James Clarke
Biography
Overview
James is counsel in the Firm's Capital Markets group in London. His experience includes advising both underwriters and issuers in debt capital markets transactions (both conventional and Islamic) and he also has broad experience representing clients in equity capital markets, financial restructuring, banking, corporate reorganisation and other corporate transactions.
James has spent the majority of his time with the Firm in the London office and has also spent six months in the Firm's Banking Group in Frankfurt and a further six months in the Firm's office in Hong Kong.
Experience
Representation of the Ooredoo group on the update of Ooredoo International Finance Limited's US$5 billion GMTN Programme in June 2016 and the Regulation S/Rule 144A offering of US$500 million notes under this Programme.
Representation of the State of Qatar on its offering of U.S.$9 billion bonds in three tranches under Regulation S and Rule 144A, the largest sovereign bond offering in the GCC region to date.
Representation of the Government of the Emirate of Sharjah on the offering of U.S.$500 million 3.839 per cent. trust certificates through Sharjah Sukuk (2) Limited under Regulation S. This was the first sovereign Sukuk issuance for 2016 globally.
Representation of the City of Kyiv in respect of the exchange of the bulk of City of Kyiv's US$550 million loan participation for sovereign bonds issued by Ukraine.
Representation of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank as Arranger, Manager and Delegate on the issuance by Loginvest of up to AED 400 million Sukuk certificates due 2024.
Represented the 11 sovereign member state supranational Black Sea Trade & Development Bank on the establishment of its EUR 1 billion Euro Medium Term Note Programme.
Representation of International Bank of Azerbaijan on the establishment of its US$250 million Euro-Commercial Paper Programme.
Representation of BTA Bank and Alliance Bank (now ForteBank) of Kazakhstan in all of their financial restructurings between 2009 and 2014. These restructurings were recognised and enforced by the courts in London and New York and the initial restructurings won the 'Legal Innovation in Financial Services' award at the 2009 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards.
Representation of MFB, the Hungarian state-owned development bank, on its US$750 million debut bond issue under Regulation S and Rule 144A.
Representation of the joint lead managers on the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic's offering of U.S.$500 million 5.45% senior unsecured notes, the first ever Eurobond offering by an Azerbaijani issuer, and on each subsequent offering of Eurobonds by SOCAR.
Representation, as co-counsel, the steering committee of private creditors of the Hellenic Republic on the terms of the private sector initiative to restructure approximately €200 billion of Greek external debt. This is the biggest sovereign debt restructuring to date.
