Indonesia > Foreign firms > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Allen & Overy’s capability in Indonesia is underpinned by its association with Ginting & Reksodiputro. The firm has been especially successful in M&A work and is a pioneer in Islamic financing; Ken Aboud led a team that advised Garuda on its inaugural $500m sukuk issuance.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP’s team is made up of partners with expertise in regional cross-border transactions, including those involving Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Brian Scott leads the Indonesian practice, which has won several new clients in the past year, including Brightstar, Carlyle International Energy Partners and Co-Operative Bulk Handling.

Singapore managing partner David Zemans leads the ‘responsive and technically able’ Indonesian practice at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP. The firm has ‘impressive’ partner strength, from the ‘consistent’ James Murray in the projects and energy space, to Jacqueline Chan, who is ‘particularly good’ in financing and M&A-related matters.

Barrye Wall leads the team at White & Case Pte. Ltd., which continues its longstanding dedication to Indonesia. Despite the difficulties in capital markets felt throughout the region, Kaya Proudian advised the Republic of Indonesia in several matters, including on its first dual-tranche Eurobond offering – the largest of a non-European sovereign to date.

Ashurst LLP exhibits particular strength in the energy sector, and receives instructions from heavyweight clients such as Pertamina (Persero), BP and LNG Japan. The group was strengthened by the arrivals of Andrew Digges and Jon Ornolfsson, previously at Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills LLP respectively. In addition, the firm is adept in the areas of dispute resolution, finance and restructuring, and M&A.

Baker McKenzie.Wong & Leow has a strong banking and project finance department, which is led by James Huang and includes Chin Chew. The team also has capabilities in capital markets matters, and an experienced disputes practitioner in Nandakumar Ponniya.

Clifford Chance’s full-service practice has wide-ranging strengths; its commitment to Indonesia is underlined by the firm’s association with Linda Widyati & Partners. Melissa Ng advises on M&A and divestments for energy and resources clients, while Matthew Buchanan specialises in infrastructure and energy projects.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer remains extremely dedicated and sought after in South-East Asia, and has been instructed in some of the largest Indonesian deals in the past year. The firm has strengths in a number of practice areas, but has been particularly active in corporate and M&A matters. Gavin MacLaren led a large team that advised Mandala Energy on the $179m Lemang production-sharing contract with Hexindo Gemilang Jaya.

Jones Day is strong in project finance, M&A and capital markets. Darren Murphy and Ben McQuhae are particularly experienced in the energy sector. The ‘client-focused’ Paul Kuo is a key contact for corporate finance.

Latham & Watkins LLP fields a ‘responsive, professional and vastly experienced’ team that specialises in corporate and finance transactions. The ‘insightful and strategic’ Timothy Hia leads the capital markets practice. Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi leverages her ‘experience negotiating with government institutions’ to advise Pertamina, Indonesia’s largest state-owned oil and gas corporation.

Linklaters Singapore Pte. Ltd enhanced its ‘good local market knowledge’ by further integrating itself with its domestic association firm Widyawan & Partners. The Indonesian team’s ‘deep bench’ includes banking and finance expert Philip Badge, who provides ‘top-class service’.

The team at Norton Rose Fulbright is growing rapidly, having promoted four new partners in 2015. Jeff Smith and Yu-En Ong are key contacts in the particularly strong projects and energy and banking practices. Ashley Wright left the firm for Pinsent Masons LLP.

Bill McCormack and Kyungwon Lee lead Shearman & Sterling LLP’s Indonesian project finance and capital markets practices, respectively. McCormack is advising FMO in relation to Indonesia’s largest wind farm project, while Lee is instructed by clients such as BNP Paribas, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank.

Gibson Dunn’s greatest strength is in the area of energy and infrastructure. With extensive experience in LNG projects, Brad Roach is advising a consortium of developers in their bid for the highly publicised Jawa 1 LNG-fired power project – the first of its kind in Indonesia. Through Saptak Santra and Jamie Thomas, the firm also has capabilities in M&A and global finance.

Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee exhibits strengths in a variety of practice areas including banking, projects and capital markets, but the corporate practice has been considerably active of late. In one such highlight, Stephanie Keen advised Navis on certain aspects of its acquisition of Tawada Healthcare. Noor Meurling joined from Oentoeng Suria & Partners.

K&L Gates’ Indonesian practice focuses on M&A and project finance. Lian Yok Tan leads the energy, infrastructure and resources department and was instructed by Bumi Suksesindo on the only mining project financing deal to reach close in Indonesia in two years.

Managing partner Matthew Sheridan leads Sidley Austin LLP’s capital markets practice, which advises corporates, governments and financial institutions. The firm also handles project finance and M&A. In addition to two new partners – Charlie Wilson and David Gartside, both previously at White & Case Pte. Ltd. – the firm has also seen the arrivals of three new associates and one counsel.