Allen & Overy LLP acts on the full range of infrastructure and energy matters, with mandates including roles on high profile telecom acquisitions, investments in wind projects and advising on investments in civil infrastructure projects in the Middle East. The firm demonstrates deep knowledge and understanding of a variety of assets, handling work from TV infrastructure, data centres and subsea fibre optic networks, through to wind, gas and green ammonia projects. Industry veteran David Lee leads the team and is singled out for his work advising on both indirect and direct equity investments in a variety of developments.  M&A lawyer Richard Evans sits alongside Lee at the helm of the group and has a broad practice that sees him regularly advise on multi-jurisdictional international mandates. Jocelyn Land is active on structured finance transactions, whereas Jan Skuhravý focuses on cross-border M&A and acquisition financing. Ed Moser advises sponsors, borrowers and funders on the development, acquisition and financing of energy and infrastructure assets. Sara Pickersgill and Emma Shelston left the firm alongside finance partner Stuart Rowson at the start of 2023 to join Kirkland & Ellis International LLP.

The London infrastructure market has seen significant movement of senior lawyers in recent years but Ashurst has managed to maintain a consistent team and indeed strengthened its practice further through the arrival of Katie Williams from Linklaters LLP. Trusted by many large international clients, the firm has an strong reputation for acting on complex energy and infrastructure projects, advising on both financing  and  buy and sell-side M&A transactions. Energy transition and net-zero matters also form a key plank of the firm's work, with team head  Jason Radford taking on an increasing number of ESG-compliant investment deals for leading industry names.  Radford, who advises on both brownfield and greenfield projects, leads the team alongside Michael Burns, a seasoned M&A specialist who advises on M&A and capital raisings, with a focus on energy transition as well as digital infrastructure. Gaby Jones is noted for the impressive scale of her practice, while acquisition finance lawyer Laura Ho is a first port-of-call for private equity sponsors, financial institutions, funds and corporates.  Naomi Nguyen has a focus on M&A in the renewable energy sphere, while Helen Jones is recommended for her corporate finance work.

Renewable energy and digital infrastructure mandates form the cornerstone of the practice at Clifford Chance LLP, with the firm acting for global investment managers on multi-billion dollar deals. The firm has demonstrable strength in all areas of corporate M&A and financing, including advising on innovative debt structures, counseling lenders on financing in relation to acquisitions, and guiding clients through financing the remaining stakes in brownfield infrastructure. The team regularly advises on wind development matters across the UK and Europe, as well as EV charging, telecoms, and fibre networks matters. Team head Michael Bates is particularly active on financing agreements involving fibre networks, while Charlotte Madden works closely with private equity firms and infrastructure funds on a variety of corporate deals, demonstrating significant expertise across a range of matters. Alex Dimsdale-Gil has significant experience in digital infrastructure acquisitions. Julia House  and Jonathan Dillon are both recommended.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP made a significant impression in the City infrastructure market with the hire of Sara Pickersgill from Allen & Overy LLP and James Boswell and Toby Parkinson from Clifford Chance LLP at the start of 2023, a move which allows the firm to act for an ever-expanding portfolio of national and global clients in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The sponsor-focused team advises a number of private equity funds investing in this space, and its offering is further strengthened by the global firm's ESG practice. While still a developing practice, the team has been engaged in a number of premium M&A deals, fund formations, joint ventures and corporate restructurings, with strong expertise in utility, digital infrastructure, and energy transition mandates. Pickersgill is a leading M&A partner who regularly advises top-end sponsors on high profile mandates, while Boswell leverages more than 20 years' debt finance experience to advise sponsors and borrowers on financing a broad array of acquisitions, including multi-sourced platform financings, holdco financings and equity bridge loans. Parkinson is a highly-regarded M&A practitioner, with his industry experience working as a director at OMERS an extra selling point for clients. The firm also added James McGivern and Emma Shelston from Linklaters LLP and Allen & Overy LLP as partners in 2023, with the former largely focusing on debt finance and regulatory work, and the latter on M&A.

Latham & Watkins fields a team of ‘infrastructure specialists’ possessing an ‘incredibly impressive breadth of experience across all major financings.’ The firm has a deep bench of transaction finance practitioners who can competently advise on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and co-investments, as well as advising funds and strategics on financing a range of infrastructure and energy deals.  The firm regularly advises leading PE investors through financing and refinancing infrastructure deals. Team head Conrad Andersen draws praise from clients as one of the most experienced figures in the infrastructure space, offering advice to lenders on complex infrastructure financing deals. Seonaid Todisco specialises in all aspects of infrastructure and energy acquisitions and financings across core and hybrid infrastructure . Co-practice head Simon Tysoe is an established M&A practitioner, with particular strength in oil & gas and energy, while corporate and PE partner Beatrice Lo is well regarded for her work in the energy transition sphere.  Rebecca Crowley is also praised by clients as being one of the ‘best in the business’ for acquisition finance expertise.  Well-regarded infrastructure M&A partner Brendan Moylan left for Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP in March 2023.

A firm fielding ‘very strong partners across the board’, Linklaters LLP‘ infrastructure practice is well positioned to act on a significant volume of high-profile deals, possessing wide-ranging expertise pertaining to all asset classes, with notable specialisms in renewables and emerging infrastructure. The group demonstrate an even spread of big ticket mandates both domestically and internationally.  Michael Honan leads the practice and is highlighted for his experience in wind assets and strong track record in energy-to-waste and water matters, whereas co-head David Martin is at the forefront of the group’s digital infrastructure offering, particularly in relation to towers, fibre and data centres. Ross Schloeffel focuses on advising funds and strategics on the financing and disposal of a variety of assets, while the arrival of John Guccione, previously of Latham & Watkins, bolsters the M&A capabilities of the group and helps bridge the gap left by the departures of M&A partner Jessamy Gallagher  and finance specialist Stuart Rowson to Paul Hastings LLP

Counting a stellar list of transatlantic clients, Paul Hastings LLP ‘s growing London infrastructure team has been taking on an increasing number of instructions. The firm has been investing heavily in the practice, as evidenced by the hire of M&A expert Jessamy Gallagher and acquisition finance partner Stuart Rowson in 2023 who bring considerable expertise and market experience from their time at Linklaters LLP. The cross-border practice  advises sponsors investing in the infrastructure market predominantly through M&A transactions, leveraging proficiencies in banking, capital markets and finance. Gallagher sits at the head of the group and possesses a strong understanding of the full range of assets from utilities to emerging digital developments, while co-head Rowson deals with the financing required to facilitate complex transactions. Infrastructure financing partner Derwin Jenkinson and M&A partner Steven Bryan left in autumn 2023.

With its entrenched reputation for high-end M&A across a host of sectors, Slaughter and May has a strong focus on the infrastructure market, with digital and renewable assets forming the cornerstone of the blockbuster deals it regularly advises on. The depth and breadth of the practice’s bench allows the team to advise on large-scale transactions for global industry titans, advising on holding company sales, business reorganisations and carve-outs that require integral corporate, financing, and construction expertise.  Considerable global reach is also displayed through the team's advice in energy deals across India, Africa and notably the Middle East - a jurisdiction where the group advised Blackrock on a multi-billion dollar equity stake in Saudi Aramco. Team head Michael Corbett is an M&A specialist, boasting impressive credentials overseeing complex cross-border transactions initiated by infrastructure and energy funds and strategics, as well as wielding a wealth of experience dealing with governmental and public bodies. Hywel Davies advises on a wide array of M&A, joint ventures and corporate restructurings, with a strong focus on energy and infrastructure mandates in Europe. Oly Moir has shown an impressive level of activity over recent months, working on mandates for a number of the team's key clients, with a far-reaching skillset that is especially concentrated on traditional and renewable energies. Iain McCann and Daniel Mewton also come recommended.

Offering multijurisdictional regulatory and transactional capabilities, Baker McKenzie LLP advises major industry players on landmark deals across the full range of infrastructure and energy assets, with a strong focus on energy transition and emerging asset classes. Beyond its proficiency in high-profile M&A, the firm competently guides clients through shareholder arrangements, equity injections, divestment strategies, joint ventures and sales via competitive auction processes. Furthermore, the practice continues to be a popular destination for those seeking counsel on sustainable investing, with the group overseeing an array of carbon project developer acquisitions, as well as the buying and selling of interests in carbon recycling and waste-to-energy portfolios. Practice head and M&A specialist Nick Rainsford acts for a slew of funds and corporates on complex, cross border deals, with a particular focus over the past year on fibre and interconnector transactions. Susie Davies joins Rainsford at the helm of the team, leveraging previous in-house experience to become a first choice expert for mining and mineral matters as well as broader energy deals.  David Duncan and Neil Donoghue are also recommended for mining and nuclear work respectively.

Demonstrating prolific activity across the UK, Europe, APAC and Africa, CMS engages in substantial volumes of  infrastructure transactional work, leveraging its wide array of resources to provide a full service to clients across the sector. Highly experienced Paul Smith leads a team that also includes co-head James Snape , who is often called on to counsel clients on secondary market financing and transactions. Bill Carr  and Kristy Duane are key contacts for infrastructure funds and investment platforms when they require advice on the acquisition and disposal of interests. Further expertise in this area been added through Edward Holmes who joined from Clifford Chance LLP in 2022 and focuses on domestic and international infrastructure M&A.

 

 

DLA Piper combines its extensive international footprint with a deep-rooted understanding of a variety of asset classes in the traditional, renewable and ever evolving digital infrastructure space to competently serve the interests of its premium client base. The team demonstrates an exceptional display of multi-jurisdictional engagement, acting on mandates such as wind portfolio acquisitions in Chile, power deals in Africa, and Middle Eastern tower deals. In the Nordic region, the team – routinely led by global co-chair of the energy and natural resources sector Natasha Luther-Jones – has a strong track record of wind farm deals, while in the UK the group has overseen first-time market entries from data centre manufacturers as well as natural gas supply transactions. Group head Martin Nelson-Jones handles some of the firm’s most important relationships, and is singled out for his considerable expertise in wind-related mandates, while energy specialist Tracey Renshaw has been a key-contact for Shell as they pursue a number of solar power and biogas acquisitions across the globe. Ben Forgiel-Jenkins also comes well recommended.

Trusted by  investment houses, multinational manufacturing conglomerates, and power companies, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP cements its position at the cutting edge of infrastructure M&A through a stellar book of work across assets including satellite and telecommunications, energy storage and gas, and renewable energy. The firm is also a leading player in transport infrastructure, counting Stagecoach among its clients. Global co-head of infrastructure Gavin Williams leads the London practice and counts pension and sovereign wealth funds among his clients.  Sarah Pollock is sought out for her considerable knowledge in the power and renewable energy sector, working on deals including wind and solar photovoltaic parks in Europe. Tim Briggs leverages his  regulatory background to advise on transport and water mandates, regularly working alongside Tom Marshall who is noted for his work with public sector bodies. Emma Stones is recognised for her support on a number of the firm’s key matters. David Wyles joined Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP in 2022.

Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s ‘multidisciplinary and multicultural team’, which is led globally by Philip Robb,  possesses ‘extensive legal knowledge’, allowing it to act on blockbuster M&A deals for an impressive array of global energy players, asset managers and senior lenders. The team shows a real strength creating investment platforms, as well as establishing other platforms in the UK focused on digital infrastructure assets. Beyond this work, the group has advised companies and private funds on investments in projects across Latin America, Africa and Europe.  Finance partner Andrew Gallagher‘s comprehensive sector focus sees him regularly work with senior lenders and borrowers on the acquisition and financing of a number of projects, most regularly with banking clients in connection with the digital infrastructure space. Florian Agnel has built an impressive portfolio of international mandates, with a broad skillset including M&A, secondary market and project development work. Philip Brown is reputed for his debt and equity financing capabilities, as well as his  understanding of the UK infrastructure market. Sarah Shaw focuses on M&A within the energy space – an area of work that has been strengthened further through the arrival of Alastair Young from Bracewell (UK) LLP in April 2023.

Spearheaded by Raj Karia, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright has ‘vast subject matter expertise and bench strength’, offering a strong competence across the full range of infrastructure and energy assets, with particular strength in digital infrastructure and transport. Given the global reach of the firm, the team advises on a litany of complex, cross border mandates, including key transactions such as tower deals,  for major financial and industry players in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Providing counsel to large global investment platforms alongside public limited companies, market veteran Stephen Rigby is a go-to for renewables work, with a particular focus on getting new capital into infrastructure. Christopher (Chris) Grieves has worked on a roster of big-ticket mandates and has been notably active on mining and oil deals in the United Arab Emirates, while Oliver Stacey‘s expertise includes telecoms and data centre transactions. At the more junior end, Andrew Davies and Mark Maurice have been exposed to a wide variety of work over the past twelve months and are recognised for their supporting roles on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Nari Ertem has been instrumental to the practice’s deals centering around Africa and the Middle East.

Pinsent Masons LLP  is active across the full range of infrastructure and energy matters and has a client list which features leading industry multinationals, investment funds and asset managers. The group is highly active on digital infrastructure deals, with mandates including battery storage and electric vehicle matters. The group is well known in the market for its strong cross-border capabilities, overseeing large acquisitions in areas like the Southern Sahara, Brazil and Australia, while also working on UK renewable and utility mandates. Gareth Hughes leads the global infrastructure M&A team, handling a steady stream of multijurisdictional mandates including acquisitions, disposals, and joint ventures, including a number of digital infrastructure mandates. Akshai Fofaria is principally recognised for his work on African energy deals - advising on some of the largest M&A and restructuring deals in the continent - and possesses strong regulatory and asset expertise. John Tyerman focuses on renewables and clean tech transactions.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is a frequent first port of call for some of the world’s largest buyout houses, such as Blackstone and KKR Infrastructure. Over the past year the team has been involved in market-leading take-private transactions, large-scale telecommunication deals, and multi-billion pound investments in Middle Eastern energy companies. It has also worked on matters including EV charging, fibre, and renewable energy developments. Amy Mahon leads the London practice, focusing on cross-border M&A and joint ventures, while Sinead O’Shea and Claire Williams are well-regarded for their experience with financial sponsors and funds seeking to finance and refinance transactions. Clare Gaskell is also recommended for her experience on private and public takeovers, working for a range of private equity and financial sponsor clients.

Well regarded in the market for its energy transition and ESG-incentivised work, Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP continues to grow its presence and client base in the market. Satellite, telecommunications, and fibre deals have been a particular strong part of the group’s practice over the last year,  as well as hard and social infrastructure mandates such as roads, transport and care services. The firm has seen significant movement in its team, adding highly regarded infrastructure M&A partner Brendan Moylan from Latham & Watkins in April 2023. Moylan arrived just as infrastructure PE specialists James MacArthur  and Ed Freeman left for Sidley Austin LLP .  On the M&A side Weil's team is also able to draw on the skills of former Slaughter and May partner Murray Cox. Meanwhile, on the finance side, the very experienced acquisition finance partner Paul Hibbert , who has worked with a number of well-known lenders on infrastructure transactions, heads the team.  Emma Serginson, who was promoted to partner at the start of 2023, is also noted for her experience on leveraged finance acquisitions in the sector. Kate McComiskey is also recommended.

White & Case LLP is heavily relied on by banks, corporates and funds to act on their largest and most critical infrastructure deals, boasting an impressive portfolio of multi-billion pound transactions across the globe. While traditional infrastructure and energy generation remain an important part of  the group’s steady stream of mandates, energy transition has quickly risen to the forefront of the deal agenda and the group has been active representing funds acquiring stakes in EV, fibre networks and data centre businesses. The firm also advises on transport-related matters.Team head Tim Sheddick is highly regarded for his transactional prowess, which extends across the full range of infrastructure and energy assets. Katie Hicks continues to impress in this sector, providing sponsors and financial providers with acquisition finance expertise that includes equity bridge, topco, holdco and senior financing. She is regularly supported by recently promoted partner Elizaveta Bazarova . Tom Pound, who was also promoted to partner this year, is active across a range of acquisitions, disposals, and joint ventures.

A popular choice for  international banks, funds and financial institutions, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner‘s cross disciplinary team brings its experience to bear on a number of major projects and transactions, with significant experience in broadband infrastructure deals and transport infrastructure. The team has a wide exposure to a variety of renewable asset transactions. Practice head Mark Richards is widely recognised as the main driver behind the practice’s project finance offering while Jinal Shah fronts the group’s M&A and capital markets work. Shah has extensive experience pertaining to digital infrastructure and renewable energy assets, routinely working alongside Marie Johnson who finds herself acting on numerous infrastructure transactions, restructurings and joint ventures.

Dentons is well known in the market for its expertise across the broadest ambit of the infrastructure market, with particular specialism in social infrastructure, renewable energy, transport and defence work. The firm supports longstanding clients on a number of high-profile PFI/PPP interests, with a deep bench of experience that allows the group to act on acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. Team head Euan Wilson is a secondary market PFI/PPP transactions expert, working closely with funds, strategics and foreign public bodies on a number of cross-border deals, regularly working closely with fellow Edinburgh-based team-head Gareth Tenner , who has a similar skillset. Third group head and rail specialist Matthew Hanslip-Ward is a go-to adviser for a number of established transport entities, while Humphrey Douglas has a practice predominantly concentrated on major M&A mandates for oil and gas companies.

A firm lauded by clients for being ‘commercial, proactive and dependable’, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's ‘dedicated and highly responsive‘ infrastructure team provides counsel to a number of blue-chip clients and major industry players on M&A, joint ventures and debt investments across a wide array of asset types. Digital infrastructure continues to be a strong area of focus for the group, with largescale tower deals forming part of an impressive portfolio of mandates over the past twelve months. Furthermore, the team has been highly involved in utilities work, most notably overseeing investments and disposals in water companies. The ‘efficient, hard working and well connected’ Federico Fruhbeck is singled out for his M&A work in Europe and Latin America, handling both soft and hard infrastructure transactions with an understanding of ESG concerns, while Robert Dixon is praised for his tower sector work. Alice Brogi has been highly active on a wide array of matters, from geothermal heating to electricity network acquisitions.

The team at Gowling WLG are able to demonstrate roles on big-ticket deals within the infrastructure space as well as advising on mandates including private equity investments in hydrogen companies and developments. Gareth Baker leverages his experience as one of the founding members of Gowling’s hydrogen group to advise on this work, as well as showing expertise across the board of renewables and sustainable infrastructure work. Dominic Richardson is also recommended for his transactional expertise.

Travers Smith LLP not only helms high-end transactions, but possesses a strong bench of advisers that competently handle the  specialist debt, regulatory and commercial aspects of the entire infrastructure and energy piece. The team has been involved in M&A, joint ventures and capital raisings pertaining to a wide range of asset types, with notable activity regarding renewables and social infrastructure. The highly experienced Spencer Summerfield  continues to be an active presence in the group, overseeing deals such as the acquisition of an emergency services business and the disposal of interests in infrastructure developers. Jonathan Walters  focuses on M&A transactions, working closely with funds and strategics on their infrastructure and energy acquisitions. On the debt side Ben Thompson advises lenders and sponsors on acquisition finance transactions. Hugh Hutchison, recently promoted to partner, is also recognised for his M&A proficiency.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP is active across the infrastructure and energy space. The team shows notable expertise in acquisitions, bid processes and debt financing regarding transport related mandates, as well as battery storage projects and renewable energy developments. Ryan Ayrton and Andy Savage co-head the practice, with the former highlighted for his range of acquisition financing work, and the latter for his strong transactional work involving social infrastructure. Christina Howard  handles a strong body of international mandates, advising investors and funds across a range of asset types, while Chris Kilburn, who heads the corporate department, specialises in energy work.