Richard Neylon, a legal expert known for his work in marine casualty and crisis response, has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) by Swansea University. The ceremony took place during the university’s winter degree congregation on December 9, 2025.
Neylon graduated from Swansea University’s Law School in 1998. Since then, he has built a career advising on major incidents involving marine casualties, liability issues, war risks, and kidnap and ransom situations. He is recognized for handling cases that include unlawful detentions, drug seizures, fraud, and other complex matters faced by international businesses. His work has brought him to maritime conflict zones such as Somalia, West Africa, Russia and Ukraine, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Gulf.
Currently leading the global Complex Environments team at HFW, an international law firm, Neylon provides specialist legal advice to organizations operating in high-risk regions.
He also lectures both in the UK and abroad on topics including crisis response, shipping, and insurance. In addition to teaching, he contributes to key industry publications.
Neylon is a founder member of the Hostage Support Partnership (HSP), which received commendation from the United Nations Security Council in 2017 for helping secure the release of 26 hostages held in Somalia for over four years. His team was recognized with the Lloyd’s List Corporate Social Responsibility Award for their pro bono efforts to free 48 hostages in Somalia. Neylon is also a former recipient of the Lloyd’s List Global Maritime Lawyer of the Year Award.
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