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.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Very knowledgeable, practical and results orientated.'
- 'Marian Boyle - hugely experienced and with a refreshing lack of waffle. Cuts straight through to the real issues.'
- 'Sullivan & Worcester's niche export finance and trade finance practice is unique given their track record and partners' prolific experience in the export finance sector. The number of years of experience translates into valuable insights and legal advice ranging from plain vanilla to more structured export finance transactions. The significant advantage this law firm has over any other law firm in the City is that you get to work directly with the partners, whereas typical law firms would allocate junior talent to be the "front" legal adviser, which often does not give you as a client the service you deserve and more importantly that you pay for.'
- 'Mark Norris and Daniela Barrdear are outstanding, they make a very experienced and knowledgeable tandem. I find they stand out in their service provision, they really give you tailor-made legal advice truly caring about your needs as a customer and give you world class advice in a very niche business area- export finance that is. I value their transparency and their honesty and their business advice quality.'
Key clients
- Lloyds Bank
- Citibank
- Deutsche Bank
- Crown Agents Bank
- J.P. Morgan
- Santander
- Rabobank
- International Trade and Forfaiting Association (ITFA)
- The Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT)
- Africa Global Trade Finance (AGTF)
- Standard Bank
- UK Export Finance (UKEF)
- The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
- Nedbank CIB
- Contracta UK
- Iroko Securities Limited
- Muse Finance
- Arqit Limited
- Limak Construction
- Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd, London Branch (UMTB)
Work highlights
Advised financial technology company Muse Finance on aspects of its documentation which has led to the launch of musePay, its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) product that integrates with global small business platform, Xero, and Allianz Trade, the global leader in trade credit insurance.
Advising leading trade body The Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT) on changes and updates to the Master Trade Loan Agreement (MTLA) which provides guidance on the contractual framework governing trade loan transactions between financial institutions all around the world.
Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in relation to two innovative supply chain finance (SCF) transactions.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
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Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Geoffrey Wynne; Simon Cook; Mark Norris
Other key lawyers
Marian Boyle; Daniella Barrdear; Robert Parson