Andrew Meads

Practice Areas

Andrew is an experienced physical commodities lawyer who has advised and represented clients in disputes and transactions for more than 25 years across a wide range of commodities and in related fields.

With deep experience in international trade, Andrew has a broad range of clients - from the largest multinational producers, traders, miners, and oil majors, through to banks and specialist trading concerns.

Andrew is a seasoned practitioner who advises and represents clients in relation to commodity contracts, disputes, and letters of credit. He possesses extensive experience in transactional matters, as well as arbitration before major trade associations and international arbitral bodies such as the LCIA and ICC. Andrew is equally adept at High Court litigation, having appeared before the appellate courts on many occasions.

Clients praise Andrew for his practical and pragmatic approach and for his commercial acumen, often leading to early dispute resolution, reduced expense or an optimised position where a dispute cannot be avoided. Andrew is a recognized leader in his field; he regularly receives accolades from his clients and his peers. He is recognized in the UK Best Lawyers List for commodities, and has for many years featured in the independent legal directories as a leading practitioner.

Professional Memberships

Member of the Law Society.

Clients

Andrew specialises in advising and representing clients in connection with the international sale of commodities; he represents clients in disputes arising from sale contracts, finance documents and security, letters of credit, and other agreements related to physical commodities. Andrew is also experienced in the negotiation and drafting of long-term and shorter-form sale and purchase contracts and provides support to the firm’s trade finance capability where his knowledge or litigation experience is an asset.

Education

Work Highlights

Representing a major metals and oil trader in the enforcement of its security as lender under a prepayment finance agreement. The matter involved cross-border aspects and six arbitrations before the LCIA and the PCA.

Acting for a mining major in the long term management of a contract that was the subject of a very high value dispute; co-counselling with another firm to assist with the management and presentation of the client’s case in arbitration.

Representing one of several defendants to a high value fraud claim related to metals in Asia, reported up to Court of Appeal level.

Representing a soft commodities trader in defending a claim related to the placement of illegal narcotics in shipping containers loaded at origin.

Advising a major bank in setting up its template documents for trading in coffee and cocoa.

Representing a trading house in 14 arbitrations under contracts for the sale and purchase of coffee.

Advising an agri-major on the terms of long term contracts for the sale of sugar and wheat with financing terms.

Representing a large agricultural commodities trader in a seminal decision concerning breach of contract and the measure of damages, which was ultimately reported in the Supreme Court.

Representing a sugar trader in claims resulting from defaults, with a value exceeding USD20 million.

Successfully defending quality claims made against a major oil trader following a well-documented quality issue at a particular port.

Languages Spoken

English = Fluent

German = Basic