Simon J Murfitt 麥富德

Expertise Simon Advises Experience Highlights Career History Testimonials

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Banking & Asset Finance

+44 (0) 7496 851 096 +44 (0) 2070 962 180

Expertise

Simon is an experienced international banking & finance (particularly asset and project finance) lawyer with significant expertise in the aviation, marine and shipping sectors gained while working in the UK, North America, 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 restructuring and alternative finance models.

Simon also has international and domestic expertise in the other transport sectors including aviation, rail and shipping, advising financial institutions and other parties on a wide range of situations and transactions.

In addition to being qualified in England & Wales, Simon is also a solicitor and notary public in Scotland and also qualified to practise and advise on the laws of both the Republics of Kiribati and Tuvalu law.

Simon Advises

  • Corporate and Individual Borrowers and other Sponsors
  • Traditional and alternative financiers
  • Airlines, Ship Owners, and Charterers
  • Key Aviation and Marine industry service providers
  • National and International Aviation and Marine Regulatory Authorities, both governmental and NGOs
  • Insurers
  • High Net Worth Individuals

Experience Highlights

Acting for:

  • a major Channel Islands commercial airline in all its fleet management requirements;
  • a UK Air Ambulance Charity Trust in both their existing service contracts and fleet management matters;
  • as sole legal advisor to a major UK retail bank vision with a running loan book of over GBP 500 million in its LIBOR/SONIA reference interest rate repapering exercise;
  • International Marine Engineering Services provider in its European and Middle Eastern operations;
  • a major London based UK private merchant bank advising in relation to its distressed superyacht portfolio;
  • a large UK marine pension fund with its vessel secured restructuring and periodic security reviews;
  • a major UK based aviation engine maintenance provider in all its non-contentious matters including but not limited to national and international JV, PBAs and CAA/FAA engine licence types transferals and regarding the provision of a fleet of Hawk MK67 advanced training aircraft for use within the UK MoD training programme;
  • a major Korean shipbuilder in their innovative subordinated builder credit post-delivery finance arrangements.

Advising:

  • a 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;
  • a major US cruise line operator in its negotiation of a sister ship new build contract with a major Italian yard;
  • on the review, amendment and implementation of a major Middle Eastern carbon fuel producer’s stand terms and conditions (FOB/CNF/CIF/Ex-Ship);
  • on the setting up and structuring of a new unique cross border jet procurement, ownership and chartering business model;
  • Sole UK advisor for the lender in relation to its UK security for a new client credit line; and
  • Sole UK advisor for the lessee in its acquisition of a Swiss made commercial aircraft simulator for EU export.

Career History

Previous Law Firms

  • Clifford Chance
  • Norton Rose
  • Mayer Brown JSM (then JSM)
  • Linklaters
  • Tods Murray WS

Memberships

  • The Law Society of Scotland, Law Society of England & Wales, Law Society of Hong Kong
  • Liveryman Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
  • North Hants Magistrates Bench (Adult Criminal)
  • British Marine Federation; and
  • London School of Economics Hong Kong Association Entrepreneurial competition
  • Hong Kong Football Club

Education

  • Queens University at Kingston, BA(Hons)
  • University of Edinburgh, LL.B., Dip.LP.

Other

  • Simon also regularly contributes to the Super Yacht Magazine, Tradewinds, BBC News at 6, BBC Five Live, BBC Solent

Expertise

Back to top

Simon is an experienced international banking & finance (particularly asset and project finance) lawyer with significant expertise in the aviation, marine and shipping sectors gained while working in the UK, North America, 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 restructuring and alternative finance models.

Simon also has international and domestic expertise in the other transport sectors including aviation, rail and shipping, advising financial institutions and other parties on a wide range of situations and transactions.

In addition to being qualified in England & Wales, Simon is also a solicitor and notary public in Scotland and also qualified to practise and advise on the laws of both the Republics of Kiribati and Tuvalu law.

Simon Advises

Back to top
  • Corporate and Individual Borrowers and other Sponsors
  • Traditional and alternative financiers
  • Airlines, Ship Owners, and Charterers
  • Key Aviation and Marine industry service providers
  • National and International Aviation and Marine Regulatory Authorities, both governmental and NGOs
  • Insurers
  • High Net Worth Individuals

Experience Highlights

Back to top

Acting for:

  • a major Channel Islands commercial airline in all its fleet management requirements;
  • a UK Air Ambulance Charity Trust in both their existing service contracts and fleet management matters;
  • as sole legal advisor to a major UK retail bank vision with a running loan book of over GBP 500 million in its LIBOR/SONIA reference interest rate repapering exercise;
  • International Marine Engineering Services provider in its European and Middle Eastern operations;
  • a major London based UK private merchant bank advising in relation to its distressed superyacht portfolio;
  • a large UK marine pension fund with its vessel secured restructuring and periodic security reviews;
  • a major UK based aviation engine maintenance provider in all its non-contentious matters including but not limited to national and international JV, PBAs and CAA/FAA engine licence types transferals and regarding the provision of a fleet of Hawk MK67 advanced training aircraft for use within the UK MoD training programme;
  • a major Korean shipbuilder in their innovative subordinated builder credit post-delivery finance arrangements.

Advising:

  • a 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;
  • a major US cruise line operator in its negotiation of a sister ship new build contract with a major Italian yard;
  • on the review, amendment and implementation of a major Middle Eastern carbon fuel producer’s stand terms and conditions (FOB/CNF/CIF/Ex-Ship);
  • on the setting up and structuring of a new unique cross border jet procurement, ownership and chartering business model;
  • Sole UK advisor for the lender in relation to its UK security for a new client credit line; and
  • Sole UK advisor for the lessee in its acquisition of a Swiss made commercial aircraft simulator for EU export.

Career History

Back to top

Previous Law Firms

  • Clifford Chance
  • Norton Rose
  • Mayer Brown JSM (then JSM)
  • Linklaters
  • Tods Murray WS

Memberships

  • The Law Society of Scotland, Law Society of England & Wales, Law Society of Hong Kong
  • Liveryman Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
  • North Hants Magistrates Bench (Adult Criminal)
  • British Marine Federation; and
  • London School of Economics Hong Kong Association Entrepreneurial competition
  • Hong Kong Football Club

Education

  • Queens University at Kingston, BA(Hons)
  • University of Edinburgh, LL.B., Dip.LP.

Other

  • Simon also regularly contributes to the Super Yacht Magazine, Tradewinds, BBC News at 6, BBC Five Live, BBC Solent
Testimonials

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