Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Watson Farley & Williams has built up a respectable practice in the transport, offshore oil and gas, as well as power and energy sectors. The team is also establishing a strong track record in the renewable and clean energy space, successfully winning mandates from Conergy and Vestas Wind Systems on high profile regional projects. With an impressive array of banks among its clients, including Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, BNP Paribas and Citibank, the group is supported by project and structured finance partners Josh Clarke, Mehraab Nazir and Siva Subramaniam. Chris Lowe also continues to be pivotal on the financing side, with Ken Cheung leading the firm’s corporate involvement in the sector.

With clients ranging from owners and operators to leading financial institutions, Watson Farley & Williams’ Singapore team leverages off the firm’s international connections.

Its expertise goes beyond pure maritime transport, and includes know how in related sectors such as offshore oil and gas, ports and logistics. However, the team’s strength lies in shipping work outs and enforcements.

Under the leadership of partners Chris Lowe, Ken Cheung and Marcus Gordon, the team regularly acts for banks, enforcing their loans and ship mortgages, and has also advised on ECAs, sale and leasebacks, upstream/offshore project financing as well as on newbuild and second hand ship financing, finance leasing, and ship sale and purchases.

Work highlights include advising Singapore Airlines on its first GOL transaction financing. Partner Siva Subramaniam led the team acting on this landmark deal, the lease structure of which included an innovative extension option for SIA.

Subramaniam also advised Amentum Capital on the US$300 million financing and leasing of three A330 planes to Vietnam Airlines.

Partners Josh Clarke and Mehraab Nazir are also key contributors in the sector.

Known for its regional arbitration work, Watson Farley & Williams has particular expertise on shipping and maritime disputes. Leading disputes and arbitration partner and office head Steven Burkhill has particular prowess when it comes to litigation relating to power, oil and gas, and large-scale project disputes. Burkhill also has experience serving as an arbitrator with the ICC, SIAC and TAI.

One client describes the dispute resolution, saying: “It has been able to provide innovative and creative solutions to my company’s needs in every area. The firm has a wide set of skills and draws upon a vast pool of experience both in Asia and globally.”

The firm is advising Soonthorn Metal Industries in a major international arbitration under Uncitral Rules in Thailand against a major European food supplier. The dispute is valued at US$600 million.