Joe Levin > Watson Farley & Williams LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Watson Farley & Williams LLP is well versed in handling M&A, project finance matters and litigation, advising a spread of financial entities and traders on oil and gas transactions often cross-border in nature. Practice head Chris Kilburn acts for sponsors and lenders on M&A in the oil and gas arena, while Heike Trischmann assists with the firm’s expansion into LNG and Joe Levin is a key name to note for upstream financing.

Praised for providing ‘strong and good quality legal advice’ to a broad spectrum of clients, Watson Farley & Williams LLP handles the development, financing and corporate aspects of large-scale international projects. With a practice spanning conventional and renewable energy assets, the firm has a growing track record in solar, offshore wind, and gas-fired power work. Practice head Henry Stewart is regarded for his renewables-related project finance work, both domestically and overseas. Joe Levin has a strong track record advising sponsors, lenders and strategics on oil and gas projects, while Katherine Best advises on a wide array of energy and infrastructure assets, delivery astute project finance capabilities. Jennifer Charles is instructed on project financings and refinancings in the renewables space. Paul Simpson, who joined from CMS in July 2023, is lauded for his ‘very deep knowledge of the legal as well as the commercial and financial implications’ of complex energy and infrastructure builds.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP has ‘a flexible and adaptable finance practice, focusing on the commercial outcomes‘, and clients note that the firm is ‘helpfully pragmatic in its approach‘. The firm is particularly strong in reserve-based lending deals. Lead partner Joe Levin ‘provides practical, solution-focused advice, and understands the commercial drivers behind a transaction‘. The highly regarded Philip Beswick recently assisted Levin with a $300m reserve-based lending facility to support increased crude oil production in the Republic of Congo. Jan Mellmann, who co-leads the mining and commodities group, and global head of oil & gas Chris Kilburn are closely involved in the financing of major projects around the world.