Philip Thomson > Baker McKenzie > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Baker McKenzie‘s expertise covers every stage of the investment life cycle, from project structuring and development, and operating agreements to financing, joint ventures, acquisitions, disposals and disputes. The team is also well placed to advise on oil and gas transactions linked to energy transition. Richard Blunt represents a spread of national and international clients in M&A, joint ventures and project developments, while Andy Moody leads on multi-jurisdictional litigation. Philip Thomson is recommended for his work in the midstream and downstream oil and gas arena, where he regularly assists clients with project development and financing.

Possessing a ‘great team composed of various experts’, Baker McKenzie LLP is recognised for its regulatory, development and commercial capabilities. Richard Blunt heads up the Energy, Mining and Infrastructure practice, which works with a host of international clients. Mike Webster has a wealth of experience advising project managers and sponsors on concession, procurement and EPC matters, and a growing body of work relating to gigaprojects in the Middle East. Andrew Hedges is praised for his ‘enviable energy industry knowledge’,  predominately focusing on clean energy and energy transition instructions. Philip Thomson has most recently advised on large-scale oil and gas and carbon capture projects, while Luka Lightfoot‘s financial acumen makes him key to a host of matters. Rhiannon Williams is also recommended.

Baker McKenzie has a deep bench of talent across multiple practice areas, and its London emerging markets group works hand-in-hand with teams across the firm’s vast international network, which includes offices in Asia, Europe, CIS, the Middle East, and Latin America. The firm has a long-established presence in four of the five BRICS countries, and nine of the ten largest developing economies. Trade, export and commodity financings are a mainstay of its work, with Luka Lightfoot one of the market’s leading advisers to financial institutions, multilaterals, commodity traders, exporters, producers, and corporate borrowers. The capital markets practice, in which Megan Schellinger is a standout partner, frequently acts for emerging markets issuers, while the energy, mining and finance group, which includes key partner Philip Thomson, often takes the lead on large-scale projects. Banking specialist Sarah Smith is advising a DFI as lender on a loan/repurchase programme established to improve the liquidity of sovereign bonds issued by African nations. Nick Tostivin departed the firm in April 2024.