Housing a 'highly knowledgeable' team,  Allens is known for advising on the full spectrum of issues concerning development projects, including acquisitions and divestments. In Melbourne, practice head Kate Axup handles a range of mandates relating to battery, wind and pumped hydro projects, energy asset portfolio sales, and corporate power purchase agreements, while Louis Chiam, praised for her 'excellent' technical nous, advises on renewable energy projects, energy storage mandates, and large-scale M&A and joint ventures. Sydney’s Andrew Mansour is praised for his 'in-depth knowledge’ of energy issues, while  Igor Bogdanich in Perth is a highly regarded oil and gas specialist.

Ashurst, praised by clients for being 'experts' in energy transactions, continues to handle many of Australia’s largest energy mandates, including advising on the development of the Australian Renewable Energy Hub in Pilbara. In Brisbane, practice head Paul Newman advises on the development of generation solutions using a variety of conventional and green fuels, gas agreements, and transactions in the electricity sector. Active figure in the Western Australian energy and resources market Paul Lingard has deep expertise in green hydrogen projects. Dan Brown is a top PPA advisor and a specialist in renewable energy project structuring and development.

Exhibiting 'technical excellence', the 'commercially astute' team at Clayton Utz acts for a varied client base of project proponents, governments, blue-chip corporates, and regulators across the full spectrum of power, utilities, renewable energy, hydrogen, and petroleum industries. Joining the Melbourne office in early 2023,  Susan Taylor contributes her longstanding experience in working on both Australian and international government-led energy regulatory reform and privatisation projects. Stuart MacGregor, Mark Geritz and Emma Covacevich are key names of note within the Brisbane office. Counsel Katy Warner is recommended for her vast knowledge of transactional oil and gas issues, and Brett Cohen is noted for his skill in handling mining and renewable energy mandates.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP' has broad expertise which spans the full gamut of issues relating to energy, renewables, utilities and resources. Robert Merrick has longstanding experience in M&A in the oil and gas industry, project development and finance, and commodity trading. In the past year, Stuart Barrymore advised BHP Petroleum on the processing of its Scarborough gas into LNG through the third party Pluto facilities and sanction of the Upstream project. Nick Baker and Jay Leary co-head the energy and mining sub-departments respectively, and Robert Nicholson is a key senior member of the team who is known for his longstanding corporate expertise.

King & Wood Mallesons' team exhibits deep bench strength across many of Australia’s fastest developing energy sectors, such as climate change and decarbonisation, and carbon capture and storage projects, in addition to traditional oil and gas mandates. Practice co-head Vishal Ahuja remains at forefront of the latest energy and electricity reforms. Co-head Craig Rogers and the 'highly skilled' Peter Vaughan both have vast expertise in oil and gas, utilities and infrastructure projects, and are often supported by 'standout' senior associate Tara Graneri. Mining instructions are the primary focus of Tim Edwards .

A&O Shearman houses a broad practice which frequently assists with mandates relating to the emerging hydrogen market. Perth based practice head Meredith Campion is well-regarded for considerable experience in advising on offshore transactions in the oil and gas, and mining sectors, while Goran Galic continues to be involved in large mining and LNG projects. Jackson Allen is particularly adept at advising on the negotiation and drafting of oil, gas, condensate and LNG marketing and sales arrangements. Geoff Simpson retired in April 2023.

 

Baker McKenzie combines a ‘pragmatic, no-nonsense’ approach with deep expertise in conventional and renewable energy M&A, energy contracting, and  regulatory work. The group continues to assist its lucrative client base with a myriad of issues, including advising Maoneng Australia on the majority investment by Hong Kong PE fund, Gaw Capital Partners, in connection with Maoneng’s battery energy storage systems portfolio. Brisbane’s Tanya Denning and Sydney's Sean Duffy co-head the practice, handling the full spectrum of project development and utilities related matters. In the Melbourne office, Aylin Cunsolo is known for her vast knowledge of clean energy project development, and joint ventures.

 

Jointly led by Nadia Kalic in Sydney, and Philip Sealey and Sam Luttrell in Perth, Clifford Chance's team has experienced growth in its renewable energy capabilities, and an increase clean hydrogen and energy storage mandates. Luttrell is known for his specialism in contentious matters, and Sealy is noted for his deep knowledge of banking and finance related issues. Kalic maintains a M&A focused practice, with her primary area of focus being infrastructure projects.

Praised by clients for their 'superior industry knowledge and experience', Corrs Chambers Westgarth maintains a strong reputation for advising on major LNG projects, in addition to contractual and transportation related matters. Practice head Tracey Greenaway has vast expertise in advising on unincorporated joint ventures, divestments and commodity sale and purchase agreements. Utilities specialist Anthony Arrow advises on numerous renewable energy transactions and projects. Michael MacGinley is known for his regulatory expertise in electricity, while Peter Jarosek exhibits deep knowledge of oil and gas mandates.

 

Gilbert + Tobin maintains a stellar reputation for advising on a significant number of major solar and wind transactions, in addition to numerous hydrogen and carbon capture and storage projects. Practice co-head Alexander Danne has a great deal of expertise in advising on energy and infrastructure projects, and project financings. Claire Boyd is a project development expert, and Geoff Petersen maintains a broad regulatory practice. Michael Blakiston is known for advising clients engaging in projects in Africa.

The practice at Johnson Winter Slattery is praised by clients for being 'very hands on', and for their 'intimate' industry knowledge. The group demonstrates expertise in the complete range of commercial and operational issues, and industry-specific contracts within the renewable energy, oil and gas and electricity sectors. Acting as the national practice head, Bruce Adkins is known for providing 'clear and decisive' advice on M&A and project development work. Peter Rose regularly handles commodity processing mandates, sales and transportation agreements, and private share and asset acquisitions and divestments. Counsel Tom Barrett stands out for his deep oil and gas, LNG, mining and electricity project experience.

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Minter Ellison is well known for its strength in renewable energy, having advised the State of Victoria on the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) 2 program to facilitate the development of 623MW of solar projects. Practice head Simon Scott advises on a broad range of M&A, joint ventures and commercial mining mandates. Brendan Clark and Clay Wohling display vast expertise in project development and issues affecting projects within the electricity market. 'Technically savvy' Fiona Lewis is regularly instructed by governments on major energy policy implementation. Counsel Simon Batten advises on general electricity regulatory and compliance matters.

At Norton Rose Fulbright, practice co-head Claire Forster is a regulatory specialist with a strong focus on the energy industry. Forster also routinely advises network companies and retailers on supply legislation, including compliance and associated commercial, contractual and operational matters. Kate Muller is particularly skilled in advising on renewable energy generation, energy storage and network services related mandates. Concentrating on Western Australia-based transactions and project development, Ben Bradstreet (who moved from King & Wood Mallesons in early 2023) and Troy McKelvie are the key names in the Perth office. Dylan McKimmie co-heads the practice from Brisbane.

Consistently advising on significant energy projects, White & Case's sizeable energy team have advised on novel domestic wind farm projects. Leading the project finance team, Brendan Quinn works alongside his Melbourne colleagues Andrew Clark, global head of energy and infrastructure, and head of mining, John Tivey, on an array of high-value transactions. Sydney’s Chris Flynn acts for numerous global blue-chip clients and governments on energy, resources and infrastructure transactions and projects, particularly in the upstream, LNG, renewable and non-renewable power sectors.

 

 

Regarded for its 'technical excellence', global capabilities and 'broad' industry knowledge, DLA Piper is well-placed to advise on cross-border mandates, and is particularly active on inbound investments into domestic projects. Co-head of energy Stephen Webb has advised overseas clients as well as the Australian government on the building and financing of large-scale energy and infrastructure projects in Timor,  Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Co-head Alex Jones' maintains a commercial transactions focused practice, regularly assisting clients with operational and regulatory matters.

 

 

Hailed by clients as ‘knowledgeable, approachable and responsive’, the team at Jones Day displays deep bench strength across a broad range of matters, including M&A, financing transactions and mining and pipelines. Specialising in energy, gas, electricity and utilities, practice head Dan Howard continues to advise Coronado Curragh on its waste coal methane extraction. Transactional specialists Tony Wassaf and Darren Murphy concentrate on legislative and policy related issues, and are particularly adept at drafting and negotiating commercial agreements and joint ventures.

The 'robust and well-rounded' team at Piper Alderman demonstrates deep expertise in electricity and gas transmission and distribution infrastructure, connections, and generation project related matters. The practice is increasingly active on financing and development mandates concerning wind and solar farms, and hydrogen projects. Martin Lovell is a well known for his transactional and regulatory expertise, and his specialism in grid scale generation, battery projects, wind and solar farms and district energy schemes. Kathryn Walker and head of resources, Josh Steele are the key names to note within the team.

Hall & Wilcox have experienced growth in instructions involving pumped hydro, concentrating solar power and offshore wind. Practice head Mark Dessi is noted for his longstanding experience in the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors. Dessi frequently advises developers, project companies and contractors on a range of corporate transactions within the electricity, gas and water space.

HFW is well known for handling innovative green energy matters such as carbon capture and storage, virtual power plants, and hydrogen projects. Led by Jo Garland, the group exhibits broad experience when advising on renewable power projects and hybrid renewable/fossil fuel structures, in addition to regulatory issues and energy transition focused transactions.

Leading the team at Maddocks, Peter Limbers is known for his longstanding expertise in acting for energy utilities, energy sector investors, and government on energy projects and transactions, in addition to handling an array of energy market reform and regulatory mandates.

McCullough Robertson's practice is primarily advises on project acquisition and development, particularly in relation to solar, hydro, wind, battery storage, and bioenergy projects in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. In Brisbane, the team is jointly led by corporate expert Damien Clarke , and projects specialist Kate Swain.

Squire Patton Boggs‘ bi-coastal energy and natural resources offering utilises its broad corporate and projects expertise to advise on a vast range of mandates relating to renewables, oil and gas, LNG, transitional fuels. Simon Adams in Perth and Sydney-based Natalie Lonergan both exhibit deep experience in project structuring, acquisitions and divestments, jointly leading the team.

Drawing on her longstanding expertise in corporate matters, Kym Livesely co-heads the practice at Dentons, which routinely acts for oil and gas, and mining companies in a broad range of transactional matters, including financing. Co-head David Perks is known for providing 'quality, commercial' advice on inbound and outbound investments, and offtake arrangements, while co-head John Mollard leads the mining group at the firm.

Hive Legal has significantly strengthened and expanded its energy offering with the recruitment of former Commissioner of the Australian Energy Market Commission, Allison Warburton along with counsel Katherine Lake, a climate change and renewable energy expert, and projects counsel Sonja Ilic in January 2023. Andrew Brookes and Mitzi Gilligan jointly head the practice, specialising in commercial transactions and regulatory matters concerning the energy industry.

At Perth-based firm Jackson McDonald, practice head Matthew Bowen advises clients on commercial agreements, energy contracting and statutory compliance mandates. Bowen's practice is increasingly focused on a renewable hydrogen projects, and has recently advised on the Western Australia state government’s reforms within the electricity sector.

K&L Gates' practice is led by Adam Levine, a Perth-based corporate specialist who handles a broad range of M&A and corporate structuring mandates in the energy, renewables and mining sectors. Practice co-head Clive Cachia, based in Sydney, also has deep corporate expertise and ample skill in advising on energy projects, and both in-bound and out-bound investment arrangements.

 

Pinsent Masons LLP's practice is led by environmental and planning specialist Kirstie Richards (who joined from K&L Gates in late 2022), bringing her expertise in onshore wind, solar, battery energy storage systems, and the emerging Australian hydrogen and offshore wind markets. The practice has also bolstered its corporate offering through the recruitment of Joni Henry and Andrew Fisken. Working out of the Melbourne office, James Morgan-Payler specialises in energy related infrastructure projects, while Jeremy King leads on a number of project financing mandates.

 

 

Thomson Geer  exhibits deep bench strength in a variety of areas, including M&A and capital raising, as well as the operational aspects of major energy and resources projects. Infrastructure expert Jae Lemin  joined from Eversheds Sutherland, oil and gas specialist Nicholas Antonas joined the team from Johnson Winter Slattery, and Paul Harley and Sarah O’Brien-Smith  joined from HopgoodGanim , bringing their deep knowledge of mining matters. Energy and resources project finance specialist Nicholas Creed joined from Allens. Josh Marchant is a key name within the practice.