Chris Gooding is a Partner at Fasken Martineau LLP and is a member of the Aviation, Energy, Insurance and Litigation practice groups.
Chris joined Fasken Martineau in August 2009, having previously been at Howard Kennedy. Chris explains his diverse practice areas by his 30 year career long involvement in the Middle East and especially with its commercial connections with the Far East. Originally from an insurance law background, that led Chris to an (initially Middle East) speciality in political risk events, energy and aviation. At last count, Chris has litigated in 127 countries in the world and been involved in non-litigious problem solving in several more.
In Chris's energy practice he has advised on contentious and non contentious aspects of large scale engineering projects and joint ventures (e.g. losses arising from total destruction of Qatar's LPG export facility, advising Occidental on the Piper Alpha disaster and a multi billion Advance Payment Facility between Iran and Japan). Chris has particular specialty in placing, structuring and claims arising from energy package insurances and problems arising from captives and compulsory placing with national insurers.
In his political risk and war practice he has been heavily involved in most of the major war, terrorist and civil disruption incidents of the last 30 years including problems of the Iran/Iraq war, and all subsequent Middle East conflicts, developing commercial and insurance solutions to (then) unique political risks involved. He developed concepts of political risk insurance wrapped securitization and formed his own boutique finance house in New York which created and managed securitized products.
Chris has over 20 years experience in the civil and military aviation industry and was short listed for Legal Business Lawyer of the Year in 2005 in relation to advising Kuwait Airways Corporation ("KAC") on its successful US$1 billion 20-year long battle against Iraqi Airways Corporation arising from the "theft" of KAC's aircraft following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Chris has exceptional technical knowledge of the spares industry and aviation finance, from fleets to executive jets.
Recent experience includes:
- Trolex Products Ltd -v- Merrol Fire Protection Engineers Ltd [1991] CA
- Qatar Petrochemical Company -v- Alstom Paris Cour de Cassation [1994-98]
- Berliner Bank A.G. -v- John Karageorgis and Silver Carriers S.A [1996-8]
- Kuwait Airways Corporation -v- Iraqi Airways Company and State of Iraq House of Lords 1 [1995] 3 All ER 694
- Kuwait Airways Corporation -v- Iraqi Airways Company House of Lords 2 [2002] 2 All ER 360
- Kuwait Airways Corporation -v- Iraqi Airways Company Perjury 1 [2003] EWHC 31, [2003] All ER 225
- Kuwait Airways Corporation -v- Iraqi Airways Company Perjury 2 [2005] EWHC 2524, [2005] All ER 173
Honours and Awards
- Chris is recognised in Legal 500 2011 for his expertise in Dispute Resolution - Commercial Litigation, and Transport - Aviation; "a prompt considered response is always provided, and the knowledge is broad and deep".
- Chris is listed in Legal Experts 2010 and 2011, published by Legal Business, as an authority in Aviation and Insurance.
- Chris is recommended in Legal 500 2010 directory within: Transport - Aviation and is recognised for his "expertise in aviation finance, leasing and securitisation".