidently more difficult.
S4S: What is your personal motto?
Y.L.: Love responsibility.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
