Commercial Trading

Hill Rivkins continues to excel in its service to diverse clients trading in petrochemicals, agricultural products and other bulk commodities in various disputes. The firm prides itself in its expertise relating to commercial sales and letter of credit transactions, and in connection with the transportation of goods. Hill Rivkins also has in-depth experience in various commercial disputes arising in connection with the sale of goods under the Uniform Commercial Code, INCO terms, and United Nations Convention on Contracts for the Sale of Goods. Likewise, we work comfortably with rules of the various exchanges.

Our clients are sellers, purchasers, oil majors, chemical companies, agricultural commodities companies, traders, terminals and refineries engaged in the sale, purchase and trade of physicals and futures. Our clients also include worldwide manufacturers, suppliers and purchasers of finished goods. Throughout the years we have developed an in depth knowledge of our clients’ operations and value the longstanding relationships that we continue to enjoy. Our clients come from every corner of the globe and while we work primarily from offices located New York, New Jersey, California and Texas, our capabilities in resolving international disputes is aided by our traditional network of carefully selected corresponding counsel.
Representative matters include:

  • Successfully representing a petroleum blender in a suit for wrongful cancellation of a purchase contract and for recovery of transportation charges where the seller knowingly shipped product that was off-specification and chartered a ship which was previously rejected by purchaser’s vetting process
  • Assisting a FOB purchaser of xylene in a dispute with seller arising from rejection of nominated vessels by a third party terminal operator and anticipatory repudiation of the contract by the seller
  • Assisting grain trading company in dispute with foreign government purchaser for wrongful rejection and in collateral dispute with carrying vessel for contamination, demurrage, storage charges, and indemnity where purchaser government refused to allow vessel to offload cargo
  • Defending a seller of urea in arbitration against a bank and a vessel owner where the product was released against a letter of indemnity without presentation of original bills of lading.