Jonathan Spearing

Marine and International Trade

Jonathan is an energy and natural resources lawyer, specialising in all aspects of the supply, carriage, storage and financing of commodities.

He advises mining groups, oil companies, trading houses, banks, energy utilities, industrial consumers and shipping clients on their international contracts and disputes.

Jonathan handles a wide range of commercial disputes but has particular expertise in matters relating to the sale of goods, trade and asset finance, storage and warehousing contracts, contracts of affreightment, charterparties and bills of lading.

He was the lead associate on the team that acted for Mercuria in their successful defence of a headline-making US$270 million claim, relating to “repo” deals affected by a major metals warehousing fraud in China.

He also has extensive experience of contentious ship finance matters, having worked on some of the most significant cases of recent years including the Omega Navigation Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

On the non-contentious side, Jonathan’s practice includes advising on and drafting off-take, supply and master trading agreements, inventory financing agreements, pre-payment financing structures, warehousing and storage agreements, contracts of affreightment and charterparties.