Alexander Brandt

Alex is a partner in the Transportation Industry Group and the lead member of its sanctions practice, having qualified with Reed Smith in February 2014.

Alex advises insurers, owners, charterers, brokers and traders on all aspects of sanctions-related challenges, providing analysis of applicable legislation, assistance with crucial due diligence work and training.

He has extensive experience in OFAC investigations, disclosures and enforcement actions and has been centrally involved in many of the most high profile designations, seizures and enforcement actions brought against members of the international shipping community by the US Government. One client notes that Alex is 'amazing at quick response time, personalised follow-up, good understanding of customer’s business, pleasant communication, ability to deal on short notice with very urgent and non-conventional situations' (The Legal 500 UK, Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime).

Alex also has wide ranging experience drafting protective language for transportation contracts and financing arrangements, and has worked with major lenders and other organisations to develop best-in-class compliance programmes.

In addition to his role in the sanctions practice, Alex advises on contractual and tortious rights and obligations pertaining to a wide range of dry shipping matters, including charterparties, P&I club rules, bills of lading, ship sales and purchases, and shipbuilding. He is an experienced litigator, familiar with the High Court, arbitration and mediation. Alex also drafts transactional documents in support of transportation-related undertakings, including sale agreements, settlement and escrow agreements and contracts for charterparties.

Alex has spent four years in Reed Smith’s Hong Kong office, where in addition to his dry shipping work, he has assisted in a number of casualty investigations and criminal prosecutions arising from major casualties.