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Commodities

Navigating complex commodities markets

In a complex and challenging commodities landscape, we help clients navigate regulatory, financial and trading risks, seize opportunities and drive sustainable growth, all while managing market volatility and geopolitical tension. Our specialist commodities lawyers will work with you to finance, develop, protect and grow your business.

Our commodities team is top ranked by the legal directories with multiple lawyers named as leaders in their field. Immersed in the commodities markets for decades, we bring practical and commercial insights to our clients’ objectives, whether they are a trader, producer, financial institution, investor, government or other industry participant.

We understand local and global markets, contracts, and compliance priorities, as well as how these overlap. Our team covers expertise across all commodities, from energy, metals and agricultural commodities, as well as physical and derivatives trading, structured trade and commodity finance, and supply chain and sanctions compliance.

We operate across the globe, with offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
Stephen Thompson
Partner, Head of Commodities
Adam Topping
Partner

Related experience

Global shipping joint venture for mining company
Advising a leading global steel and mining company, on its strategic joint venture with a dry bulk shipping company.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Joint Ventures
Georges Racine
Sustainability-linked coffee facility refinancing in Latin America
Advised on refinancing of a sustainability-linked facility for coffee trading, involving 10-bank syndicate, multi-jurisdictional security over assets in Brazil and Colombia, with ESG-linked margin incentives and award-winning legacy structure.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Copper trade finance facility with international bank
Advised a global commodities firm on a US$175m bilateral trade finance facility with a major international bank for the financing of copper concentrates under a structured commodity finance arrangement.
England
Finance Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Global structured trade finance advisory across 35 jurisdictions
Advised a global commodities firm on over 75 structured trade finance transactions across 35 jurisdictions, including receivables discounting, FX arbitrage, credit insurance, Islamic structures, and enforceability and insolvency analysis.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Trade & Commodity Finance
Jason Marett
Global shipping joint venture for mining company
Advising a leading global steel and mining company, on its strategic joint venture with a dry bulk shipping company.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Joint Ventures
Georges Racine
Sustainability-linked coffee facility refinancing in Latin America
Advised on refinancing of a sustainability-linked facility for coffee trading, involving 10-bank syndicate, multi-jurisdictional security over assets in Brazil and Colombia, with ESG-linked margin incentives and award-winning legacy structure.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Global shipping joint venture for mining company
Advising a leading global steel and mining company, on its strategic joint venture with a dry bulk shipping company.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Joint Ventures
Georges Racine
ECA-backed syndicated facility for energy export financing
Advised on refinancing of an oversubscribed ECA-backed syndicated facility supporting energy exports, involving Islamic and conventional tranches, multi-jurisdictional counsel, and coordination with regional and international lenders.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Export Finance Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Copper offtake agreement with prepayment in the DRC
Advised a global commodities firm on a US$2b copper offtake agreement in the DRC, incorporating a US$200m prepayment to support production and secure long-term supply.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Global shipping joint venture for mining company
Advising a leading global steel and mining company, on its strategic joint venture with a dry bulk shipping company.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Joint Ventures
Georges Racine
Sustainability-linked coffee facility refinancing in Latin America
Advised on refinancing of a sustainability-linked facility for coffee trading, involving 10-bank syndicate, multi-jurisdictional security over assets in Brazil and Colombia, with ESG-linked margin incentives and award-winning legacy structure.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
Copper trade finance facility with international bank
Advised a global commodities firm on a US$175m bilateral trade finance facility with a major international bank for the financing of copper concentrates under a structured commodity finance arrangement.
England
Finance Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin
ECA-backed syndicated facility for energy export financing
Advised on refinancing of an oversubscribed ECA-backed syndicated facility supporting energy exports, involving Islamic and conventional tranches, multi-jurisdictional counsel, and coordination with regional and international lenders.
Multiple Jurisdictions
Export Finance Trade & Commodity Finance
Olivier Bazin

Market recognition

Band 1: Dispute Resolution: Commodities Disputes

Legal 500 London 2026

Band 1: Commodities: Physicals

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2026

Band 3: Commodities: Trade Finance

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2026

Band 3: Commodities: Derivatives & Energy Trading

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2026

What the market says

The HFW team provides in-depth knowledge of the laws, a client-oriented approach and high-level legal support.

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2026 – Commodities: Derivatives & Energy Trading

HFW provides top-level transactional and dispute advisory in one easy-to-use package for physical commodities legal work.

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2026 – Commodities: Physicals

They have a well-built and diverse team that is able to step up and handle difficult issues and interrelate with other areas of the firm.

Chambers & Partners UK-wide 2025 – Commodities: Derivatives & Energy Trading

Other sectors