Watson Farley & Williams
Client SatisfactionActing for blue-chip financial institutions, including international banks, insurance companies, and investment funds, Watson Farley & Williams is praised by clients for its ‘experience’ and ’invaluable advice’, standing out for its shipping finance and complex sale and leaseback transactions focus. Christoforos Bisbikos and Madeline Leong co-lead the outfit, with the former regularly overseeing projects in the maritime space, while the latter is an expert in the transportation, energy, and natural resources sectors. Marcus Gordon concentrates on dispute resolution claims in shipping, and Valerie Lee is also a key figure wtihin the team.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team is one of if not the most experienced team in the region, with senior partners capable of leading deals teams for all shipfinance solutions. In addition, the restructuring team have provided invaluable advice in shipping arrest/corporate restructuring transactions.’
‘Madeline Leong, Christoforos Bisbikos, Valerie Lee, and Dora Ying are partners who have provided excellent service in financing deals with quick turnaround time no matter the time zone.’
Key clients
- Huayang Maritime Center
- Seacon
- CIB Leasing
- BOC Leasing
- ICBC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- China Merchants Commerce Financial Leasing Co., Ltd
- CMB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- CCB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- CITIC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- Pacific Basin
- Jiangsu Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- SPDB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping Company Limited
- BNP Paribas, Hong Kong
- CACIB, Hong Kong
- Bocomm Leasing
- Evergreen Group
- Wah Kwong Group
- Guangzhou Shipping Exchange
- CZB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd
- Minsheng Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
- Huaxia Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised Jiangsu Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. on a sale and chartering of eight chemical/oil products tankers and two general cargo vessels owned by Yildirim Group, a conglomerate based in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Advised Hong Kong listed dry bulk shipping company Pacific Basin Shipping Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, PB Vessels Holding Ltd a on a US$150m three-year unsecured revolving credit facility extended by a syndicate of international banks led by BNP Paribas and Citigroup Global Markets.
- Advised China Merchants Commerce Financial Leasing Ltd on the novation of the bareboat charter of the rig named Sea Lion 7 rig from Snamprogetti Saudi Arabia Ltd to Saudi Arabian Saipem and the negotiation of the underlying security package.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Madeline Leong, Christoforos Bisbikos