Construction
Our team provides quality and experienced advice for clients across the full life cycle of a construction project, from front-end contractual negotiations through to managing claims, disputes and litigation.
We work with local and state governments, global engineering and construction companies, property asset owners and developers. Coupled with our expertise and global best practice approach, our team is experienced to undertake major projects and public-private partnerships (PPP) projects.
Corporate
Dedicated to the corporate sector, we can bring you tailored solutions that are built around your situation, needs and ambitions. Our vast experience includes advising private, public and government entities, on everything from small and relatively straightforward transactions, up to large and complex global cases. We assist clients in the areas of public and private mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets, corporate governance, corporate advisory, employee incentives, restructuring and general commercial services.
Energy and Natural Resources
We are recognised for our world-class energy practice. Companies looking to leverage Western Australia’s mineral deposits and offshore energy resources continue to look to us for in-depth understanding of the industry’s legal and commercial issues.
We advise on a wide range of matters, including private mergers and acquisitions, farm in, farm out, joint ventures, shareholder agreements, project development, commercial contracting and corporate advisory. Within the team, we have a lawyer qualified in the People’s Republic of China based in Perth (including translators) to facilitate Australia-Chinese opportunities, both inbound to Australia and those seeking to operate in China.
Financial Services
For more than a century, we have developed a leading global financial services practice, providing a full range of the highest-quality legal services to investment banks, investment managers, commercial banks, finance companies, custodians, insurance companies and other financial services businesses. In Australia, we work with clients across the full spectrum of financial services – from regulatory advice to complex transactions.
We advise on a wide array of transactions, including acquisition and leveraged finance, asset-based lending, asset finance, cross-border transactions, construction finance, infrastructure and project finance, pre-petition workouts and restructuring, private note placements, real estate finance, specialised finance, structured finance, syndicated lending, trade finance and PPP Infrastructure.
Labour and Employment
Qualified in Australia and the UK, our Labour & Employment team is highly experienced in the labour laws and practices of each Australian jurisdiction and provides seamless advice across the Australian employment, industrial relations, immigration and workplace health and safety landscape.
Our practice spans both private and public sectors and the broadest spectrum of client industries, from mining and manufacturing to education and financial services. We provide a complete package to cover the workplace needs of businesses inbound to Australia, including access to tax and immigration advice.
Members of the team appear regularly in front of Fair Work Australia and state, district and federal courts and tribunals.
Litigation
Our team is known for its capacity to manage disputes, from high-profile, complex litigation to routine matters. We have strong advocacy and trial experience, together with the ability to work to achieve an early resolution if the circumstances permit. We have experience in state and federal courts and tribunals, as well as in arbitration (including international arbitration) and mediation.
Native Title and Heritage
We have significant experience in providing advice on all areas of native title and aboriginal heritage issues for local government, mining, resource, infrastructure and industrial clients.
Our team can provide assistance with all aspects of native title and heritage, from the negotiation and drafting of land access and heritage agreements to the management of claims, attendances and preparation of submissions to the Federal Court and developing native title strategies and procedures. We ensure that our clients achieve required legislative compliance and are able to manage statutory processes and obligations in a manner consistent with their commercial imperatives.
Australian Import and Export Regulation
Our regulatory team assists companies to navigate the stringent Australian standards relating to the import and export of goods and services. We provide advice and assistance in regards to imports and exports, clearing goods from customs, prohibited and restricted documentary export declarations, customs notices, import and export licensing and free trade agreements.
Real Estate
Our Real Estate Practice encompasses initial planning, acquisition, financing, investment, development, construction, leasing, liquor licensing, management and sales across the full life cycle of a property asset. Our services range from providing counsel in contract negotiations during the acquisition phase to resolving technical issues during the construction phase, to assisting the client with management and leasing issues during the operations phase. We also represent clients in connection with the resolution of troubled real estate loans and leases, including foreclosures and related litigation, loan and lease re-negotiations, post-petition financing, refinancing and loan workouts and restructurings.
Our team also advises clients on the need for environmental awareness in respect of projects and development, providing negotiation of agreements with government agencies, identification and risk management of statutory approvals and procurement and land delivery. Our team has significant experience in major urban renewal projects that encompass the full range of development, land contamination and sustainability issues. We recognise that sound strategic and statutory planning for approvals at the outset of a property project can mitigate risk and deliver identifiable financial outcomes to a client.
In addition, our team provides advice and representation in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) – for both developers and government agencies in respect of development and subdivision applications and proposed structure plans.
