Energy & Natural Resources | Asia-Pacific

Allens fields a market-leading practice with considerable strength across the oil and gas, mining and utilities sectors. The practice displays a strong aptitude in the renewables sector, covering acquisitions, divestments and the full life cycle of development projects. The firm is regularly sought out by major resources clients to assist with large-scale projects and complex commercial transactions. The team has considerable experience advising on policy drafting and regulatory issues within the electricity sector. In addition, the practice boasts of access to worldwide expertise through the Linklaters alliance, representing several of the globe's best-known multinational players in all relevant jurisdictions. Key clients include Rio Tinto, Snowy Hydro and Brookfield Asset Management.

Clayton Utz's specialised and well-resourced practice advises multinational and prominent domestic clients on a range of matters associated with their energy and resources requirements, addressing regulatory, contentious and project development issues in tandem with an admired transactional support capability. The firm offers comprehensive coverage of all Australian jurisdictions and is particularly valued by clients across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Its key clients include Squadron Energy, Macquarie Capital and Australia Pacific LNG.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth fields a full-service, well-staffed independent practice offering noteworthy experience on large-scale project developments and transactions. The firm is prominent in the oil and gas sector, advising on major LNG projects, including their compliance, contractual and transportation issues. The team also offers considerable expertise within the mining and power sectors, as well as regulatory issues concerning renewables projects. The practice is particularly noted for its coverage of the Papua New Guinean market. Its notable clients include CuString, Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy.

MinterEllison's respected team has an enviable national and regional footprint and is particularly noted for its representation of global mining houses, investors, leading regional oil and gas players and electricity companies, plus government agencies at both state and Commonwealth levels. The firm assists clients on both transactional and operational mandates, covering the full life cycles of their projects from initial exploration and financing, through operation, regulation and contentious issues, to disposal. The practice is able to leverage expertise from within the firm's wider resources to provide a holistic service covering such areas as disputes, environmental concerns and native title issues. Its key clients include Stanwell Corporation, New Hope Corporation and Minjar Gold.

A&O Shearman's well-regarded practice benefits from the impressive international reach conferred by its integrated global network, handling key transactions for household-name players in all practice area subsectors. The firm is equipped to provide support on transactional and operational issues both domestically and overseas. The practice is further distinguished for corporate expertise in project finance, structuring mergers and investments, particularly within the mining sector. Its notable clients include Sandfire Resources, LG Chem and Resolute Mining. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Baker McKenzie's compact Australian practice is backed by a global international network that is well suited to multi-jurisdictional transactions, with considerable capability across the Asia-Pacific region. The team offers especially impressive expertise in matters involving renewable energy projects in general and transactions concerning their infrastructure in particular. The practice is also noted for its enviable roster of investor and both international and domestic energy and resources corporate clients. The firm is especially active on deals in the mining and oil and gas arenas, and is further commended for its knowledge of energy contracting and regulatory matters. It counts among its clients Weston Energy, Sev.en Global Investments A.S. and Metis Energy.

Gilbert + Tobin's well-regarded group maintains a significant presence on large-scale mining and oil and gas mandates, assisting both domestic and international clients with a variety of transactional, regulatory and investment issues. The firm is particularly active within the renewables space, handling wind and solar projects, with additional experience advising on battery minerals-related matters, including the development of lithium mining projects. The practice also advises extensively on access to resources-related port and rail infrastructure. Its key clients include APA Group, IMDEX and Cooper Energy.

White & Case's substantial and still expanding practice forms part of a global network with a notably strong regional presence, active in all practice area subsectors. The firm is acknowledged for its established eminence in the renewable and mining space, advising on transactions and project development. The practice is increasingly active advising on LNG projects and is also highly regarded for its project infrastructure development-related capability. The team is well placed to advise on relevant construction, environmental and financing issues. The firm's notable clients include Star of the South, Crowley Government Services and Carnarvon Energy.

The DLA Piper energy and resources practice offers a particularly high cross-border capability, facilitated by the integrated nature of the firm's global network. The firm is particularly noted for its mining expertise and its established capability in the renewables space. The team boasts strong capabilities advising on policy development and regulations concerning exploration and extraction, particularly for governments overseas. It also has experience in the management of high-level, cross-jurisdictional contentious matters, notably including arbitration. Key clients include EV Metals, Leichhardt Industrials and Aspen Technology.

Jones Day's compact Australian team is fully connected to a worldwide network and focuses closely on the handling of transactional mandates for prominent players in all practice area subsectors, receiving acknowledgement for raising its profile in the mining space in particular. The firm often advises on contractual arrangements such as exploration and production or power purchase agreements, and offers notable expertise in regulatory and competition issues arising in the energy and resources space. Among its notable clients are Yara Pilbara Fertilisers, Scentre Group and CleanCo Queensland.

The Norton Rose Fulbright team is the substantial Australian arm of a global practice with significant capacity to advise on both domestic and international energy and resources projects. The team is particularly experienced in acting on the financing and development of projects in the mining and renewable spheres. The firm acts in all sectors for public and private operators and investors, covering transactional, contentious and operational matters that frequently have cross-border aspects. The practice has notable experience advising prominent international energy companies on complex and strategic transactions. Its key clients include Essential Energy, Tokyo Gas and Federation Asset Management.

The Clifford Chance energy and resources team represents the Australian component of a renowned international firm, frequently utilising its global network in support of significant cross-border mandates for leading multinationals. The firm acts on the full range of practice area issues and at all stages of the project life cycle, but is especially prominent in the handling of major oil and gas mandates. The team boasts experience in relation to the arbitration of cross-border energy and resources sector disputes, while also offering notable expertise in the structuring of acquisitions, disposals and investments, particularly within the renewables sector. Its key clients include Viva Energy Group, Iberdrola and Gelion Technologies.

Dentons' respected, closely integrated, cross-sector group operates principally from offices in Sydney and Perth and offers experience advising domestic and international corporates on a comprehensive range of energy and resources matters. The team draws on the global resources of one of the world's largest law firms, equipping it for handling relevant corporate and projects-related matters. The practice is particularly known for advising on inbound Chinese investment and on matters with a Papua New Guinea connection. The firm often handles transactional matters across the three subsectors, as well as operational and contractual arrangements. Its key clients include Silex Systems, Montem Resources and Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium.