Practice Areas

Members of South Square have advised and represented a full range of organisations in this sector including airports, airlines, owners, manufacturers and investors; across a number of legal disciplines such as insolvency and restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, funding and operating leases. We understand all aspects of this complex and highly regulated industry and we have worked on many of the most high profile cases including Monarch Airlines, XL, Silverjet, Swissair and Olympic Airlines.

The energy sector continues to face many challenges; economic, operational, a changing regulatory regime and increasing environmental concerns. Our members have considerable experience in this sector advising at key points during the lifecycle of the asset. Our expertise is in the extraction industries, in particular oil and gas and mining, where we have worked on numerous complex cross border insolvency and restructurings, disputes and civil fraud cases. We have experience at all levels, including QCs, Senior Juniors and Junior Juniors allowing us to provide the broadest possible range of advice and support to our clients.

Article / The Cayman Islands as a restructuring centre: Ocean Rig opens the door

Our members have worked on many of the most complex and demanding engineering and infrastructure cases in the UK, from Network Rail to Eurotunnel, Metronet to Carillion.  With expertise in capital raising, procurement, company guarantees, construction contracts and collateral warranties we can advise on any disputes which may arise and provide support in mediation, arbitration or litigation.  We work with public authorities, contractors, builders, owners, investors and project managers and our expertise and experience covers the entire construction and real estate lifecycle. Most recently, members worked on the restructuring of Ocean Rig, an international offshore drilling contractor which owns and operates ultra-deep water drilling units.

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Navigating the legislative and regulatory environment is essential in all industry sectors.  Our members have worked on some of the most high profile government and regulatory disputes, advising a wide range of clients from corporates to investors, shareholders to contractors, governments to trade groups and industry associations.  We help them to understand, respond to, or shape legislation and decision making.  We have extensive experience across many sectors including banking and finance, retail, aviation and infrastructure. A number of members been appointed to the Attorney General’s Panels of Counsel.  We also regularly advise House of Commons Select Committees, most recently the Work and Pensions Committee joint inquiry looking at the management and governance of Carillion.

The financial sector continues to face considerable challenges on many fronts, from the shifting political and regulatory landscape to the exacting economic conditions; and from geo political changes such as Brexit, to rapid development in financial technologies.  Our Barristers have considerable experience of working in these demanding conditions having acted on many of the most high profile banking and finance cases to date.  Our areas of expertise include ISDA / GMRA / LMA agreements, valuation disputes, miss-selling, regulatory work, securitisation and structured finance.

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Members of Chambers have extensive experience of insurance and re-insurance, including the construction of policy documentation and the domestic and European regulatory regimes. Members have acted both for and against regulators in the UK and offshore jurisdictions, in cases involving the duties of directors of insurers and insurance intermediaries.  Experience has also included cases under the Third Parties (rights against insurers) Act and the application of Solvency II.  Over the years members have been extensively involved in advising on, and appearing in court cases to determine legal questions arising in, the insolvency and restructuring of insurance companies, Lloyds of London, insurance and re-insurance pools, in the UK and other jurisdictions.  Members have also been involved in numerous insurance business transfer schemes under Part VII of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Companies across the industrial and manufacturing sector face many similar challenges from regulation, increasing competition, rising costs, shrinking margins and the increasing demands of customers and clients.  Our members have significant experience across this diverse sector and have been instructed to act for a wide range of manufacturing companies domiciled around the world, from automotive to chemicals, steel producers to mobile phone makers; and from ship builders to packaging manufacturers.

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Members of South Square have advised and represented a broad range of professional service clients in commercial litigation, insolvency and restructuring, civil fraud and company law matters, often involving directors and managers. Our clients have included accountancy and law firms, management consultancies, architects, engineers, surveyors and financial institutions. We are regularly instructed on complex, cross border cases, and we are experienced in working on sensitive and high profile issues.

We advise local government, companies, private clients, investors, contractors and owners on a full range of real estate related transactions; from finance to securitisation, equity to investment, and fund formation to regulation. Our members have considerable experience in the sector, and have worked on a broad range of projects, from large scale developments such as Olympia and York to much smaller endeavours.  We are the preeminent Chambers for CVA’s and have acted for many well-known brands, most recently for Toys R Us, JJB Sports and Blacks.  We can advise on any disputes which may arise and provide support in mediation, arbitration or litigation.

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Our experience in the retail and consumer goods sector is second to none.  Members have worked with many major global brands on a wide range of issues including dispute resolution, contract law, competition, pensions, litigation, CVA’s, restructuring and insolvency.  Our clients have included food and drink producers, restaurant groups, electrical manufacturers, and clothing retailers and we have worked on cases involving many of the UK’s leading brands including BHS, House Fraser, Toys R Us and JJB Sports.

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Article / Salford or the BVI: is there a dispute?

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Challenging global economic conditions, since 2008, have put significant pressure on many shipping companies. South Square’s members have worked in this sector for many years, in recent times primarily on restructuring and insolvency cases, however we have also been instructed on cases involving financing of assets, leasing, mergers and acquisitions.

Our members advise leading sporting organisations and high profile individuals on a broad range of issues such as disciplinary matters, contractual arrangements between players and clubs, fraud and insolvency.

Organisations: We have represented high profile managers, associations, clubs and teams through the most demanding and challenging situations they are likely to face.   We have advised a  number of football clubs and other sporting entities which have become insolvent, including most recently, representing Rangers FC in its fraud claim arising out of the takeover by Craig Whyte.

Individuals: We also represent high profile sportsmen and women.  We understand the pressures and challenges they face, be it from the glare of the media, their every step observed on and off the field; or the scrutiny of adoring fans, promotors, marketers, law makers and regulators.  We have significant experience of working with their teams and managers and can provide immediate on call assistance at critical moments.

Our members support a broad range of clients in the tech and communications sector, from start-up fintech firms to multinational software developers, and from mobile phone operators to hardware suppliers.  We have considerable expertise having worked with corporates, shareholders and investors, providing strategic advice on issues such as regulation, contracts, outsourcing and tech developments including artificial intelligence, blockchain and crypto currencies.

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