USA & Canada
HFW providing legal advice in the USA & Canada
We regularly advise American and Canadian clients who conduct business internationally, as well as international clients who are conducting business in the USA and Canada. Our recognised sector focus, in addition to our in-depth understanding of the business environment enables us to add value in matters relating to both transactions and disputes.
On 3 January 2017, HFW merged with leading US energy and marine firm Legge, Farrow, Kimmitt, McGrath & Brown LLP, based in Houston, Texas. The merger brings HFW closer to our clients in the region, giving us a physical presence in the US for the first time. It also creates opportunities for the firm to expand our client base and develop business elsewhere in the US and throughout the Americas.
What we do in the USA & Canada
We are able to provide our clients with in-depth sector knowledge, whether that relates to transactions, regulation or disputes work. We provide a unique blend of local market insight, industry expertise and commercial pragmatism. In addition to having lawyers who are qualified in the USA or Canada, when required we work with local counsel in order to provide our clients with an integrated service regardless of their legal requirements.
We can help with:
- Energy
- Shipping, including admiralty and casualty litigation
- Transactional and commercial work
- Dispute resolution, including international arbitration
- Environmental issues
- Commodities
- Insurance and reinsurance
- Construction disputes
- Aviation
- Regulation and administrative law
- Personal injury and product liability
Our experience in the USA & Canada
Our experience in advising clients involved in business in the USA and Canada extends across our core sectors of focus.
Some examples of our work in the USA & Canada include:
- Acted for a US-based global investment bank as arranger of a US$87 million secured mezzanine loan raised through the high yield market to assist in financing the purchase of a sixth generation drillship constructed in Korea.
- Represented National Airlines Council of Canada and IATA in proceedings in the European Court of Justice, and advising major international carriers and new entrants, in relation to the extension of the EU emissions trading system to aviation.
- Acted for a substantial US corporation in setting up a US$400 million joint venture with a major European shipowner to own and manage vessels, including advice in relation to the respective joint venture agreement, management agreements, sale and purchase of those ships and the accompanying debt financing.
- Advising an excess layer insurer of a major international broker in respect of that broker’s claims totalling over $100 million arising out of a settlement agreement with US Regulators.
- Advising Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company, a property-casualty mutual insurance company, incorporated and headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in relation to the proposed reorganisation and reduction of capital of AIM-traded Tawa Plc and demerger of its risk carrier business.
- Representing a major energy operator in a commercial arbitration against an international engineering contractor concerning a construction defect in a deepwater tension leg platform in the Gulf of Mexico that was discovered two weeks before scheduled first oil.
- Advising a major US based cruise ship owner and operator in relation to amending and drafting cruise and air package contracts for their fleet worldwide, including "stress testing" their contracts for compliance with EU regulations.
- Advising a Norwegian company in the offshore services sector on the acquisition of a Texan company providing engineering manpower to companies in the sector.
- Assisted major energy operator with drafting agreements related to domestic LNG vessel discharge facility in Texas.
