The Legal 500

Clients are ’very satisfied’ with Allen & Overy’s team, which includes lawyers that are ’committed to providing high-quality advice in a timely and responsive manner’. It is well known for handling landmark project finance deals, and in 2011, Joseph Tse and Beijing-based Yvonne Ho advised Export-Import Bank of China on a $2.5bn financing for the construction of Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas, which is the largest single-phase resort development in Caribbean history. Paul Griffin relocated from the firm’s London office in 2011. Thomas Brown and Roger Lui are also recommended.

Clifford Chance handles a range of infrastructure and project transactions in Greater China. Recent highlights include completing a four-stage, $1bn acquisition of 95% effective interest in the Hangzhou ring road for NWS Holdings; and advising Deutsche Bank on the HK$1.2bn refinancing of Melco Crown Gaming (Macau)’s loan for the City of Dreams project. Huw Jenkins comes highly recommended for his strong track record in Hong Kong, where he has been resident for 20 years. Other clients include China Development Bank, Bank of China and HSBC.

Linklaters fields ’a very strong’ team that handles large-scale projects and infrastructure mandates, as well as inbound and outbound energy and natural resources deals. Christopher Kelly and Stuart Salt are highly regarded, and corporate partner Craig Dally has ’great knowledge of the energy and mining sector’. Beijing-based partners James Douglass and Thomas Ng are currently working with the newly promoted James McLaren to act for Total, Sinopec and Kuwait Petroleum in a $9bn refining and petrochemicals complex in Guangdong. Trevor Clark relocated to the firm’s London office in 2012.

Baker & McKenzie’s projects, infrastructure and energy team handles a broad range of inbound and outbound instructions. Recent mandates include handling the planning and design of Express Rail Link’s Hong Kong section for MTR Corporation; a HK$5.5bn master redevelopment project for Ocean Park Corporation; and all matters relating to the HK$21.6bn development of West Kowloon Cultural District for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. David Smith is recommended.

Despite the recent departure of David Renton to Bird & Bird, Baker Botts L.L.P.’s clients still recognise the firm as ’a leader in chemical and energy projects’, where lawyers deliver ’an exemplary service and excellent knowledge of the subject matter’. The team acts for Qatar Petroleum and Power Capital Global, and is led by John Kuzmik, who has been resident in Hong Kong for over 20 years. Kuzmik works closely with Russell Wilkinson and Beijing-based Jeff Layman.

Herbert Smith Freehills’s group remains very strong on the projects side, despite the departure of co-head Anna Howell on sabattical leave in 2012 (Howell is set to return to the firm’s London office in October 2012). The highly regarded Alexander Aitken was part of a team that advised BNP Paribas, Hang Seng Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation on a $100m secured facility to PT Agincourt Resources for the development of the Martabe gold and silver mine in Indonesia. Hilary Lau was recently promoted to partner.

Latham & Watkins LLP is particularly well respected for its energy expertise, with recent work highlights including two Hong Kong IPOs, and numerous high-value acquisitions. The team recently advised the financial adviser and underwriter on Sinopec Kantons Holdings’ HK$2.2bn acquisition of interests in five joint ventures in the PRC from its ultimate controlling shareholder, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation. Practice head Joseph Bevash has significant experience in oil and gas, power, mining and infrastructure matters. Project finance expert David Miles is also recommended.

Minter Ellison’s ’very professional’ lawyers ’consistently meet tight deadlines, and always consider the commercial realities involved’. Department head Sam Farrands is hailed as ’an excellent projects lawyer’, and is advising on aspects of the Central Harbourfront PPP. The firm also wins plaudits for its experience in hotel projects, where it acts for clients such as Grand Hyatt.

Simmons & Simmons LLP houses ’extremely responsive lawyers’, who ’work around the clock’ and are ’genuinely interested in their client’s business’. The firm is strong in mining, oil and gas, renewable energy and project finance. It is advising Qatar Petroleum International on its joint venture project in China, for the $10bn development of an oil and petrochemical plant. Brian Downie leads the team, which recently benefited from the arrival of Vivien Yang from Clifford Chance, where she led the Hong Kong natural resources group.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s projects and energy practice is run by Alan Schiffman, who leads the Hong Kong and Singapore offices. Schiffman has recently handled a number of Indonesian instructions, including representing an international consortium on the preparation of its bid for the Central Java IPP project. The firm is also well known for its gaming industry expertise, and has recently added a number of new clients in this sector.

Clients praise the ’creativity and problem-solving approach’ of White & Case, where the ’responsive and commercially minded’ Hallam Chow recently represented Saudi Aramco on an $8.5bn joint venture with Sinopec to build, own and operate a grassroots full-conversion oil refinery. John Shum acted for China Development Bank and ICBC on the $1.86bn financing of King Abdullah Project 2. John Tivey joined the firm in 2012 from Freehills in Melbourne, and splits his time between the Singapore and Hong Kong offices.

Jones Day is highly regarded for its energy sector expertise, where it advises on oil and gas exploration, mining, renewable energy and infrastructure projects, and related M&A transactions. Benjamin McQuhae and Phillip Georgiou are recommended, as is practice head Michael Arruda, who is advising Castle Peak Power Company (a joint venture company between ExxonMobil Energy and CLP Power Hong Kong) on its high-value gas purchase from PetroChina International.

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has a robust reputation in project finance, and is well known for handling power, energy and infrastructure-related mandates. Asia practice head Gary Wigmore splits his time between Tokyo and Hong Kong, and handles project development and finance matters. Young Joon Kim handles cross-border project financing, and has a focus on transactions involving large Korean corporates and government institutions.

Christopher Stephens’ team at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP assists clients with both inbound and outbound project development and financing in China, as well as matters that include Africa, the US and South-East Asia. Power and energy remain core to the practice, as does its focus on the Vietnamese market. Recent highlights include advising the Ministry of Industry & Trade in Vietnam on the development of a $2bn, coal-fired power plant.

Paul Hastings LLP is ’always ready to offer solutions’ to lenders and borrowers on project development and financing throughout Asia. The ’excellent’ team is noted for its knowledge of the Filipino market, where Patricia Tan Openshaw recently advised First Gen Corporation on its $360m acquisition of BP Group’s Philippines-based power assets. Clients also include Export-Import Bank of Korea and First Gas Power Corporation.

Pinsent Masons is ’efficient and knowledgeable on project finance and energy matters’, and the lawyers ’bend backwards to understand their clients’ needs’. Recent highlights included advising The International Finance Corporation on the $1.5bn light rail transit PPP project in Manila, and advising the China Harbour Engineering Company on the $600m Mauritius roads decongestion programme PPP. John Yeap is ’highly competent in the energy industry’, and Ian Laing specialises in all forms of private investment in infrastructure.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. handles complex, cross-border energy projects for a client roster that includes CITIC United Asia, Oman Oil Company and Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration & Production. The key Hong Kong contact is Jay Cuclis, who recently acted for Reliance Industries on its $7.2bn sale of a stake in 23 oil and gas production-sharing contracts to BP. Xiao Yong is also highly regarded, and splits his time between Hong Kong and Beijing. David Lang made partner in 2012.

Ashurst Hong Kong’s ’excellent’ energy, transport and infrastructure team was bolstered with the arrival of finance partner Dominic Gregory from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in 2012. Demonstrating its particular focus on the natural resources sector, the team recently advised Daewoo International on the $900m financing of a cross-border gas pipeline project. Matthias Schemuth’s financial expertise puts him at ’the elite level of lawyers in Asia’.

DLA Piper recently made a number of lateral hires, including Robert Caldwell, who joined from King & Wood, bringing experience in project finance; and Heng Loong Cheong, who joined from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, bringing corporate expertise in the energy sector. Brett Stewien and Jolyon Ellwood-Russell also made partner in 2011. Clients include Linc Energy and Era Mining Machinery.

A strong choice for water projects and carbon credit repayment matters, Deacons recently advised a Hong Kong company on the successful unwinding of a PRC carbon credit prepayment transaction. Philip Gilligan has Asian and South American projects experience.

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP has been in Hong Kong for over 20 years, and is an eminent force in the energy sphere. Work highlights included representing new client Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration & Production Corporation in its $2.2bn acquisition of interests in US-based shale oil and gas properties. Ben Smith now leads the practice, following Stefan Ricketts’ departure for an in-house position. Jeffrey Blount is also recommended.

Gide Loyrette Nouel handles a workload that spans PPP and energy matters, infrastructure transactions, and power projects. It also noted a significant uptick in Mongolian projects in 2012. Hong Kong office head Rebecca Silli acts for clients such as Veolia Environnement and steel giant Vallourec, and recently advised Total Petrochemicals on a joint venture with one of the largest energy producers in China, to build and operate a petrochemical plant in Inner Mongolia.

Holman Fenwick Willan handles gas and oil exploration issues, transportation projects and mining and resources work. Henry Fung and Patrick Cheung are noteworthy practitioners.

The ’excellent’ King & Wood Mallesons houses a broad practice that is adept at dealing with all facets of project development, financing and operation. In 2012, the newly promoted Brad Galvin advised Asian Development Bank on aspects of one of the largest multilaterally sponsored build-operate-transfer deals in South-East Asia. Joshua Cole, David Bateson and Paul Starr are also recommended.

Norton Rose Hong Kong handles industry-specific corporate and finance mandates, including advising Hao Tian Resources Group on a HK$1.55bn acquisition of Venture Path Limited and its subsidiaries. It also advised Axis Bank on a $49m ECB term facility to build 18 wind turbine generators in India. Shaun McRobert and Jon Perry are the key Hong Kong contacts, and work closely with partners in Beijing, Singapore and Sydney.

Work highlights for Shearman & Sterling LLP included representing an American multinational chemical corporation on aspects of a $15bn coal-to-chemical project in Shaanxi province; and advising a major regional bank on the proposed financing of the 100MW Zhangbei wind farm power project. Shanghai-based Andrew Ruff is the key practice contact, and in Hong Kong, counsel Nick Wang is recommended.