Our specialist cross sector and multi-disciplinary supply chain and manufacturing experts are leading practitioners with deep knowledge ranging across key legal disciplines, including commercial, regulatory, financial services and data protection, all focused on global supply chains and manufacturing.
We help you to bolster the resilience of your supply chain in a volatile and unpredictable world. The team’s integrated expertise enables clients to benefit from the provision of seamless advice that is tailored to their needs, allowing them to reach their full potential across their supply chain.
Our expertise
Our multi-disciplinary supply chain and manufacturing experts can advise you on all aspects of:
Supply chain
- Strategy and structure of supply chain
- Supply chain disruption including: force majeure; material adverse change; frustration; sanctions
- Global supply chain and cross-border arrangements
- Sustainable supply chains
- Circular supply chains
- Ethical supply chains
- Supply chain resilience
- Procurement
- Group purchase models
- Downstream supply routes/models – agency, distribution, franchising, retailers, wholesalers
- Supply of goods
- Supply of services
- Business end-user documentation
- Consumer end-user documentation
- Renewals, variations and renegotiations of long-term supply or purchase agreements
- Disputes and dispute escalation
Manufacturing
- Outsourced manufacturing
- Brand owner manufacturing
- Contract manufacturing
- OEM’s
- Industry 4.0 and automation
Our experience
- Advising a biotech company on the scale-up and commercialisation of its proprietary, food-grade, algae strains including drafting and negotiating supply and other terms, strategic advice in relation to the downstream supply model and engagement with scale-up of partners and multi-national food manufacturers.
- Advising a leading supplier of liquified petroleum gas with the restructuring of its entire cylinder wholesale and retail distribution network including arrangements with each tier of its 10,000+ partner network.
- Advising a global vehicle and motorcycle manufacturer on a fundamental and business critical restructuring of its (UK and EU) selective distribution dealership model (for both sales and service) initially for electric vehicles and then for all models with 4 phased transitions from distribution to agency.
- Negotiating framework, supply, license, support services and after sales agreements for the supply of parts and right to manufacture and localise parts for a global OEM’s vehicle platform.
- Advising on complex contractual structuring and intra group arrangements for a global electronics manufacturer including advising on hybrid agency, distribution and services arrangements.
- Assisting a high street fashion retailer with its trial dropship arrangements for purchasing items from third party suppliers / manufacturers for shipment directly to the retailer’s customers as agent on the retailer’s behalf.
- Advising a global plastic moulding contract manufacturer on multiple strategic framework agreements with world leading manufacturers including the negotiation of detailed ESG commitments.
- Providing full on and off-site legal support to a leading cereal manufacturer, including in relation to the purchase of advertising and media services, locally sourced ingredients (including wheat and sugar), packaging, haulage services and facilities management.
- Supporting a major player in the rail industry in relation to supply chain engagement for a significant project which has involved the provision of strategic solutions and risk management relating to the use of overseas suppliers.
Our clients are doing business in a changing and challenging environment with challenge coming from many areas, for example, sanctions, war, climate, globalisation, scarcity, and cost pressures. Our team of lawyers is ready to be your strategically aligned partner to guide you through the obstacles, balancing the need to achieve your objectives whilst staying within legal and regulatory boundaries.
To learn more about how Shoosmiths’ Supply Chain and Manufacturing team can help you, please contact Fiona Teague, Michelle Craven-Faulkner or Ben Gardner.
