Firm Profile > Squire Patton Boggs > Sydney, Australia

Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 2

Squire Patton Boggs’ arbitration practice relies upon the firm’s global arbitration strength and capabilities spread across 45 offices worldwide. The team has extensive experience handling commercial disputes for clients; it traditionally acts on projects and construction-related matters, but is increasingly being instructed in the energy sector. In the energy space, as well as in relation to investment treaty arbitration, the group’s offering was bolstered when dual-qualified Alexis Martinez relocated to Perth from the firm’s London-based office. Greg Steinepreis (Perth) and Cris Cureton (Sydney) are also names to note.

Construction Tier 4

On the front-end, Squire Patton Boggs supports its clients on the entire range of commercial contracting arrangements, project delivery, tender and procurement. Its back-end offering is equalling as broad, encompassing the full suite of construction-related issues and supported by the firm’s international arbitration prowess. In Sydney, Cris Cureton operates across energy, resources, infrastructure and public sector sectors while in Perth, Greg Stenepreis has a history of working on urban development, public infrastructure and energy projects. Alexis Martinez is also located in Perth, having recently relocated from the London office; he arrives with notable expertise in international disputes, particularly those in the energy and mining space.

Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4

Squire Patton Boggs has extensive experience handling commercial disputes, on which the team acts for a mix of corporate and high-net-worth private clients. Particularly noteworthy is the team’s expertise in corporate and shareholder litigation, investigations, regulatory prosecutions, and issues relating to Royal Commissions. The team is increasingly being instructed in relation to disputes in the energy and construction industries. Further, the group has been undergoing recent structural changes. It expanded its offering in Perth with the arrivals of Alexis Martinez from the London office and the appointment of Caroline Brown from HFW. Formerly at the Sydney-based office, 2020 has seen the departures of Avendra Singh to Johnson Winter & Slattery, as well as those of corporate litigator Amanda Banton and Shaan Palmer who are now at Banton Group.

Energy (transactions and regulatory) Tier 4

Squire Patton Boggs expanded its team with the addition of Simon Adams and Caroline Brown from HFW, while Chris Rosario was promoted to partner in mid-2020. Alexis Martinez moved from the London office, bolstering the team's capabilities in complex energy disputes. The practice specialises in domestic and cross-border transactions in the coal sector, energy generation and utilities projects, including waste-to-energy plants, and in equity capital markets deals for Australian and international energy and resources companies. Simon Rear works on transactional and financing matters, while Graeme Slattery leads on regulatory investigations, disputes, and risk management. All lawyers are in Perth.

IT and telecoms Tier 4

Squire Patton Boggs advises on venture capital investments, technology M&A transactions, and tech transactions more broadly, with notably US and Silicon Valley expertise courtesy of Richard W Horton in Sydney. James Konidaris rejoined the Sydney office in 2019 from London and has notable regulatory expertise in the Middle East. The team acts for domestic and international clients on a range of mandates, with many transactions cross-border in nature, and collaborates with global offices on multi-jurisdictional regulatory considerations.

Natural resources (transactions and regulatory) Tier 4

Squire Patton Boggs expanded its team with the addition of Simon Adams and Caroline Brown from HFW, while Chris Rosario was promoted to partner in mid-2020. Alexis Martinez moved from the London office, bolstering the team's capabilities in complex resource disputes. The practice specialises in domestic and cross-border transactions in the coal, lithium, gold, and base metal sectors, and in equity capital markets deals for Australian and international energy and resources companies. Simon Rear works on transactional and financing matters, while Graeme Slattery leads on regulatory investigations, disputes, and risk management. All lawyers are in Perth.

Real estate Tier 4

Squire Patton Boggs is geared to handle large-scale urban renewal and development projects, supporting at every stage of such schemes. A further distinguishing feature of the practice is its focus on commercial and retail leasing with several luxury goods multinationals and household retailers regularly instructing Dannelle Howley; she operates from Sydney alongside Rahul Parrab who fronts a specialist hospitality and leisure practice. Elsewhere in Perth, Mary Pringle has a track record for sales and acquisitions while Michael Swift delivers a number of niche specialisms including airport developments, agribusiness, and strata title unit developments; the pair recently joined from Clayton Utz and Allion Partners respectively.

Corporate and M&A Tier 5

Squire Patton Boggs has enjoyed significant growth, with Simon Adams and Caroline Brown joining the Perth office from HFW in a boost to the firm's transactional energy practice, while Chris Rosario made partner in mid-2020. In Sydney, Ashley Rose arrived from Watson Mangioni. The national team advises on a range of corporate transactions, regularly acting on cross-border mandates involving inward investment from Asia and the US. Perth's Simon Rear is highly active in the energy and resources sector, while Sydney-based Campbell Davidson advises a number of domestic and international businesses on corporate and transactional issues. Perth-based Tony Chong is noted for his work for clients across the Asia-Pacific.

Labour and employment Tier 5

Squire Patton Boggs acts for employers on a range of areas, including employment disputes, investigations, board-level advisory work for international employers and global business migration. The team is also known for a technical focus on contracts, policy review and industrial relations strategy. Key lawyers in the practice are Bruno Di Girolami in Perth and John Oakes in Sydney.