The North-east of Scotland and indeed Scotland generally has a long history of trading internationally but there is still enormous scope for most businesses in the area to expand into new geographic markets.
International business is important for the North-east. That is why Womble Bond Dickinson is proud to sponsor the international trade seminar series of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce. Businesses in the region benefit from guidance in pursuing global opportunities and the Chamber supports them on this journey.
At Womble Bond Dickinson, we take pride in our ability to do far more than simply deliver the highest quality of legal advice. In recent years, our network and reach has grown significantly, culminating in November last year when we combined with US firm Womble Carlyle, providing our clients with the opportunity to access colleagues in 18 locations across the United States. We also have strategic alliances with Bersay in France and Redeker Sellner Dahs in Germany.
Naturally, a lot of the work which we do in Aberdeen supports the oil and gas industry. Working from our primary bases in Aberdeen and London, our international oil and gas team offers impressive breadth and depth in understanding the commercial and legal demands of the industry around the world.
From advising on a multi-billion dollar sale of interests in West Africa to acquisitions and investments in upstream and midstream businesses in the UK, Africa, Europe and the Americas, our respected team is regularly called upon to advise on a diverse range of projects from the large scale to the 'day to day' both upstream and in oilfield services.
Some of our recent highlights include our work for Chrysaor on the oil and gas legal aspects of its landmark USD3bn+ acquisition of a package of high quality assets from Shell, creating the UK's leading North Sea independent exploration and production company. We also advised EQT Infrastructure on the sale of Tampnet UK and Central North Sea Fibre Telecommunications Company Limited (CNSFTC), as part of the wider sale of the global Tampnet Group. Tampnet, the owner and operator of the world's largest offshore communication infrastructure network, is to be jointly acquired by ATP (Denmark’s largest pension provider) and investor 3i Infrastructure, subject to customary approvals from regulatory bodies in several jurisdictions.
We make it our business to think innovatively and respond to clients’ needs. The portability of English Law and of the North Sea E&P model, and our detailed knowledge of upstream and supply chain issues, built on many years of experience, means that our advice travels well and we operate routinely in multiple jurisdictions. Our experience and contacts on the ground help clients to navigate a path through local legal, regulatory and policy hurdles, including fiscal terms and political risk.
Richard Cockburn, partner and head of office in Aberdeen, Womble Bond Dickinson