Stephenson Harwood

At Stephenson Harwood, ‘the team consists of excellent lawyers who are thoroughly versed in and dedicated to the commodities sector’. Historically, the firm has been a leading player in the energy, metals and minerals sectors, acting for trading houses, oil majors and refiners, and mining companies. Over the last four years, the firm has expanded its presence in disputes concerning soft commodities, having built up a strong client base among traders, producers and food companies. ‘Wily’ practice head Haris Zografakis oversees a strong bench of talent that handles contentious matters arising from physical commodities trades, commodity financings, and sanctions. Emma Skakle, who is ‘particularly skilled at dealing with commodities tribunals that often have their own idiosyncrasies’, and the ‘unflappable’ Jonathan Spearing are considered experts in GAFTA arbitrations, though Skakle also handles disputes in many other fora, including High Court litigation. Peter Bennett, who is ‘good at the coalface’, is another standout practitioner in energy and trading disputes.