Sanctions can create significant challenges for businesses, exposing you to financial, legal, and reputational risks. Our dedicated sanctions team helps you navigate these complexities by providing clear, commercially focused advice tailored to your specific situation—even in the most difficult circumstances.
We understand that staying compliant with UK and EU sanctions is critical. Our team offers practical guidance on interpreting and applying sanctions, and we support you through the licensing process, drawing on experience with authorities in the UK, across the EU, and in key offshore jurisdictions.
If your business or assets are affected by sanctions, we have a strong track record of representing clients in challenging these measures before national and EU courts. Our experience covers more than 20 cases, often involving complex and evolving legal issues.
With our international perspective and deep expertise, we help you manage risk, protect your interests, and respond effectively to the fast-changing sanctions landscape.
Stephenson Harwood have a depth of sanctions expertise, which is a must in complex cross-border sanctions disputes work.’
Chambers and Partners UK
Who we work for:
- Central banks
- Individuals
- Financial institutions
- Multi-national corporates
Our Services
Advising a broad range of clients on the impact of sanctions targeting Russia on their businesses.
- Advising the EU subsidiary of a Russian state owned bank on the impact of US and EU sanctions on its business.
- Advising our agri-services provider client on the impact of the UK sanctions on its trade with a number of Russian commodities traders. This has involved numerous jurisdictions, including Ireland, Switzerland, Cyprus, Bermuda, and the UK.
- Advising individual UK directors and trustees following the sanctioning of a Russian individual in 2022 in relation to assets held within trust structures known/suspected to be linked to the individual.
- Acting for a European financial institution in relation to a dispute arising under an ISDA Master Agreement, including the impact of global sanctions against Russia. The sum in dispute exceeds 200 million Euros.
- Advising insolvency practitioners in relation to the winding up of a UK company significantly impacted by the UK's sanctions against Russia, whose principal activity was the provision of outsize aircraft cargo charters.
- Providing discrete sanctions advice to some of our aviation clients arising out of the sanctions imposed by the UK and EU in reaction to Russia's invasion of the Ukraine.
- European and Asian banks
Advising our clients on the interpretation of EU and UK sanctions against Iran in relation to existing and proposed finance transactions, including restructuring and acceleration of loan facilities and enforcement. - German bank
Advised our client in respect of a loan agreement and the enforcement of security against an Iranian borrower which was the subject of EU sanctions against Iran. - Sanctions related commercial disputes
Successfully obtained summary judgments for our clients, two UK subsidiaries of Iranian banks, in commercial disputes concerning monies owed to them under financial agreements.
Advising financial institution clients on a range of sanctions issues
- Libya sanctions
Advising UK hedge fund and Libyan owned UK bank on complex international issues involving UN, EU, UK, Dutch, Swiss and offshore sanctions against Libya. - UK insurance broker
Advising on potential breaches of the Iranian sanctions regime in connection with insurance intermediation. Related advice on systems and controls failures under the Money Laundering Regulations and the FCA Handbook. - US equipment finance and leasing company
Advising in respect of the sanctions related wording to be contained in various commercial contracts within certain of their joint venture arrangements.
Advising a diverse group of clients on the affects of sanctions on their businesses.
- UK and African supplier of petroleum products
Advising this major petroleum supplier of relevant EU sanctions affecting its industry (Iranian, Syrian, Ukrainian, Libyan) and its compliance and due diligence operations. - Motor racing company
Advising a motor racing company on its rights arising out of a financial institution's decision not to allow its customers (who were suppliers to the motor racing company) to receive payments from the company based on a mistaken belief that the company was associated with individuals and entities subject to OFAC asset freezes. Our representation resulted in a prompt reversal of the relevant financial institution's position with payments flowing once more. - European and Asian shipping companies
Advising our clients on the effect of US, EU and UK sanctions against Iran on their ongoing business operations and sanctions policies and procedures. - Korean shipping company
Advised this shipping company, with operations worldwide, on the effect of US, EU and UK sanctions against Iran on chartered vessels transferred to a US controlled company as part of a multi-million dollar acquisition of a fleet of vessels. - UK manufacturing company
Advising a UK manufacturing company on sanctions concerns raised as part of the due diligence undertaken by its proposed purchaser, a US based company.
Advising individual directly affected by sanctions.
- Advising individuals on their legal challenges to sanctions in national and EU courts. As well as securing the swift lifting of the sanctions, we obtained formal apologies from the EU member state that proposed them.
Awards and Recognition
"Stephenson Harwood have the ability to deliver advice which is not only legally correct but also commercially viable"
"Stephenson Harwood has a very strong team. They are responsive and able to handle complex novel issues with outside-the-box solutions."
Latest News & Insights
Update on USTR - US to implement substantial fees on vessels calling at US ports
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