Squire Patton Boggs continued the expansion of its commodities and shipping capabilities with the addition of partner Kate Sherrard into its Financial Services Practice. She joins the firm from Clifford Chance where she was Head of the Asia Pacific Maritime and Offshore Group and is accompanied by senior associate Bernice Chia.
“When we launched our commodities and shipping group last year we set our sights on creating one of the premier practices in the market,” said Steve Mahon, global managing partner – clients and strategy. “The team has gotten off to a fast start and Kate is another talented addition who will continue our growth in this area and complement other aspects of our global practice.”
Ms. Sherrard specialises in the financing of maritime and offshore oil and gas assets. She represents corporates, leasing companies, banks and financial investors on matters across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas and is ranked by Chambers Global as a leader in International Shipping Finance.
Ms. Sherrard has advised on a wide range of structured financing transactions across the maritime and offshore oil & gas sectors with a focus on LNG carriers and offshore oil and gas units. Her experience includes asset and project financing transactions, including debt, structured, export credit agency, sale and leaseback, private equity, Islamic, loan to bond, and preference shares financing matters.
In addition to financing arrangements, she also advises lenders and owners on shipbuilding contracts, time charters, bareboat charters, sale and purchase contracts and other project contracts. She also has substantial experience with restructurings, workouts and company reorganizations.
“Kate is a versatile practitioner with a sophisticated global practice who is among the leading finance lawyers in Singapore in the shipping and offshore oil and gas space,” said Barry Stimpson, Singapore office co-managing partner. “Our practice has taken great strides in a short period of time and after having known and worked on transactions with Kate through the years, I am delighted to now call her a colleague.”
Commenting on her move, Ms. Sherrard said, “Squire Patton Boggs’ global reach, extensive global finance practice, as well as its commitment to growing a market leading commodities and shipping practice in addition to an established energy practice makes the firm an ideal place to serve the diverse needs of clients. After almost twenty years in the industry, I have developed a huge enthusiasm for what my clients are achieving: in particular, to adapt, expand and diversify in response to market trends and challenges. I’m very excited to be joining the firm where we can provide a full legal service to clients and where I will have the opportunity to grow the maritime practice, with the support of industry specialists.”
“We are delighted to have Kate join the team. Working alongside Jessica Kenworthy, who specializes in structured commodity finance and the wider finance team across Asia-Pacific, we expect continued success and growth in the months to come,” said Jim Barresi, head of the firm’s global Financial Services Practice.
Squire Patton Boggs launched its Commodities and Shipping Group in November 2019 with a team hire from Reed Smith, augmenting its venerable maritime and logistics practices. In June, the firm brought on a six-lawyer commercial disputes team spanning London and Singapore and a corporate team focusing on commodities assets from Holman Fenwick Willan and later added a Perth-based Corporate partner and team from the same firm.
The global team provides a full range of legal services on all aspects of international trade and shipping and across all commodity sectors, including advice and assistance with transactions, corporate matters, trade finance, litigation and arbitration, regulatory matters, environmental law, renewable energy, derivatives and projects.