Gaelan Cooney, who acts as the firm’s Global mining chair, and Paul Lingard head up Ashurst’s team, which is known for its breadth, demonstrated by its ability to assist experienced producers, junior explorers, as well as banks and investors that provide funding to them. The group deals with a range of natural resources and critical minerals, such as lithium, rare earths and copper, and retains a presence in its clients’ projects from inception until end. The firm has recently bolstered the team through Lingard's arrival from Norton Rose Fulbright in August 2022. Contentious matters expert Catherine Pedler and project finance specialist associate Marina Tinning are standout practitioners in the team.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Ashurst were very proactive and timely in delivering advice to ensure that the company was in full compliance with the legislation and also advised on the commercial arrangements with the respective brokers. The engagement was over a very short period and hence the Ashurst team worked quickly and diligently to meet the required deadlines.’
‘The individual partners took it upon themselves to get actively involved in the transaction and deliver timely advice followed by prompt follow-up to ensure that nothing was missed. The manner in which they work was very efficient and friendly whilst providing good feedback on what actions were required to be undertaken to meet the deadline.’
‘Paul Lingard is consistently excellent, good to deal with either as a client or a counterparty and leads a tight-knit quality team. Ashurst in Perth has now has enough bench strength to take on large transactions in the energy and resources sectors.'
‘They are excellent practitioners. Paul Lingard in particular brings a rare depth of commercial knowledge to his resources practice and is a great 'front-end' partner in thinking through complex issues and coming up with appropriate solutions.'
Key clients
- Arafura Rare Earths
- Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
- Cargill International Trading
- Thunderbird Operations
- Sibanye-Stillwater
- Whitehaven Coal
- Anglo American
- Harmony Gold
- Albemarle
- Vulcan Energy
- Energy Resources Australia
- Sojitz Corporation
- Lithium Power International
- Appian Capital
- Lithium Plus Minerals
Work highlights
- Advised Sibanye-Stillwater and Sibanye Australia (an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater) on Sibanye Australia's unsolicited off-market takeover bid under Chapter 6 of the Corporations Act to acquire all of the ordinary shares in New Century for $1.10 cash per share.
- Advising Arafura Rare Earths on raising debt finance for the Nolans Project, a rare earths project located north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
- Advising Albemarle on the expansion of its USD$1.5bn Kemerton-based lithium hydroxide refinery, which is designed to process nearly 1 million tonnes of spodumene ore concentrate per annum, sourced from the Talison Greenbushes operation.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Gaelan Cooney, Paul Lingard