A&O Shearman has ‘a dedicated trade finance team' and not simply 'an extra string to a financing partner’s more generalist bow’. The firm is known for its prowess and thought leadership in complex financing transactions, including highly structured trades, yet it is additionally active across the entire trade finance spectrum- from commodity finance to receivables and inventory monetisation transactions. ‘Pragmatic, commercially-minded and very positive’ head of global trade and commodities Catherine Lang-Anderson is an indispensable adviser to banks, private equity sponsors, commodities traders, governments and regulators. Head of the export credit agency (ECA) practice Lorraine Bayliss and trade, commodities and emerging markets debt finance expert Greg Brown play pivotal roles in the practice. Bayliss recently advised senior lenders and cover providers on the €4.2bn greenfield project financing for the construction of the world’s first large-scale green steel plant in Sweden. The firm also calls on risk transfer specialist and co-head of global financial markets Guy Antrobus and derivatives expert Parya Badie.

Mayer Brown International LLP has recently expanded its practice and client base, alongside having been involved in increasingly high-value and innovative transactions. ‘Their deep knowhow in trade finance and cross-border commercial law is evident,’ state clients of the team led by Alex Dell– who frequently acts for banks, private credit funds, sponsors and corporates in multi-jurisdictional receivables financing, inventory monetisation and borrowing base loans. Ash McDermott‘s practice focuses on complex, cross-border loan financings, while drawing upon his in-depth understanding of emerging markets, export and agency finance, and structured trade and commodity finance. He recently worked with colleagues in São Paulo to advise Citibank and SACE on a $400m syndicated loan facility for Brazilian electricity company Eletrobras. Charles Thain‘s practice spans traditional trade finance instruments, receivables finance, supply chain finance, inventory monetisation, borrowing base finance and risk distribution structures for financial institutions, sponsors, corporates and fintech companies. He has a ‘remarkable combination of strategic insight and deep subject matter expertise’. Clients also note that the junior ranks, including Angeli Sunmonu and James England, are ‘extremely diligent, responsive, and solution-focused’.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s London office has ‘a deep-rooted knowledge of trade finance’. Whether it is complex pre-payment financing techniques, including receivables purchase funding, or borrowing base facilities, metals lease transactions, and straightforward commodities financing, the firm is frequently involved in high-profile deals. Its trade-related fintech practice also leads the way in supply chain finance products, including recent deals in the telecom and payment intermediaries sectors. Global head of trade finance Nicholas (Nick) Grandage is the marquee name for particular financing of international trade flows and transactions in the commodities sector. The ‘extremely knowledgeable and accomplished’ Andrew Wood is also highly rated. He recently worked with Alexandra Semykina to assist specialist asset-based lender BZ Commercial Finance with a $70m receivables-based facility. Banking and finance partners Davide Barzilai and David Milligan are also heavily involved in trade finance transactions, while Tudor Plapcianu‘s cross-border practice focuses on receivables and supply chain finance, structured finance and asset-backed transactions in both emerging and developed markets.

Reed Smith LLP is one of the few globally pre-eminent law firms in the commodities sector, providing the full spectrum advice. Kyri Evagora leads the energy and natural resources practice- which houses significant expertise in trade finance- whether it is commodities finance structures, regulatory insight, structured finance, traditional secured lending or any other relevant skill set. Jonathan Solomon, who ‘puts in 110%’, is frequently involved in highly sophisticated financing matters for clients across the commodities arena, and his work is truly global in nature, spanning clients and transactions in Europe, Africa, the CIS, SE Asia, and Latin America. Daniel Birch is a go-to adviser on complex, cross-border transactions including inventory and storage monetisation structures, pre-payment financing, and derivative structures. Patrick Sutton‘s knowledge lies in complex deals in both emerging and developed markets, particularly those that draw on his extensive experience in ESG and carbon finance issues. Elizabeth Stroud is a key contact for financial institutions, commodities trading houses, and energy majors.

The dedicated trade finance practice at Sullivan & Worcester LLP is ‘very knowledgeable, practical and results-orientated’. The firm has one of the largest teams at partner level, with practice heads Geoffrey Wynne, Simon Cook and Mark Norris all being standout practitioners who garner praise from both clients and peers. Head of both the UK insurance and disputes practices, Marian Boyle is a key member of the trade finance group, as is newly promoted partner Daniela Barrdear, who acts for banks and non-bank financial institutions, development finance institutions (DFIs), multilateral organisations, and borrowers. Barrdear has in-depth knowledge of supply chain finance techniques, alongside blended finance and export finance matters, notably in emerging markets. She recently led a team that assisted EBRD with its unfunded risk participation in Türkiye’s Akbank credit facility programme for Sok- a leading retailer in Türkiye. Clients appreciate the team’s seniority, noting that ‘the number of years of experience translates into valuable insights and legal advice’. Robert Parson recently joined the firm from Squire Patton Boggs.

Baker McKenzie‘s trade and export finance practice predominantly handles high-value, cross-border and complex transactions, leveraging the firm’s global footprint and its deep relationships with lenders, export credit agencies, commodity traders, multilateral institutions and corporate borrowers. The team, led by Luka Lightfoot, handles the full spectrum of trade finance work from ECA-covered export financings and commodity-based financings to borrowing base facilities, pre-export financings, and large-cap syndicated loans. Jeremy Levy– from the firm’s structured capital markets group- focuses on the more structured trade finance deals, such as invoice discounting, receivables securitisation, and factoring deals, working frequently with major platform providers. Philip Thomson, who leads at the firm’s energy transition division, oversees trade finance deals in areas such as sustainable aviation fuel and carbon capture products. As an energy transactional lawyer with experience in commodity-linked finance, he is often involved in pre-export financing trades. Lightfoot recently assisted Standard Chartered with a $111m Islamic financing to the Republic of Senegal to support the installation of 50,000 solar-powered streetlamps in rural areas.

The ‘personable, hardworking, knowledgeable and available’ group at Dentons is well-versed in complex commodity, trade, receivables, export and structured financings. Leveraging the firm’s extensive global network, the team commodities, trade and export finance practice is a key adviser to financial institutions, brokers, dealers, investment funds, energy producers, suppliers, transporters and end-users around the world. Ian Clements leads the outfit in London and handles commodity financings across many asset classes in western Europe, Latam and Africa. He recently assisted ING Bank with the refinancing and repapering of a secured uncommitted borrowing base facility based on Green Loan Principles for TrailStone Renewables. Paul Holland is sought after for export credit-backed financings in Brazil, Angola, Ghana, Uganda, Jordan and elsewhere. Mark Cheney‘s work includes structured trading and financing arrangements in the refining and power sectors, while James Francis is an emerging talent in ECA-supported cross-border financings. Simon Prendergast left the firm in 2024.

Fieldfisher is best known for structured transactions, but it continues to broaden out its exposure to the market, being frequently involved in deals that use traditional trade finance tools. Oliver Abel Smith leads the practice, drawing on his in-depth knowledge of energy and natural resources. In June 2025, Sam Fowler-Holmes joined from Sullivan & Worcester LLP, bringing extensive industry expertise. His experience spans both structured and unstructured trade products, and he has a strong track record in assisting alternative financial institutions and corporate clients with pre-export, pre-payment and borrowing base facilities, letter of credit, and other instruments. Project finance specialist Matthew Hinxman, who frequently acts for lenders and sponsors on major energy and natural resources financings in emerging markets, and Stephen Moller, who assists banks, asset managers, technology providers, and major corporates with banking and debt capital markets matters, also play pivotal roles in the practice. Hannah Rowbotham is also sought after for her knowledge in asset finance transactions, notably receivables finance structures.

Linklaters LLP has a large cross-practice commodities group that brings unique insight into the regulatory, business and legal issues affecting global commodities markets, and within that it has specialists in trade finance who focus on the more complex, high-value and innovative transactions in the market. Building on the global firm’s extensive work in energy, natural resources and mining, the trade finance group is able to leverage key relationships with banks, trading houses, and other key players to advise on pre-payment facilities, the establishment of commodity trading platforms, and inventory monetisation. Co-head of the global commodities group Jeremy Gewirtz has decades of experience in commodities transactions and energy trading, whilst Toby Grimstone excels in pre-export and pre-payment financings, ECA-backed deals, borrowing base facilities and other structured transactions. Thomas Chappatte and Ildar Bagautdinov are part of the next generation of experts in complex and ground-breaking trade finance deals.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP showcases a high level of specialist focus in the trade finance sphere, spearheaded by Grant Eldred. The firm is a key adviser to active market participants, among them Bank of China and Santander UK. Clients pick out Eldred and Ellis van der Vos, who are ‘professional, courteous, responsive, and knowledgeable in their field’. George Mingay, who is co-head of the London international trade and commodities group, is highly active in the soft commodities, metals and mining, and oil and gas sectors. He is on the Refined Sugar Association of London’s legal advisers panel, and chairs the Arbitration and Mediation Committee of the Board of the Minor Metals Trade Association. Fellow litigators Mark Sachs and Lisa Hillary bring in-depth expertise in trade finance disputes. Clients routinely report a ‘steadfast dedication to providing customised, innovative solutions tailored to the specific needs of clients’.

At Squire Patton Boggs ‘the depth of knowledge and attention to detail are unmatched’. Geraldine Butac is a key adviser to banks, specialist financial institutions and corporates on trade and commodity finance. The firm’s trade finance team sits within its global commodities and shipping practice and remains committed to developing its market presence. The latest move on this front is the hire in 2025 of experienced partners Philip Prowse and Jameel Tarmohamed from Stephenson Harwood. Prowse has in-depth knowledge of the financing of international energy supplies, as well as hard and soft commodities. His work encompasses finance, security and documentation for global supply chain contracts. Clients remark that ‘the team demonstrates a genuine commitment to client service’.

Addleshaw Goddard‘s practice head Mike Davison is frequently instructed by overseas banks and corporations to handle the UK aspects of international trade finance deals. He counts Banco Santander among his key clients, and recently assisted the bank with setting up a global inventory facility to support the development of a new automotive project, using his expertise in the dealer stocking space. James Tarleton is another highly regarded trade finance and ABL specialist, and his work on structured transactions for national and international clients includes acting for Naked Wines Plc in securing a revolving credit and security agreement that involved detailed covenants and an extensive due diligence process. In the junior ranks, Batsho Nthoi is also highly regarded.

The commodities and trade finance group at gunnercooke LLP is known for its ‘strong customer focus and deep technical expertise’. Key partner Veronika Koroleva joined Hill Dickinson LLP in 2025, but the firm retains significant expertise in the form of Marc Weisberger, who has extensive experience in both physical and derivative markets, alongside Matthew Harvey, who acts for both lenders and borrowers in asset finance, receivables finance and securitisation deals. Banking and finance partner Stephan Smoktunowicz frequently advises financiers, borrowers, sponsors, guarantors and security providers on trade and working capital finance transactions. The firm also has a highly regarded blockchain and crypto practice that is at the forefront of decentralised commodities trading platform initiatives.

Hill Dickinson LLP blends deep expertise in commodities with a strong banking and finance practice. Mark Aspinall is an energy market veteran who specialises in midstream and downstream oil sector deals and associated transactional finance structures for producers and offtakers- particularly in emerging and niche markets. He is ably supported by Olga Newman, who has in-depth knowledge of the commodities markets from the perspective of both lender and borrowers. The firm also handles trade finance litigation, and Aspinall’s work for Rasmala Trade Finance Fund in a claim over alleged fraud arising out of Murabaha financing facilities is a prime example of its skill set. The arrival of vastly experienced trade finance specialist Veronika Koroleva in June 2025 is a significant boost to the firm’s capability on the financing side.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP is a key adviser to banks, trading houses and independent companies active in the commodities sector. Sumeet Mahlotra in Singapore and London-based Philip Beswick lead the commodities and international trade practice, which draws upon significant financing expertise in the projects group. For example, Joe Levin, co-head of the global oil and gas practice, leads on upstream finance matters, while projects partner Paul Simpson also handles high-value transactions in the natural resources, power, infrastructure and energy sectors. Beswick and Levin recently assisted Kommunalkredit Austria with a new five-year €25m secured facility to fund the repayment of a reserves-based lending facility.