The Legal 500

Ali Budiardjo, Nugroho, Reksodiputro is known for its preeminent expertise in energy financing deals, particularly private power projects. The ‘excellent team has a modern outlook’ and its client roster includes international finance houses such as Goldman Sachs and Nomura, and an increasing number of Japanese banks. Emir Nurmansyah and Oene Marseille are both highly recommended.

Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners advises on financing in a broad range of sectors, including telecoms, property development and natural resources. The team recently advised the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation on a $50m financing to Indonesian luxury hotel owner Karang Mas Sejahtera. Other clients include DBS Bank, the Tokyo branch of ING Bank and UOB Asia. Indri Pramitaswari Guritno and Erwandi Hendarta are recommended.

Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung’s team ‘is very responsive, even out of office hours, and always willing to engage’, and has developed a reputation for ‘a lot of partner involvement on deals’. The practice recently advised the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China on a RMB 2bn offshore loan to the Indonesian Bakrie Telecom, the first commercial Renminbi loan provided to a company outside of China. The team also advises Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank on local financing matters. David Dawborn ‘has an excellent mix of local law knowledge and international experience, which means he can deliver practical advice’. Tjahjadi Bunjamin is ‘hands on, very responsive and commercially minded’.

Ratna Iskdandar and Gregory Ranslam lead the team at Makarim & Taira S., which recently advised UniCredit Bank on $50m-worth of export credit facilities to several Indonesian companies. The team also represented a subsidiary of HSBC on the provision of $20m-worth of term-loan facilities to Teguh Swakarsa Sejahtera among others.

Mochtar Karuwin Komar recently advised Barclays Bank on regulatory matters and the integration of Indonesian Bank Akila under the Barclays brand. Emir Kusumaatmadja heads a team that has developed a strong niche aeroplane financing practice, having advised Garuda and Lion Air on aircraft acquisitions in recent years.

Commercial boutique Assegaf Hamzah & Partners is increasingly gaining market recognition as a commercially savvy firm with an ambitious partnership. The firm recently advised the local subsidiary of HSBC in an appeal in the Indonesian Supreme court against PT Soba Surimi Industries. It also represented PT 
Berau Coal Energy in a $400m credit facility arranged by Credit Suisse. Ahmad Fikri Assegaf Assegaf and Bono Daru Adji are both recommended.

The ‘excellent’ Ginting & Reksodiputro in association with Allen & Overy is ‘technically extremely capable and has a high degree of commercial maturity’. The small but 
high-quality team is led by Daniel Ginting and is particularly strong on advising international banks on local acquisitions. It recently advised Itochu Corporation in negotiations with the 
Sinarmas group of companies on the proposed expansion of three of its joint ventures in the industrial estate development business. Andrew Digges is ‘very detailed and commercial’.

Makes & Partners has a strong track record advising state-owned financial institutions on major financing matters. The practice recently advised a state-owned bank as the issuer on a IDR2 trillion bond issuance. This small independent firm is a favourite with international law firms doing business in Indonesia.

The ‘formidable’ team at Melli Darsa & Co. is known for its efficient, no-nonsense business approach and quick response times. Zippora Siregar leads on the majority of transactions, and Melli Darsa is also recommended.

The well-established team at Soewito Suhardiman Eddymurthy Kardono is led by Darrell Johnson, and has seen an uptick in insurance-related work. It recently represented Chartis Insurance in connection with the restructuring of its local subsidiary, and advised GE Capital on the divestment of several financial holdings. 2010 and 2011 saw the departure of several partners, including the well-respected Susandarini, who left to set up Susandarini & Partners.

Widyawan & Partners has a strong pedigree advising on project finance matters particularly in the oil and gas sector. The team recently advised Inpex Masela on a multibillion-dollar financing 
for the development of the world’s first floating LNG plant. It is also developing its relationships with Japanese banks, and counts Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation as a client.

Wahyuni Bahar leads the team at Bahar & Partners, which has particular expertise in financing matters for oil and gas, and telecoms clients.

Boutique firm DNC has a particular focus on banking and finance work. The practice has some top-notch banking clients including Credit Suisse and JPMorgan.

Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners has a solid track record advising on establishing new banking subsidiaries and on restructuring matters. Fabian B Pascoal, Chadri Jurnalis and Al Hakim Hanafiah are all recommended.

Eddy Hendra leads a small team at Hendra Soenardi that continues to attract some chunky deals; it recently advised PT Adara Indonesia as the issuer and PT Adaro Energy as the guarantor on a $800m senior notes listing on the Singapore stock exchange.

Lubis Ganie Surowidjojo’s market profile has dropped in recent years, but the firm continues to be active with a number of banking clients. Mohamed Idwan (Kiki) Ganie and Arief Surowidjojo head the practice, which recently acted as local counsel to the banks on a $400m senior loan facility to a subsidiary of Adaro Energy.

Linda Wiyatai and Dezi Kirana lead a team at Soemadipradja & Taher that is ‘very 
client-orientated and worth the money’. It recently 
advised PT Newmount Nusa Tenggara on a $600m project financing for the expansion of 
Batu Hijau mine. The team also represents Standard Chartered on various regulatory issues.

At Brigitta I. Rahayoe & Partners, Rebecca Mohr leads a practice that has solid experience of banking and project finance work with 
Chinese clients.

The firm ended its alliance 
with Norton Rose Australia in 2011.

Hutabarat Halim & Rekan has been busy with several rights issuances and a number of due diligence mandates over the past year. Pheo M Hutabarat and Rosna Chung are 
recommended.

Mataram Partners’ ‘standard of service, thoroughness and genuine interest has been consistently exceptional’, with clients also praising the high level of partner involvement in deals. Oliver Wright leads a team that recently advised a British publicly listed company on a £4m loan facility to purchase shares in three local mining companies.

Oentoeng Suria & Partners has good relationships with international banks such as Morgan Stanley, Citibank and HSBC. The firm was recently strengthened by the arrival of Atik Susanto and a team of 12 lawyers from Susanto & Partners.