Harry Hirst went away to sea after leaving school in 1975 and qualified as a Master Mariner in 1988. A graduate in both Nautical Studies and Law, he qualified as a solicitor in England in 1992. He is now a partner with an international law firm and is currently working in Singapore. He has spent his entire legal career specializing in Admiralty law, and has personally investigated and advised on the apportionment of liability for many collisions at sea. He is recognized to be one of the leading Admiralty lawyers in the world today.