Gregg Johnston > Stephenson Harwood LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile

‘A truly full service firm for shipping clients’, Stephenson Harwood LLP showcases unrivalled experience in the gamut of contentious and non-contentious mandates, encompassing advisory and risk mitigation issues, cross-border shipping and offshore financings, ship sale and purchases, chartering arrangements, corporate matters, restructurings and high-stakes disputes. Key clients range from shipping and offshore companies, energy service companies, and oil and gas businesses to shipyards, insurers, sponsors, lenders, and private equity providers. An expert in international ship and offshore finance mandates, Gregg Johnston jointly leads the practice alongside Michelle Yong, who maintains a track record in high-profile restructurings, insolvencies and enforcements. Huay Yee Kwan stands out for her expertise in PRC leasing and Gregory Xu advises on financing transactions, while Jeffrey Tanner ‘is an exceptional young partner who demonstrates a keen commercial awareness’. Other key contacts in the group include Pedram Norton and Justin Gan. John Simpson left in April 2024.

Well-regarded for its ability to find ‘pragmatic solutions to difficult matters and achieving results that work for all parties’, the team at Stephenson Harwood LLP specialises in structured and aviation finance as well as shipping and offshore finance. Counting major financial institutions, banks, lessors, and lessees among its key roster of clients, the team’s expertise covers both contentious and non-contentious issues, with extensive experience in handling restructurings and refinancing, as well as lease transactions, sales, purchases, and portfolio management within the aviation sector. Co-head Gregg Johnston is involved in loan portfolio transfers related to international bank mergers and group reorganisations. Fellow co-head Saugata Mukherjee stands out for his expertise in derivatives and structured products. Huay Yee Kwan continues to assist on high-profile matters, focusing on PRC leasing, and Pedram Norton advises on all aspects of ship finance, workouts, debt structuring and financing. Other notable individuals include: Jeffrey Tanner, who is noted for his strong sector focus on maritime and offshore energy; Gregory Xu, who is recommended for his experience advising on complex financing; and Clement Leung, who regularly advises on the hedging aspects of aviation finance transactions.

The team at Stephenson Harwood LLP is well-versed in debt restructuring and refinancing, debt for equity swaps, judicial management, and insolvencies, standing out for its expertise in the transportation and offshore sector. The team is spearheaded by Gregg Johnston, who specialises in shipping and offshore financing, including secured and unsecured lending, syndicated and bilateral loans, limited recourse, sale and leaseback structures, and tax-driven structured financings. Elsewhere in the team, Huay Yee Kwan stands out for her focus on PRC matters, while Michelle Yong continues to work on high-profile and complex shipping, oil & gas and international trade disputes.

Stephenson Harwood LLP’s project team provides project support across different project stages, including strategy and planning, procurement and bidding, project financing, and construction. Gregg Johnston is recognised for his expertise in international shipping and offshore finance mandates. Gregory Xu specialises in financing that requires structuring/re-structuring in the maritime industry, while Chris Bailey focuses all forms of alternative dispute resolution, representing clients in a wide variety of disputes across the energy, resource, transport, and infrastructure sectors.