Commodities: Metals and Minerals, Energy and Agriculture

Curtis has advised commodities trading companies on numerous investment acquisitions and disposals, including bauxite mines; alumina refineries; aluminum smelters; coal properties; and copper, tin, lead and zinc mines and production facilities worth billions of dollars.

Drawing on the firm’s depth of experience in the energy sector, our commodities lawyers have advised various oil companies and commodity trading companies on preparing standard rider clauses for use with tanker voyage charter parties.

Our commodities attorneys have represented a commodity trading company and its officers in a CFTC enforcement action alleging manipulation of the coffee futures market.

Commodities Lawyers with Experience Across the Spectrum

The wealth of experience possessed by the commodities attorneys at Curtis includes advising on issues relating to metal and mineral extraction, mining, processing, refining and trading. Additionally, our lawyers counsel clients on related aspects of their business, including terminal and warehousing operations and shipping, as well as acting for buyers and sellers on mergers; acquisitions; divestitures; litigation and arbitration; trade regulation; environmental matters; workouts and restructuring; and antitrust.

For example, Curtis recently represented a commodities fund in organizing a new offshore investment fund that will trade on foreign commodities exchanges, as well as established a Chinese subsidiary to trade on the Shanghai commodities exchange. The international team is working with the client and its Chinese advisors to implement appropriate legal and tax structures for these activities.

Commodities Law Firm Offering Customs and Regulatory Advice

As a leader in the commodities sector for more than 50 years, the team has developed in-depth knowledge of the intricacies surrounding international customs and regulatory regimes. That long-term exposure to the industry allows us to craft the innovative legal structures required to meet your financial, trading and operational needs. The range of commodities and services that we offer you includes assisting on concessions and exploitation agreements; joint ventures and other strategic alliances; purchase, sale, supply, tolling and refining agreements; mining and production agreements; project and pre-export finance; and swaps, derivatives, forward sales and asset-based lending.