The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Norton Rose Australia is a second tier firm,

Alison Deitz heads the team at Norton Rose Australia, which recently recruited Nuncio D’Angelo from King & Wood Mallesons, and Tessa Hoser. Clients praise the team’s ‘quick response times, thorough legal knowledge’ and ‘unparalleled commercial acumen’. Alongside colleagues in Hong Kong and Beijing, it advised China Development Bank and Bank of China on a syndicated A$426m project finance loan facility and a A$37.4m working capital facility for Moly Mines.

Within Capital markets, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia is gaining a fine reputation following the arrival of Tessa Hoser, as well as former Herbert Smith Freehills duo Scott Millar and special counsel Vittorio Casamento(‘very commercial and committed’). It recently advised Brisbane Airport on a A$1.5bn medium-term note programme.

Within Competition and trade, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia hired Martyn Taylor from Gilbert + Tobin in 2011. Nick McHugh recently assisted Japan Airlines in reaching a settlement with the ACCC for alleged price fixing. The team is ‘dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals’, often going ‘beyond the call of duty’.

Within Construction, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s team is led by the ‘knowledgeable’ Grant Ahearn, and attracts praise for its ‘rapid’ and ‘timely’ responses. ‘Outstanding performer’ Matthew Croagh is a ‘leader in the field’, and Rob Buchanan is a ‘great advocate’. Bill Ryan recently advised Roy Hill Rail on a bid to construct a A$1.5bn railway in Western Australia.

Within Corporate and M&A, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

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.

Within Dispute resolution, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s 70-partner litigation group ‘goes above and beyond what is expected’, and is led by the ‘strategic and tactical’ Tom Jarvis, ‘one of Australia’s leading litigators’. Also singled out are the ‘brilliant’ Ashley Tsacalos, and ‘outstanding litigation lawyer’ Justin Marschke. Jackie O’Brien, formerly of Allens, is one of a number of recent additions to the team. Key clients include GlaxoSmithKline and BHP Billiton.

Within Employment, Norton Rose Australia is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia is the ‘pre-eminent occupational health and safety firm in Australia’. The group acted in numerous IR disputes within the resources and construction sectors, and Martin Osborne led advice to Bechtel Australia on enterprise agreements. Michael Tooma, Sally Woodward, David Cross, and Siobhan Flores-Walsh are also recommended.

Within Energy and resources, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s key figures include Vincent Dwyer, James Stewart, and Jeremy Wickens. It has ‘strong M&A knowledge’, and is rated for ‘attention to detail’ and ‘good understanding of the resources industry’. Highlights included advising AGL on the sale of its Oaklands Hill wind farm to an Australian company.

Within Foreign firms,

Clifford Chance Australia is sill a relative newcomer; having partnered with two local boutiques, it continues to gain pace in the market. The same applies to Allen & Overy LLP, Norton Rose Australia and DLA Piper Australia; all have taken on key lateral hires. Squire Sanders recently opened an office in Perth, taking a number of partners from Minter Ellison.

Within Insurance, Norton Rose Australia is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia is ‘clearly committed to the insurance industry’ and has a ‘broad client base’. The 14-partner group includes Nicole Wearne, an ‘emerging legal leader in insurance’ who is ‘tactically excellent’, and gives ‘succinct and to-the-point advice’. Tricia Hobson is a ‘leading insurance litigator’; she is defending the Australian underwriters of Willmott Forests against claims by investors in its managed investment schemes.

Within Intellectual property, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia ‘impresses with the quality of its work’, and gives ‘detailed responses’. Cameron Harvey is ‘particularly good’ as are Michael Park, Bernard O’Shea and Jackie O’Brien. The firm recently hired Frances Drummond from Herbert Smith Freehills, who has ‘many years of experience’ and adopts a ‘very commercial approach’. Key clients include GlaxoSmithKline.

Within Projects and infrastructure, Norton Rose Australia is a second tier firm,

The ‘thorough’ and ‘commercial’ team at Norton Rose Australia advises sponsors and banks on inbound investments in mining and resources projects. Highlights included acting for Gladstone Ports Corporation on a A$3bn project, and it also acts for AGL Energy. Vincent Dwyer heads the group, which includes the ‘outcome focused’ Grant Ahearn, and Chris Redden, who recently joined from the Hong Kong office.

Within Real estate, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s 11-partner practice is advising the Juniper Group on the Soul project in Queensland, a mixed-use development valued at A$850m. It is also advising Stockland on its office and industrial asset disposal programme. Peter Trevaskis heads the practice, and is recommended along with Tom Young.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s ‘well resourced’ team frequently advises on the collapse of tax-driven financial instruments, particularly managed investment schemes. David Porter is ‘technically competent’, and Steven Palmer has a ‘strong service focus’. Alison Deitz and David Goldman are other names to note.

Within TMT, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s ‘very responsive’ transactional practice advises a number of government bodies, and won appointments to the panels of Microsoft and Vodafone Hutchison. ‘Commercially astute’ team head Nick Abrahams acted for Sensis on its digital transformation project, and is advising Microsoft on its cloud computing service. Recent arrival Martyn Taylor has regulatory expertise.

Within Tax, Norton Rose Australia is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s team is ‘skilful’ in managed investment schemes and funds, and recently added Bank of America and China Development Bank to its client roster. The ‘brilliant’ Peter Norman ‘marshals complex material, and provides practical and comprehensible guidance’. Paul Humphreys recently joined from Clayton Utz, and is recommended along with Andrew Spalding.

Within Transport, Norton Rose Australia is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose Australia’s practice provides ‘credible’ and ‘accurate’ advice and is ‘extremely price competitive’. It handles cross-border transactions spanning rail, shipping and aviation; Ernest Van Buuren acted for Costamare and its insurer on the grounding of the MV Rena, and Alen Pazin advised Brookfield Rail on financing its rail infrastructure expansion in Western Australia. The ‘excellent’ Tom Young shows a real understanding of clients’ businesses, and Adrian Ahern is also recommended.