Simon is an experienced banking and finance (particularly asset and project finance) lawyer with significant expertise in the aviation, marine and shipping sectors gained while working in the UK, Europe and Asia. During his career, he has advised on a wide range of transportation projects for sponsors, financiers, charterers, regulators and other stakeholders at all stages of the commercial and operative life of the asset/project.
Specifically Simon is able to advise on the initial procurement process, ongoing facility/project management, operational, compliance and reporting issues, re-financings and re-structurings, default and enforcement processes. Most recently he has advised on a variety of non-traditional asset finance models along with European vessel arrests and restructuring arrangements.
Simon also has international and domestic expertise in the other transport sectors including rail and aviation, advising financial institutions and other parties on a wide range of financial transactions.
In addition to being qualified in England & Wales, Simon is also a solicitor and notary public in Scotland. He is also qualified to practise and advise on Kiribati law and also authorised to provide legal advice on Tuvalu law.
Simon offered insightful, extremely well considered and professional advice which enabled us conclude the contracts with excellent terms. The support and often innovative lateral thinking of Simon got us the result we needed and we would wholeheartedly recommend him to any other party needing legal advice.
David Newhouse
CEO, CFS Aeroproducts Ltd
Expertise
- Asset finance
- Banking
- Project finance
- Structured finance
- Trade finance
Experience
- Acting as sole legal advisor to a major UK retail bank vision with a running loan book of over GBP 500 million
- Acting for major Korean shipbuilders in innovative subordinated builder credit post-delivery finance arrangements
- Advising sole lender on the initial fleet procurement and operation of the first new high-speed passenger ferry link between Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR in over thirty years
- Acting for International Marine Engineering Services provider in its European and Middle Eastern operations
- Acting for a UK private bank advising in relation to its distressed superyacht portfolio
- Acting for a large UK marine pension fund with its vessel secured restructuring and periodic security reviews
- Advising a major US cruise line operator in its negotiation of a sister ship new build contract with a major Italian yard
- Reviewing, amending and implementing revisions to a major Middle Eastern carbon fuel producer’s stand terms and conditions (FOB/CNF/CIF/Ex-Ship)
- Advised on the setting up and structuring of a new unique cross border jet procurement, ownership and chartering business model.
- Acted for CFS Aeroproducts on its relationship with Babcock International and Air USA, Inc. regarding the provision of a fleet of Hawk MK67 advanced training aircraft for use within the UK MoD training programme.
- Sole UK advisor for the lender in relation to its UK security for a new client credit line.
- Sole UK advisor for the lessee in its acquisition of a Swiss made commercial aircraft simulator for EU export.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 2022 for Aviation
Recognised by The Legal 500 2022 for Travel: Regulatory and Commercial
Recognised by The Legal 500 2021 for Shipping and Aviation
Recommended by the Legal 500 2018 for Aviation
“In-depth experience” Legal 500 2018
Member of the British Marine Federation
Liveryman at the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
Mentor London School of Economics Hong Kong Association Entrepreneurial competition 2014
Career
Simon qualified as a solicitor in 1998. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2015, he worked at the following firms:
- Clifford Chance
- Norton Rose
- Mayer Brown JSM
- Linklaters