Member Profiles

Having advised on around 200 MW of renewable energy in the UK and elsewhere Tessa Laws is delighted to be viewed as an expert in negotiating on energy contracts, power purchase arrangements, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation & maintenance (O&M) agreements.

Frances Coulson is Head of Insolvency & Litgation at Moon Beever LLP. She is a Past president of R3 (The Association of Restructuring Professionals) and a Council & Policy Group Member. She runs a substantial team of insolvency professionals at all levels used to dealing with a wide variety of domestic and cross border insolvency issues for office holders, creditors, directors, lenders and individuals.

Complex Corporate transactions involving technology and IP Fintech and Payments Technology: API Licensing / Blockchain / PSD2 / FS Apps FS Reg: Consumer Credit, PPI, FCA/PRA, PSD2, FCA Handbook, ICOBS Aviation/Travel Tech: MaaS, PSS, GDS, IFE, On-board WiFi, Satellite connectivity Outsourcing / Cross-border transactions IT&T Contracts Intellectual Property: structuring and enforcement Data Protection / GDPR / Data Privacy Media & Advertising Law Defamation Consumer and competition law Commercial and Insurance Disputes

Matthew graduated from Leicester University with First Class honours in Law in 2004. After achieving a distinction in the LPC he qualified at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert in 2009 and moved to HFW in 2011. Matthew joined MFB in 2018 and was promoted to partner in 2019. Matthew has a broad practice advising primarily on contentious matters across wet and dry shipping. He has particular expertise in the investigation and handling of disputes arising out of marine casualties including groundings, collisions and salvage cases. Over recent years Matthew has been closely involved in a number of high profile casualties including the "FRONT ALTAIR", "FORTUNA", "THORCO LINEAGE", “KEA TRADER” and “AGIA ZONI II”.  His experience includes advising on complex transhipment and wreck removal operations as well as legal issues arising from limitation of liability, general average, unsafe ports, pollution and the carriage of dangerous goods. Matthew also has extensive dry shipping litigation experience and has handled a wide range of disputes for shipowners, charterers, cargo interests and their respective insurers. He has advised on numerous cases arising out of vessel sharing arrangements, charter parties, bills of lading, pool agreements and sale contracts. Over recent years Matthew has also developed a detailed knowledge of cyber security issues in the marine market. He has a number of published articles on the subject and gives regular presentations to clients and industry groups on this, and other topics of interest.

XABIER heads up the firm’s corporate-commercial and sports law departments at our North Row, Mayfair office. Xabier has built up an international practice representing a wide range of clients including  individuals such as a former G20 Head of State, Nelson Mandela’s authorised biographer, a best-selling author with over 170 million books sold, World Cup winning footballers, rugby players, World Champion boxers and a Bake-off Professionals winner to corporates varying from successful insurance or health drink start-ups in the UK to medical insurance companies and auto-industry corporates in France and quoted steel manufacturers and energy sector corporates in Spain.  Xabier adopts a pragmatic and commercial approach to all legal matters and focusses on advising on multi-million Seed, Angel and Series A fund raises, all shareholder and board matters and numerous complex company sales of over $50 million dollars or secondary and tertiary listings.  As part of Xabier’s advice to UK and international corporates, Xabier also advises on IP disputes, numerous High Court claims and mediations and Finance documentation including the issue of Bonds, Notes and other debt and equity instruments.  Xabier speaks and works in French, Spanish and German having previously worked in banking at Dresdner-Kleinwort Benson (later Wasserstein & Commerzbank) in London and Hamburg as well as Daimler Chrysler Aerospace in Munich and law firms Clifford Chance LLP and Allen & Overy LLP in their London, Madrid and Paris offices.  Xabier’s passion for sport also led him to found Division X Sports., a Sports Agency focussing on representation and negotiation of footballer’s contracts from the Premier League, English Football L https:// eagues and La Liga to France, Argentina, Cyprus, Poland as well as advising in Premiership Rugby and World Title boxing contests.