Environment and planning Tier 1

Among the market’s ‘leading planning and environment groups’, Norton Rose Fulbright is praised for its ‘ability to advise on and navigate the political elements of the planning and environment system’. It represents clients from the private and public sectors alike on a broad array of affairs including planning appeals, development challenges, compliance, risk management, incident response, climate change, and land acquisition compensation range. Based in Brisbane, practice head Rebecca Hoare has distinguished expertise in native title and Aboriginal cultural heritage affairs; her team also provides specialist capacity in relation to contamination, biodiversity, and built heritage matters and is able to call upon various technical advisers such as architects, urban planners, and environmental engineers. Sydney-based Elizabeth Wild is also a key name, providing the team with specialist knowledge of contaminated land and remediation law.

Transport: aviation Tier 1

Praised for its ‘deep industry knowledge’ and ‘willingness to seek commercial, practical solutions’, Norton Rose Fulbright’s core expertise is spread across aviation operational systems, regulatory frameworks, cross-border transactions, and environmental matters. The department, fronted by the ‘intimate knowledge’ of Tom Young, is also extremely active when it comes to aviation-related banking and finance matters such as airport refinancing, aircraft leasing, and engine purchases. Young is an authority on both Australian and international regulatory regimes, he works from Brisbane alongside special counsel Julie Brown; clients cite her as ‘proactive and easy to work with’ with her practice spanning airport operation and privatisations as well as intrusions into prescribed airspace.

Banking and finance Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright stands out for its recognised expertise advising top banks and financial services institutions, including leading domestic and international (American, European, and Asian) banks and investment companies. The department benefits from the firm's global network, which allows it to act seamlessly on complex, cross-border mandates from its offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Team co-head Nuncio D’Angelo is a trusted adviser to Australia's leading banks and leads on many of the team's major deals. He is supported by fellow co-head Alex Mufford, whose practice spans finance, capital markets, and restructuring. Junior partner Hamish Dixon advises on a wide range of financing transactions, especially in development, project and corporate finance, while Brisbane-based Chris Patten focuses his practice on corporate and acquisition finance, non-recourse lending, and specialised finance. Named partners are Sydney-based unless otherwise mentioned.

Construction Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright provides a cradle to grave service for major transport and social infrastructure PPPs in addition to energy and resources, technology, government and urban property development projects. Everything from procurement strategy, tender documentation and project delivery through to claims and disputes is handled by the practice which is able to call upon the firm’s environment and planning, real estate, insurance and insolvency teams to provide a one-stop-shop. Emanuel Confos, a project documentation and litigation specialist, heads the practice, operating from Sydney alongside Kevin Arkwright who represents a number of federal, state and local government entities on relevant projects. Elsewhere in Melbourne, Grant Ahearn leverages his track record in relation to office, retail and multi-level residential department development projects.

Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright has ‘a very capable and well-regarded arbitration team’, with ‘all the ability and resources to undertake the most complex of arbitrations’. Leveraging a ‘seamless cross-jurisdictional practice’, the team is routinely involved in international commercial arbitration in the construction and engineering, energy, telecoms, and mining sectors. It also often works alongside its colleagues in the Middle East and throughout Asia-Pacific. The team is also active in the enforcement of ICSID awards. Andrew Battisson in Sydney heads up the Australia international arbitration group. Dylan McKimmie in Perth is also recommended. Penelope Ford joined Hall & Wilcox in July 2021.

Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright’s main focus is placed on regulatory disputes, with the team having a traditional strength in energy, infrastructure, and telecoms sector regulation; Grant Bonner is a stalwart of Sydney's regulatory litigation landscape. In addition, the group is consistently instructed on inquiries and Royal Commission issues, as well as class action proceedings involving insolvency, shareholder, securities, and product liability claims. Where needed in cross-border matters, the department draws on the expertise of the firm’s global capabilities across the Asia-Pacific, the US, Canada, and the UK; it also adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and acts hand in glove with its colleagues from the insolvency, environmental and construction teams. Rebecca Whittle (Sydney) sits at the helm of the litigation group and is a key contact for government prosecution work. Cameron Harvey (Melbourne) leads the disputes group.

Energy (transactions and regulatory) Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright is a trusted advisor to a variety of public and private sector clients, including multinational oil and gas companies, investment funds, and state and local governments. Alongside oil and gas and utilities, the firm has a strong niche in renewables and energy transition work, assisting major clients such as Shell in their moves away from hydrocarbons. The team also advises on transactions and regulatory issues, with expertise in legislative regimes across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Perth-based practice head Paul Lingard is highly regarded for his multi-jurisdictional work for major clients, encompassing transactions, project developments, and operational issues. Also in Perth,  Dylan McKimmie heads up the oil & gas team. Syndey-based Kelly Davies is the firm's power lead, and advises on acquisitions and financing for major energy projects. Brisbane's Keira Brennan is active in the oil & gas sector, particularly LNG, working on infrastructure projects, disputes, and regulatory issues.

Financial services regulatory Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright acts for a global client base of international banks and financial institutions, as well as advising all the major Australian banks. The practice is known for its management of large-scale projects in the compliance space and has developed its risk advisory practice. Jon Ireland advises on the full range of corporate, commercial, and regulatory issues facing his financial services sector clients. He is co-head of the practice, alongside Claudine Salameh, who combines expertise in banking and insolvency litigation with a specialist FSR practice.

Insurance Tier 2

Spearheaded by Sydney-based Tricia Hobson and Brisbane-based Brett Solomon, Norton Rose Fulbright’s insurance group is a destination preferred by large insurers and policyholders. The team acts on mandates in Australia, the US, and London, for which it is able to draw on the firm’s global resources; it counts contentious, regulatory, and corporate insurance among its strengths. In particular, the team’s strong suit on the class action front stands out due to its ability to acts as both coverage and defence counsel across trendy sectors such as construction, healthcare, and directors' and officers' liability. Notably, the team is also very active in Covid-19 issues, where Ray Giblett takes the lead on acting for travel and hospitality sector clients. In March 2020, a four-partner team including Nicole Wearne departed to Clyde & Co LLP as did Jacques Jacobs who joined in March 2021.

Intellectual property Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright is well-positioned to act for large domestic and multinational brands, partially due to its ‘strong global footprint’ and its ‘extensive networks through the global IP community that can be brought to bear on any issue’. Primarily based in the firm’s Sydney-based office, the IP group advises on a full range of issues involving patents, trade marks, copyrights, designs, and trade secrets, both contentious and non-contentious. It also has strengths in franchise law, and sectors including life sciences and healthcare, consumer goods, energy, and financial services. The team is led by Frances Drummond - ‘a straight-shooter’ with deep expertise in trade mark law. Georgina Hey and Jackie O’Brien are also recommended. Senior associate Alyson Poole is also noted. 

IT and telecoms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright advises major telecommunications carriers on transactions and major projects, alongside acting for public sector clients on critical technology and tech infrastructure matters, including domestic and international infrastructure upgrades, procurement and outsourcing transactions, automation, and regulatory matters. Martyn Taylor has an extensive telecommunications practice, providing full service to carriers on transactional, contentious, and advisory matters. Nick Abrahams advises corporate clients on procurement transactions and cybersecurity matters, while Peter Mulligan specialises in communications law and acts for public and private clients on contracting arrangements and regulatory matters. Also recommended is newly-promoted partner Ka-Chi Cheung, who advises on both sides of procurement and technology projects. All lawyers mentioned are in Sydney.

Labour and employment Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright is distinguished by its reputation for handling strategic workplace investigations into employee conduct and compliance. Other clear strengths of the team are in advising on large-scale downsizing, corporate restructures and wind-downs, and in defending high-value, sensitive litigation, often involving allegations of discrimination and harassment. Industrial relations is another area of focus, especially involving the negotiation and drafting of enterprise agreements. The practice has an impressive roster of clients in the government sector, including major state and commonwealth agencies. Jason Noakes heads up the department from Sydney, with support from Sally Woodward (also Sydney), an expert on discrimination and harassment matters; the Brisbane-based Martin Osborne, who is known for his advice to clients in the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors; and the Melbourne-based Helene Lee, whose broad practice includes recent high-profile work in employment restructures.

Project development Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright has expanded its national projects team extensively, with standout additions including the transfer to Sydney of experienced projects leader Joanne Emerson Taqi from Bahrain, and Laura Walton's move to the Brisbane office from Clayton Utz. The firm acts throughout the life cycle of large-scale construction and infrastructure projects in the transport, energy, and mining sectors, with capabilities across bid tenders, contract agreements, transactions, disputes, and financing. Melbourne-based co-head Jo Crew advises on sponsor-side infrastructure development across transport and social infrastructure, with experience in complex PPP agreements. Sydney's Emanuel Confos oversees the construction team, working on industry standards, project documentation, and disputes. Luke van Grieken made partner in 2019 and has taken the lead on a number of major renewable energy projects.

Project finance Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright offers expertise in a variety of financing structures, including debt and equity, capital markets, and PPP arrangements. Clients include banks, investment funds, and corporate borrowers engaged in resources, technology, energy, and social infrastructure projects. The arrival of public sector and water projects specialist Joanne Emerson Taqi to the Sydney office from Bahrain bolstered the capabilities of the practice in long-term projects work. Melbourne-based Jo Crew advises on sponsor-side development work and lender-side financing matters, particularly in road, transport, and social infrastructure projects. Brisbane-based Chris Patten specialises in project finance and acquisition finance for infrastructure assets. Lisa Koch made partner in 2019 and has strong capabilities in African and emerging markets projects.

Real estate Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright is routinely entrusted for acquisitions, sales, developments, and leasing matters across a range of assets including residential, mixed-use, student accommodation, energy, and agriculture. Found among its key specialisms are urban redevelopments, social infrastructure projects, and owing to its enormous geographical footprint, inward investment into Australia by major global players. Michael French heads the practice from Brisbane, leveraging a long history of acting on all commercial property-related matters, including financing.

Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

The financial restructuring and insolvency group at Norton Rose Fulbright continues to deepen its bench strength at partner level, having promoted cross-border dispute specialist Jonathon Turner and active adviser to private equity Bernie Walrut to the partnership in January 2020 (both are based in Sydney). The department operates out of offices spanning Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Cross-border mandates are a particular strength of the practice, which draws on expertise from the firm's global network. The team is jointly led by Alex Mufford in Sydney and Steven Palmer in Melbourne. Other key names in the Sydney office are Scott Atkins, who often acts as an adviser to Australia's leading banks and insolvency practitioners, and cross-border insolvency expert John Martin. In the Perth office, the go-to practitioner for resource sector work is Jefferey Black.

Competition and trade Tier 3

At Norton Rose Fulbright, Sydney-based Nick McHugh leads the 'very commercial' antitrust and competition team, which assists its blue-chip client base with domestic and cross-border merger clearances, as well as defending complex ACCC investigations. The group has a particular strength in regulatory matters in the energy, telecoms and infrastructure industries. Other standout practitioners in Sydney include trade law group leader Martyn Taylor, Belinda Harvey and Claire Forster. Melbourne-based Andrew Riordan is a key contact for strategic contentious issues.

Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Norton Rose Fulbright advises on public and private M&A transactions, private equity deals, joint ventures, disposals, and venture capital investments, alongside equity capital markets financing, regulatory support, and corporate governance advice. Clients include high-profile Australian businesses and multinationals in industries such as telecommunications, technology, and energy. Experienced practice head Richard Lewis advises global private equity sponsors and other investors, including family offices and ASX-listed groups, on a range of acquisitions and disposals. John Elliott is highly regarded by clients and peers for his role in major transactions, including acting for Vodafone on its merger with TPG.

Dispute resolution: class actions Tier 3

Clients appreciate Norton Rose Fulbright’s ‘dedication to clients and business interests’. Acting on the plaintiff- and defendant-side the department adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to class action litigation – an area in which its work spans shareholder, securities, mass tort, consumer, and product liability claims. IP litigator Cameron Harvey in Melbourne heads up the dispute resolution group. Sydney-based insurance specialist Tricia Hobson heads up the class actions practice; she is currently taking a lead role in the firm’s defence of Arnold Bloch Leibler in class action proceedings raising questions regarding the duty of care owed by solicitors to shareholders in the context of fundraising.

Labour and employment: workplace health and safety (WHS) Tier 3

Norton Rose Fulbright's workplace health and safety team is known for working closely with the firm's construction, engineering, and environment and planning teams to advise clients carrying out major infrastructure projects, particularly those in the transport sector. In addition to the defence of regulatory enforcement actions and criminal prosecutions, the department provides advisory support, training, and governance management systems.  Sydney-based practice head Katherine Morris is a trusted advisor to major clients in the construction, transport, and energy sectors for both strategic and contentious matters.

Native title Tier 3

Norton Rose Fulbright advises on native title and indigenous rights elements of major energy, resources, and infrastructure projects across Australia, as well as in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Issues include land access permissions, compensation and disputes, and the negotiation of long-term native title agreements between Indigenous groups and proponents. Brisbane's Gavin Scott heads up the team, and is a regular advisor to major national and international resources and energy companies on native title issues relating to large-scale projects, and is often instructed on this basis. Melbourne's Elisa de Wit specialises in planning and environmental issues and has significant experience in Aboriginal cultural heritage issues and litigation involving traditional owners.

Natural resources (transactions and regulatory) Tier 3

Norton Rose Fulbright has a strong record in natural resources work across Australia, with significant presence in Perth and Brisbane. The firm advises high-profile mining and minerals clients, including major domestic and international producers, handling corporate and regulatory issues of major developments and projects. In Brisbane, practice co-head Keira Brennan is recognised as a key player in the mining sector, advising major clients such as Anglo-American on transactions, regulatory issues, and disputes. Gavin Scott specialises in life-cycle project development, with expertise in regulatory regimes across Australia and native title issues. In Perth, co-head Jake Howard works on financing and transactions for mining and commodity banks and developers, while Paul Lingard and David Jewkes are noted for their M&A expertise in the mining sector.

Tax Tier 4

Norton Rose Fulbright is known for its specialist support on M&A transactions, in addition to covering the spectrum of direct and indirect tax and revenue advice. Sydney-based team head Greg Reinhardt is highly reputed as a leading tax adviser to clients in the not-for-profit sector. In significant team news, Adam Smith was promoted to partner in Melbourne in July 2019. His area of specialism is in M&A and W&I insurance deals, especially for private equity clients; this is another area of work that the team continues to develop.

Capital markets

Norton Rose Fulbright maintains an active practice across debt and equity capital and securitisation markets. The firm's global footprint allows the department to provide a service that operates smoothly across jurisdictions and that attracts major international clients. The DCM offering is headed up by the Sydney-based James Morris, who has recently been appointed by the Asian Development Bank to advise on the systematic development of the domestic capital markets in Myanmar. Jeremy Wickens leads the ECM team, while Alex Mufford in Sydney is in charge of the securitisation practice. In a significant change to the team, ECM and M&A specialist James Stewart departed for DLA Piper in September 2019.

Papua New Guinea > Leading firms Tier 3

Now solely operating out of its Australia offices, the PNG team at Norton Rose Fulbright is highly experienced advising international clients on matters related to inbound investment into areas such as energy and natural resources, transport, and urban development. Head of the team Keira Brennan focuses primarily on corporate, M&A, and energy, while special counsel Paul Toua has taken on a more active leadership role in the team on corporate energy and resources matters. Principal consultant Karo Lelai departed for private practice in June 2020, but will continue to consult on key matters.