Clifford Chance — Australia

About

- Managing Partner: Charles Adams - Senior Partner: Adrian Cartwright - Regional Managing Partner, Asia Pacific: Connie Heng ### Firm Overview Clifford Chance is a global law firm committed to creating advantage for its clients. The firm combines legal and commercial intelligence to grow, transform, protect and defend its clients’ business. Operating as a single, fully-integrated global partnership Clifford Chance provides forward-thinking insights and tech-enabled solutions in the sectors and markets that matter most to its clients. The firm’s culture of collaboration and commitment to rigorous and ethical standards, ensures consistent, high-quality service worldwide. ### Main areas of practice - Antitrust Our global network of over 200 antitrust lawyers covers all the key hubs of Europe, Asia Pacific, the US and the Middle East, enabling us to support our clients on their most complex and important antitrust matters across the world. Our antitrust teams work together to solve multinational antitrust issues, taking into account the interplay between different practices and rules, and always mindful of the practical implications antitrust issues may have on our clients' business. - Capital Markets We advise major market participants including leading financial institutions, corporates, governments and supranational organisations across the world as well as first time issuers and other new players in the capital markets. Our lawyers cover the whole spectrum of capital markets work including debt and equity transactions, structured debt, high yield and trusts. Alongside mainstream capital markets issuances in the major economies we work on benchmarking and other innovative transactions including in new frontier markets. With over 120 partners and a further 400 lawyers dedicated to capital markets, as well as close links with our finance, corporate and tax practices, we can quickly assemble cross-border teams who combine local and industry focus with international perspective to provide practical, integrated legal advice for all our clients' capital markets activities. - Corporate We advise clients on public and private M&A, disposals, demergers, joint ventures, restructurings, corporate governance and regulatory compliance, with a particular focus on complex, cross-border transactions. Our integrated team includes experts in antitrust/competition law, funds and investment management, insurance, private equity and public policy. Our clients include many of the world's leading companies including more than half of the Global Fortune 500. Our extensive global reach, combined with international deal execution skills and local market knowledge, provides clients with access to 200 partners and a further 500 lawyers with global and local capability. Our team also offers clients the combination of focused technical and industry expertise across 12 sectors from financial services through to energy & resources and healthcare. We are also supported by partners in our market leading finance, capital markets, litigation, tax, pensions, employment and real estate practices. - Energy Transition We advise clients on the full breadth of energy transition-related matters, ranging from project development, construction and financing to M&A and joint ventures, as well as providing detailed regulatory and tax advice. We are also well-positioned to advise and represent multinational clients in cross-border litigation, international arbitration, investigations and risk mitigation. Across the globe, our lawyers are routinely involved in many first-of-a-kind and award-winning transactions as we support our clients in their energy transition journey, across onshore and offshore wind, floating offshore wind, solar, carbon capture, clean hydrogen, battery storage, EV charging, grids, interconnection, carbon trading, digital infrastructure and new nuclear. - Finance We have an expert international finance practice. We act on many of the financial markets' ground-breaking deals and have become trusted advisers to the corporations and financial institutions that define the global markets. We advise on a full spectrum of financial products, including asset finance, corporate & investment grade lending, derivatives & structured finance, fintech, Islamic finance, leveraged & acquisition finance, projects & infrastructure finance, real estate finance, restructuring & insolvency, and trade, commodities & export finance. - Intellectual Property We advise on the IP aspects of our client’s most complex and business-critical projects, including contracts, technology adoption, transactions and disputes. Our team possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of intellectual property law and its practical application in various industries. Whether your project is a standalone initiative or part of a larger transaction, we are equipped to navigate the complexities involved. We leverage our expertise to protect your innovations and maximise the value of your intellectual assets, ensuring that your business remains competitive and secure. - Litigation & Dispute Resolution Clifford Chance's global litigation & dispute resolution practice has around 500 lawyers based in the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the United States, who are experienced in the full spectrum of litigation, dispute resolution and regulatory issues that our clients face. Our highly qualified teams are focused on resolving high risk litigation, international arbitration and regulatory investigations. We are committed to resolving disputes as efficiently as possible and are focused on offering solutions that are practical and commercial. Our peers know that we are always prepared to proceed, however, and recognise our record in delivering results for clients in major litigation and arbitrations. Our credibility is also acknowledged by regulators and prosecutors, which assists with the effective resolution of investigations and other negotiations. - Real Estate Acting for the real estate industry's leading players, we advise on the full range of real estate-related transactions. With an integrated network of highly qualified individuals, we have the commitment, resources and know-how to get your deals done, whatever and wherever they are. Forward thinking and commercial in our approach, with a proven ability to deliver complex deals, we handle the entire property 'life-cycle' from the initial acquisition, development, leasing, joint venturing and financing through to the final exit. Our scale, geographical reach and seamless, coordinated approach means that we can support any real estate project. - Sustainability and ESG We provide support as businesses pursue the opportunities presented by the exponential growth of sustainable finance and investment opportunities, action on emissions, climate tech, innovation and infrastructure to facilitate the energy transition, and the promotion of human rights, talent and diversity in the workforce across businesses and supply chains. Core to business resilience in a time of change, are corporate governance frameworks that support coherent management of the opportunities and risks associated with a just transition to a carbon neutral or negative future. We advise clients internationally and locally as they incorporate ESG into business strategies and implement ESG in operations, supply chains and business relationships throughout value chains. We support businesses as they seek to transition to net zero and invest in new clean or low carbon businesses or products. We provide advice on comprehensive ESG management, implementing net zero strategies, identifying risks and obligations such an increasing reporting disclosure and due diligence requirements on ESG matters, to assistance with litigation, dispute and reputation risks arising from ESG, where effective stakeholder engagement is increasingly paramount. - Tax, Pensions, Employment and Incentives Unlike many competitors, we have offices with tax expertise across the globe and with over 170 tax advisors worldwide, we possess one of the largest international tax groups of any single law firm. We deliver commercial advice across the full spectrum of international and domestic tax issues and have unparalleled experience in advising on cross-border transactions. Our experienced employment, incentives and pensions specialists work with clients from a wide range of sectors to address local and cross-border issues. - Asia Pacific offices: Perth, Sydney, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore ### International offices - Abu Dhabi: Tel: +971 2 419 2500 - Amsterdam: Tel: +31 20 711 9000 - Barcelona: Tel: +34 93344 2200 - Beijing: Tel: +86 10 6505 9018 - Brussels: Tel: +32 2 533 5911 - Bucharest*: Tel: +40 21 666 6100 - Casablanca: Tel: +212 5201 3 2080 - Delhi: Tel: +91 (0) 124 401 7300 - Dubai: Tel: +971 4 362 0444 - Düsseldorf: Tel: +49 211 43 550 - Frankfurt: Tel: +49 69 71 9901 - Hong Kong: Tel: +852 2825 8888 - Houston: Tel: +1 713 821 2800 - Istanbul: Tel: +90 212 339 0001 - London: Tel: +44 20 7006 1000 - Luxembourg: Tel: +352 48 50 501 - Madrid: Tel: +34 91 590 7500 - Milan: Tel: +39 02 806 341 - Munich: Tel: +49 8921 6320 - Newcastle: Tel: +442070061000 - New York: Tel: +1 212 878 8000 - Paris: Tel: +33 1 44 05 52 52 - Perth: Tel: +61 8 9262 5555 - Prague**: Tel: +420222555222 - Riyadh***: Tel: +966 1 478 0220 - Rome: Tel: +39 06 422 911 - São Paulo: Tel: +55 11 3049 3188 - Shanghai: Tel: +86 21 6335 0086 - Singapore: Tel: +65 6410 2200 - Sydney: Tel: +61 2 8922 8000 - Tokyo: Tel: +81 3 5561 6600 - Warsaw: Tel: +48 22 627 1177 - Washington DC: Tel: + 1 202 912 5000 *Clifford Chance has entered into an association agreement with Clifford Chance Badea SPRL in Bucharest. **Clifford Chance has entered into an association agreement with Clifford Chance Prague Association S.R.O. in Prague. - ***AS&H Clifford Chance, a joint venture entered into by Clifford Chance LLP ### Staffing Figures - 99 Number of partners - 554 Number of fee-earners

Office locations

Practice areas

Lawyers in this office

Brad Woodhouse

Brad specialises in large scale, complex commercial litigation, with a particular focus on strategic and reputationally significant claims, including class actions and test cases. Brad has acted on a number of the country’s largest pieces of litigation across a range of industries, including financial services, professional negligence, employment, natural disasters and product liability. · Litigation

Chad Bochan

Chad Bochan advises on energy and infrastructure financings in Asia Pacific. He also works on IBOR transition mandates for domestic and international clients, and leads Clifford Chance's Australian financial markets regulatory practice. · Project Finance

Elizabeth Hundt Russell

Banking & Finance

Elizabeth Richmond

Elizabeth Richmond is a globally recognised antitrust lawyer, with a practice spanning the full spectrum of antitrust work, from regulatory advice to litigation. She is consistently ranked in legal directories including Chambers, Legal 500, Who's Who Legal, and the Global Competition Review. In addition to her busy practice, Elizabeth is a frequent speaker and author. · Antitrust

Julia Dreosti

Julia is an experienced arbitration and litigation practitioner, advising and representing clients on the full spectrum of contentious national and international disputes across a wide range of sectors including aerospace and defence, construction and infrastructure, energy and resources, government and corporates. Julia acts as both counsel and arbitrator. She also regularly advises clients on dispute avoidance, contract administration and risk minimisation at all stages of the major project lifecycle. · Litigation

Nadia Kalic

Nadia Kalic advises on M&A and Projects transactions with a particular focus on private capital in the energy and infrastructure sectors. She has worked on transactions across Europe, MENA, APAC and Australia. · Corporate / M&A

Naomi Griffin

With over 20 years' experience in her legal career, Naomi has acted for clients across a range of sectors and industries on complex commercial litigation, class actions and regulatory investigations. She has experience litigating in the Federal Court and Supreme Courts of NSW and Victoria as well as in the Queens Bench division in the UK (being admitted as a solicitor in NSW and the High Court of Australia and in England and Wales). She has advised clients in parliamentary inquiries and follow-on litigation to such inquiries. Naomi is Co-Chair of the firm's global Class Actions and Group Litigation Group, Chair of the Innovation & Best Delivery Committee for APAC and a member of the global ESG Risk working group. Naomi previously worked for a top tier Australian firm, in-house at a global bank and in-house at a wealth manager. She has training and experience as a legal project manager and regularly integrates technology into her team's project delivery. Naomi is highly regarded by clients for her technical skills and trial experience. Legal 500 recognised Naomi as a "Next Generation Partner" in 2023. Naomi is a passionate supporter of the firm's Accelerate network promoting greater diversity and inclusion. · Litigation

Nikki Smythe

Nikki is a finance and restructuring practitioner with extensive experience advising on complex domestic and cross-border financing, debt restructuring and insolvency transactions. Nikki acts for private credit funds, private equity funds, alternative investment funds, corporates, investment banks and other financial institutions on a broad range of financing, restructuring & insolvency matters including special situations lending, structured finance, complex real estate financing transactions, securitisation, rescue finance and restructurings, and distressed loan portfolio sales. Nikki is highly experienced across a broad range of financing products and across multiple sectors, including real estate, financial services, mining, mining services, aviation, logistics, tech and healthcare, and uses this experience to help clients find innovative and bespoke financing solutions that meet the needs of their specific situations. · Banking & Finance

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Pat Saraceni

Dr Pat Saraceni is Director in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution team and is experienced in complex commercial and contractual disputes. Pat focuses predominately in the offshore and maritime, energy, mining and insurance sectors. Pat leads the Australian Maritime Team. · Litigation

Richard Gordon

Richard Gordon specialises in financing transactions, including leveraged acquisitions, project and infrastructure transactions, corporate lending and restructurings, acting for both lenders and borrowers. Before joining Clifford Chance, Richard was a Partner and the head of the banking & financial services sector at a leading Australian firm. · Banking & Finance

Robert Tang

Robert Tang is a specialist in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration across Australia and the broader Asia Pacific region, with a particular focus on construction & infrastructure, energy & resources and digital infrastructure. Robert acts as counsel and as arbitrator. Robert has extensive domestic and international experience in leading large-scale, high profile and complex commercial litigation and international arbitration, including international commercial arbitrations conducted under the ACICA, HKIAC, ICC, UNICTRAL and SIAC Rules. He is widely recognised in key legal directories including Legal500 (Rising Star for International Arbitration - 2021 to 2024, Next Generation Partner for International Arbitration - 2025 and featured on the Legal500 Arbitration Powerlist: Australia and New Zealand 2022), Best Lawyers (Alternative Dispute Resolution - 2020 to 2025 and International Arbitration - 2025), Doyle’s Guide (Leading Arbitration Lawyers – 2025) and was the recipient of the Young ADR Practitioner of the Year in the Australian ADR Awards 2018. Rob was also recognised in the Asian-Australian Leadership Awards 2024 (formerly "40 under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australian Awards"). · Litigation