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

Baker & McKenzie has a strong aviation practice, especially when it comes to asset financing. Andrew Lockhart is known for his extensive experience in asset finance work and his expertise in loans and credit facilities.

Lockhart is representing ICBC on the first cross border KG aircraft financing that involves a PRC bank lender. The financing for an Airbus A380-800 Aircraft (MSN 049) is a two tranche facility with a value of US$100 million. Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale is the facility agent, while ICBC is one of the lenders on the financing. The borrower is a limited partnership formed under German law and aircraft will be leased to Air France upon delivery.

Ince & Co works exclusively in the shipping area and is known as a global leader in this field. Its China office is strategically located in the international shipping hub and port city of Shanghai. The UK firm’s contentious practice is particularly strong, and the firm is known for winning high profile cases. The firm has broadened its scope to advise clients on areas such as aviation, business and finance, commercial disputes, energy and offshore, insurance, and international trade.

Mayer Brown JSM’s practice is strong on both the shipping and aviation fronts. The firm’s leading LNG practice earns the shipping practice key mandates advising large European, Chinese and Japanese ship-owners such as Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. The practice has worked on all of the Chinese LNG import projects that employ ships constructed in China.

Mayer Brown JSM often represents ship-owners on cross border M&A work and advises private equity funds on their shipping investments. The firm’s structured finance team represents liner companies in securitising receivables, and the litigation team often advises in connection with mortgage enforcement work and arbitration issues.

On the aviation side, the practice represents clients such as Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Air Hong Kong, Air Pacific, AerCap, ICBC Financial Leasing, Banc of America Leasing, Macquarie AirFinance, and BNPP on aviation finance work. It also advises on other types of aviation work, including acquisitions, joint ventures and litigation.

Norton Rose offers clients a wide range of shipping and maritime related services through its multi-jurisdictional network of offices. The firm’s ship financing experience is bolstered by the firm’s capability across mergers and acquisitions, regulation and competition, energy and litigation work.

Experienced partner Nigel Ward leads the Asia shipping practice from the firm’s Beijing office, and lends his banking and finance expertise. Ward represents Mainland financial institutions in their funding for ships built in China, and represents domestic and international entities on finance work in this sector.

Dewit Law Office

Dewit Law Office was the first Belgian firm to establish an office in Beijing, and name partner Bernard Dewit has expertise representing European clients on China related matters as well as advising Chinese companies.

The firm handles a variety of shipping, maritime and aviation matters, including liability, accident and insurance claims, cargo claims, blocked space agreements, and dispute resolution and litigation matters.