About me
I’m a partner in our Marine team, specialising in advising clients in connection with the international sale of commodities.
My work typically includes advising and representing clients in disputes or potential disputes arising from sale contracts, finance documents and security, letters of credit and other agreements related to physical commodities.
I’m also experienced in the negotiation and drafting of long-term and short-form sale and purchase contracts and use my related knowledge and litigation experience to support the firm’s trade finance capability.
My clients are commodities producers; traders (including banks); end-users and mining and oil majors.
My approach is to be swift and practical, aiming to understand the client’s commercial objective from the outset and working to achieve it as swiftly and cost-effectively as possible. My clients value the fact that I’ll always suggest an approach rather than merely advising on the legal position and that I get to the crux of a matter quickly rather than mechanically following a process. When time is of the essence, the ability to swiftly resolve difficult problems for clients is always immensely rewarding.
My experience
- Representing a major trader in the enforcement of its security as lender under a prepayment finance agreement. The matter involved cross-border aspects and numerous international arbitrations.
- Representing one of several defendants to a high value fraud claim related to metals in Asia, reported up to Court of Appeal level.
- Representing a soft commodities trader in defending a claim related to the placement of illegal narcotics in shipping containers loaded at origin.
- Advising a major bank in setting up its template documents for trading in coffee and cocoa.
- Representing a large agricultural commodities trader in a seminal decision concerning breach of contract and the measure of damages, which was ultimately reported in the Supreme Court.
- Advising a manufacturing client and assisting it in the negotiation of a long-term large scale procurement contract for the sale of millions of units of glass products for use in the beverage industry.