Watson Farley & Williams LLP
Client SatisfactionNoted for its ‘excellent sector knowledge and good partner involvement in transactions,’ Watson Farley & Williams LLP is a key choice for clients across the energy, transport, and infrastructure sectors. The team is headed up by oil and gas expert Chris Kilburn, who regularly works with clients from the mining, commodities, transport, infrastructure, and energy sectors. The ’commercial and experienced’ Jan Mellmann specialises in domestic and cross-border acquisitions, particularly in the mining and commodities spaces. On the shipping and offshore oil and gas front, Daniel Saunders and Andy Savage are highly adept transactional lawyers, while Christina Howard and Mark Tooke work with clients from the transport and technology sectors respectively on international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate restructuring. Energy and natural resources specialist Tony Edwards joined the practice in May 2023 from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Excellent sector knowledge and good partner involvement in transactions.’
‘WFW has deep experience in renewables, with particular strengths in project financing. It draws from a wide team of experts to deliver practical, actionable solutions: much needed in the heat of a competitive transaction process.’
- ‘Andy Savage makes sure the process runs smoothly, also paying attention to items that often get looked over in the beginning but become pain points later on.’
‘Extremely professional, knowledgeable, and very responsive.’
‘Jan Mellmann is very commercial and experienced.’
‘Overall approach of the firm balances solid legal advice with business pragmatism.’
‘Andy Savage balanced legal essentials with business practicalities in an emerging sector of renewable energy. He provided constructive solutions and alternatives to deal structuring and took the time to understand the specific needs of a very new start up operating in emerging markets. He was always very prompt, efficient and thorough in the advice he provided and discussions which we had with him.’
‘Andy Savage is pragmatic and looks to find solutions to issues. He has strong renewable energy sector expertise in the context of corporate and M&A transactions. He also collaborates well and remains proactive in providing market and industry knowledge outside of the transaction.’
Key clients
- TotalEnergies
- San Cristobal Mining Inc.
- ECAM LP
- Harps Holdings
- The Republic of Guinea
- Beacon Energy
- Lightsource bp
- CNG Fuels
- CREDITAS Group
- Ultimate Aviation Group
- Dana Petroleum Limited
- Trafigura
- Star Energy
Work highlights
- Advising the Republic of Guinea on the US$15bn Simandou project, a large mining and related rail and port infrastructure project.
- Advising TotalEnergies on its £522m sale of a 25.5% equity stake in the Seagreen offshore wind farm to PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, a subsidiary of Thailand’s national oil and gas company PTT.
- Advising Lightsource bp on the £220m sale of a portfolio of 58 operational assets to a consortium formed of Bluefield Solar Income Fund.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Chris Kilburn