The Legal 500

Allens’s practice advises across a broad range of sectors, and clients include Arrow Energy; it advised on the company’s A$550m acquisition of Bow Energy. The group is co-headed by Guy Alexander and Jon Webster, while other key players include Andrew Knox, Vijay Cugati and Ewen Crouch.

Herbert Smith Freehills has ‘partners of the best breed’ and ‘lawyers of the highest calibre’. Predominantly focused on large-scale transactions, the group recently advised Yanzhou Coal on its proposed A$8bn merger with Gloucester Coal. It also advised Peabody Energy on its successful A$4.8bn hostile bid for Macarthur Coal. Tony Damian is a ‘leading M&A lawyer’; Rebecca Maslen-Stannage is ‘fantastic’; and Justin O’Farrell ‘works tirelessly’. Mike Ferraro heads the practice, and corporate governance expert Quentin Digby and Philippa Stone are also recommended.

King & Wood Mallesons is particularly active within energy and resources and financial services. Nicholas Pappas recently advised Glencore and Xstrata on their $90bn merger. Peter Stirling joined from Ashurst LLP.

Ashurst LLP’s ‘very professional and rigorous’ practice is particularly active in cross-border M&A. Nick Terry led advice to Farallon, as equity holder in Aston Resources, on the company’s merger with Whitehaven. Other recommended lawyers include ‘excellent draftsman’ John Sartori; the ‘technically unparalleled’ Marie McDonald, who is ‘wonderful to deal with’; Elspeth Arnold; and Garry Besson and Gary Lawler, who recently joined from Gilbert + Tobin.

John Elliott heads the team at Clayton Utz, which counts Arrium, Fortescue Metals, Credit Suisse, and Morgan Stanley as clients. Rod Halstead and Jonathan Algar recently advised AMP on its merger with AXA APH. Karen Evans-Cullen ‘really knows her stuff and is unflappable in negotiations’; the ‘highly experienced’ Rod Halstead ‘instils great confidence’; and Jonathan Algar is ‘an excellent manager of complex matters’.

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘deep’ 12-partner team is comprised of ‘quality individuals’, and is ‘best for complex and international engagements’. It advised SABMiller on its acquisition of Coca-Cola Amatil’s 50% interest in Pacific Beverages for A$305m, and advised the same client on its acquisition of Foster’s Group. Tony Sparks, who recently joined from Herbert Smith Freehills, is recommended along with Aaron Kenavan, Peter Wilkes, and Meredith Campion.

Steven Glanz leads Baker & McKenzie’s 23-partner team. Ashley Poke led advice to CITIC Group, as shareholders in Macarthur Coal, on Peabody Energy and Arcelor Mittal’s proposal to acquire a controlling interest in the company. Simon De Young combines ‘outstanding technical skills’ with ‘commercial acumen and deft judgement’. Richard Lustig is also highly recommended.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s ‘outstanding’ 28-partner group is headed by Andrew Messenger. It recently advised Macarthur Coal on its takeover by Peabody Energy, and advised Whitehaven on its merger with Aston Resources. Robert Franklyn is ‘one of the top corporate and transaction-focused practitioners in Perth’. Teresa Handicott, Braddon Jolley, and newly promoted partner Jeremy Horwood are also recommended.

Gilbert + Tobin is particularly strong in merger clearance, and recently advised Conquest Mining on its merger with Catalpa Resources. Tony Bancroft is a ‘go-to’ lawyer, and Neil Pathak, Peter Cook, and Andrew Bullock are also recommended. Garry Besson and Gary Lawler recently moved to Ashurst LLP.

Minter Ellison advised Gloucester Coal on its proposed merger with Yanzhou Coal Mining, while other key clients include Rio Tinto, Qantas Airways, and AMP, and new gains GVK and Taurus Mineral. Practice head John Steven, and Bart Oude-Vrielink are the names to note.

Norton Rose Australia’s 19-partner team has ‘depth of knowledge’, and provides ‘sufficient resources to close deals quickly’. Adrian Ahern advised JX Nippon Oil & Energy on establishing a joint venture with Xstrata. Co-heads Shaun Clyne and Con Boulougouris are also highly recommended.

Clifford Chance Australia’s ‘very sound’ group is ‘highly skilled and competent’. Highlights included advising Hancock Prospecting on the $1.26bn sale of coal projects to GVK. Perth-based Ian Cochrane, Jon Carson, and Tracey Renshaw are the key names to note.

Johnson Winter & Slattery’s group includes Damian Reichel, John Keeves, Shelley Hemmings, Austin Bell, and new recruit Marko Komadina from Gilbert + Tobin. Instructions included advising CP2 on the acquisition of ConnectEast Group.

Jonathan Ambler heads Maddocks’ practice, which focuses on mid-market deals and counts Petbarn, CMC Group, and QMS Asia Pacific Outdoor as clients. Ron Smooker led advice to Centro Retail Trust on its merger with Centro Australia Wholesale Fund and Centro Direct Property Fund. Peter Shaw and senior associate Duncan Hall are also recommended.

Arnold Bloch Leibler’s team is of ‘exceptional quality’, and is led by the ‘commercially astute’ Jonathan Wenig, who has particular expertise in the start-up market. Highlights included acting for a consortium on a A$415m takeover of Redcape Property Fund. 2011 saw the arrival of Rick Narev from Herbert Smith Freehills, and Jeremy Leibler was made up to partner. Michael Dodge and Ross Paterson are also recommended.

Known for ‘punching above its weight’, Atanaskovic Hartnell’s highlights included advising Glencore International on its successful takeover bid for Minara Resources. Key partners include John Atanaskovic, who splits his time between Sydney and London.

DLA Piper Australia’s 24-partner practice has extensive experience in complex cross-border matters. It advised Auvex Resources on its acquisition by Mineral Resources. Key names include David Morris and Adrian Smith.

Gadens Lawyers has particular knowledge of energy and resources, agribusiness, and REITs. It recently advised PNG Sustainable Development on buying back shares that were held by Inmet Mining in Ok Tedi Mining. Kym Livesley is very well respected in the market.

Henry Davis York’s nine-partner teams acts for a number of financial services clients. Recent highlights include acting for Pelican Products on its A$18m acquisition of Trimcast. It also advised Tinkler Group on its bid for the Abbot Point Coal Terminal. Robert Tracy, Scott Murray, and James Lonie are recommended.

Jones Day recently advised CSC on its A$480m acquisition of iSoft Group. Chris Ahern, Weyinmi Popo, and Tony Wassaf are recommended.

McCullough Robertson is rated for ‘excellent response times’ and ‘strong sector knowledge’. It recently advised Whitehaven Coal on its merger with Aston Resources and its simultaneous acquisition of Boardwalk Resources. Jim Peterson is ‘commercially astute’; Brett Heading has ‘strong governance principles’; Derek Pocock is ‘highly commercial’; and Damien Clarke has ‘deep sector knowledge’.

Piper Alderman is ‘excellent in all aspects’, and fields ‘in-depth knowledge’. Robert Postema recently advised longstanding client Beach Energy on its takeover of Adelaide Energy. Other key partners include Sebastian Greene, who gives ‘good commercial advice while always conscious of the risk exposure’, and George Raitt, who is ‘particularly skilled in research-related agreements and biotechnology’. 2011 saw the arrival of Wally McDonald from Clayton Utz, and special counsel Jacquie Browning from Maddocks.

HopgoodGanim, a ‘leading M&A group in the Queensland market’, provides an ‘excellent level of service’. Group head Brian Moller and the ‘very commercial’ Michele Muscillo recently advised Bow Energy on ArrowEnergy’s A$535m takeover. It also acts for Norton Gold Fields, Metallica Minerals, and Buccaneer Energy.

Kelly & Co’s three-partner team is recommended for its ‘high level of service’ and ‘practical and commercial legal advice’. Highlights included advising Australian Vintage on the disposal of Loxton Wines to US-based The Wine Group. Other clients include the South Australian Government, Santos, and Argo Investments. Jamie Restas is a ‘leading M&A lawyer in Adelaide’.

At Middletons, the key names to note include corporate advisory partner Murray Landis, and M&A expert John Mann.

Thomsons Lawyers recently advised Internode on its A$105m acquisition by iiNet, and other key clients include Osmoflo and Frontline Systems. Loretta Reynolds and department head Lucinda Smith are recommended.

TressCox’s Alfonso Grillo recently acted for Firstfolio on its takeover of non-bank lender Calibre. Garrick Higgins, Michael Bracken, and Ron Heinrich are also recommended.