Squire Patton Boggs has appointed Philip Prowse and Jameel Tarmohamed as partners in the Financial Services Practice Group in London.

Mr. Prowse and Mr. Tarmohamed focus on commodities trade finance and will play a key role in expanding the firm’s trade finance capabilities across Europe from the London and Geneva offices. They join from Stephenson Harwood along with associate Andrew Green.

“Our trade finance work is growing across our global platform, and we continue to make investments,” said Jim Barresi, global head of the firm’s Financial Services Group. “Philip and Jameel add considerable expertise to our international team. Their transactional work for financial institutions, development banks and traders is substantial. They also have in-depth experience advising on the finance and security aspects of major restructurings within the global commodities market.”

Kate Sherrard, co-leader of the Commodities and Shipping Industry Group and managing partner of the Geneva office, added, “Philip and Jameel are well respected trade finance lawyers whose experience and outlook spans the globe. They both complement our global practice led by Jessica Kenworthy based in Singapore and provide extra strength to our team in the UK and Europe.”

Sherrard continued, “Philip and Jameel will help expand our work for clients in London and across Europe, including our recently opened Geneva office. Their complementary skill set, and their strength in other areas such as digital trade technologies, carbon credits, and derivatives, will open up several opportunities across the commodities supply chain for our industry group, including for our contentious commodities team.”

Mr. Prowse’s experience in commodities trade finance covers the financing of the international supply of energy and hard and soft commodities, with an emphasis on finance, security and other transactional documents such as sale and purchase, logistics, storage and insurance contracts. He acts for a wide range of clients including traders, banks, other financial institutions, suppliers, sellers and purchasers.

In addition, Mr. Prowse has expertise in digital trade finance and technologies including blockchain systems, digital assets including crypto assets, smart contracts and digital trade sale and purchase platforms.

Mr. Tarmohamed acts for banks, corporates, traders and investors in multiple jurisdictions, including emerging economies, on the full range of structured trade and commodity financings. He also advises on digital trade supporting clients as they integrate the technologies into their businesses. Together with Mr. Prowse, he recently advised a Singapore government agency in connection with electronic bills of lading and other electronic trade transferable documents. Mr. Tarmohamed also has considerable experience representing commodities clients in their carbon credit transactions.