International Trade & Commodities
Legal support for cross-border trading and commodity risk
International trade and commodities markets move quickly and across borders. Prices fluctuate, performance windows are tight, and relationships are governed by specialist contracts and arbitral rules. A single missed laycan, quality dispute or documentary discrepancy can rapidly turn into a multi-jurisdiction problem involving traders, banks, shippers and insurers.
We act for global traders, commodities houses, financiers, brokers, producers, distributors, shipping interests and arbitral participants involved in the international sale of goods, commodities trading, logistics chains and trade finance.
Our team combines familiarity with GAFTA, FOSFA, LME and institutional rules with experience in English court proceedings and cross-border enforcement. We focus on delivering clear, practical strategies that protect trading positions, manage margin and credit risk, and support continued access to markets.
Our expertise in international trade and commodities
Commodity sale contracts and specialist arbitrations (GAFTA, FOSFA, LME)
Commodities contracts are highly standardised yet commercially sophisticated. Disputes often turn on fine points of drafting, market practice and timing. We advise traders, producers, brokers and other market participants on contracts governed by GAFTA, FOSFA, LME and bespoke commodity-sale terms. We handle matters involving:
- Quality, specification and contamination disputes
- Late shipment, non-shipment and missed laycans
- Rejection, non-conformity, condition/warranty issues and remedies
- Price variations, washouts, close-out provisions and market-movement risk
- Default notices, termination, anticipatory breach and repudiation
- Transit-related issues, demurrage and freight-linked disputes
We prepare and conduct arbitrations under GAFTA and FOSFA rules (and other trade bodies), manage technical and market expert evidence, and advise on settlement options, security for claims and the consequences of default awards.
Letters of credit and trade finance disputes
Documentary credits and other trade-finance instruments sit at the heart of many cross-border trades. When tenders are rejected or payment is withheld, counterparties need rapid, technically accurate advice grounded in UCP and market practice.
We act for banks, trading houses, finance providers and corporates on disputes involving:
- Letter of Credit compliance and treatment of documentary discrepancies
- Refusal of documents, non-payment and reimbursement disputes
- Liability of issuing and confirming banks, and risk allocation across the finance chain
- Fraudulent documents, forged bills of lading and illegitimate tenders
- Enforcement of security, indemnity and reimbursement rights
- Disputes involving demand guarantees, standby credits and related instruments
We help clients navigate the strict rules governing documentary compliance while recognising the commercial realities and time pressures inherent in international trade.
Cross-border enforcement of judgments and awards
Securing an arbitral award or judgment is often only the first step. Effective recovery usually requires coordinated action across multiple jurisdictions, sometimes against assets held through complex structures.
We assist traders, financial institutions and other award creditors with:
- Recognition and enforcement of GAFTA, FOSFA, LME, ICC, LCIA and ad hoc arbitration awards
- Court applications under the Arbitration Act 1996 and the New York Convention
- Enforcement in England of foreign court judgments
- Anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunctions to protect arbitration agreements and existing awards
- Cross-border asset tracing, freezing and preservation orders
- Coordinated enforcement strategies with foreign counsel in key trading and asset-holding jurisdictions
Our focus is on converting paper rights into realised value, using both domestic enforcement tools and international recognition regimes.
How we work with international trade and commodities clients
- Market-aware: We understand how trading desks, risk committees and operations teams work, and how legal decisions impact pricing, hedging and credit.
- Arbitration-led: We have experience in GAFTA, FOSFA, LME and institutional arbitrations, as well as related court applications.
- Cross-border focus: We are used to coordinating with foreign counsel, investigators and enforcement professionals across multiple jurisdictions.
- Clear and pragmatic: We provide concise advice, realistic scenario analysis and practical recommendations that can be implemented under time pressure.
Contact us
If you are facing a commodities or trade dispute, dealing with a trade-finance problem or seeking to enforce a judgment or arbitral award, we can assist.
Discuss a live GAFTA, FOSFA, LME or trade-finance issue
Arrange a review of your standard commodity sale terms, trade-finance documentation or enforcement options
Request our latest international trade and commodities briefings and resources