International trade and finance transactions involve a closely connected framework of commercial contracts, financial instruments, trading terms, banking arrangements and regulatory requirements. We advise businesses, financial institutions, exporters, importers, traders and other participants in international commerce on the legal and commercial issues arising from these transactions.

Our practice includes matters involving documentary credits and Letters of Credit governed by the International Chamber of Commerce’s Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP 600). We advise on the legal structure and operation of documentary-credit transactions and assist in disputes concerning documentary compliance, discrepancies, presentation and acceptance of documents, payment obligations, refusal or withholding of payment and the respective rights and obligations of banks, applicants and beneficiaries.

We also advise on demand guarantees, bank-to-bank reimbursement arrangements under the ICC Uniform Rules (URR), documentary collections under URC 522 and International Standby Practices under ISP98. These instruments often form part of transactions involving multiple parties, financial institutions and jurisdictions, and disputes may require consideration of the instrument together with the underlying commercial contract and applicable rules.

Our trade-finance practice also extends to INCOTERMS® and other trading terms and conditions, including the allocation of costs, risks, delivery obligations and responsibilities between parties to international transactions. We advise on the interpretation and application of such terms and on disputes concerning performance, delivery, payment and contractual responsibility.

International trade transactions frequently intersect with shipping and maritime law. We advise shippers, carriers and freight forwarders on maritime claims, including carriage of goods by sea, general average, marine insurance and related maritime-law and admiralty matters.

Our approach is to consider the transaction as a whole, including the commercial contract, trade-finance instrument, shipping arrangements, governing law and dispute-resolution mechanism, so that the legal strategy reflects the wider commercial relationship.