England - West Midlands • Projects, energy and natural resources

Browne Jacobson LLP

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Browne Jacobson LLP offers ‘a highly pragmatic, commercial approach’ and a full-service practice in the energy and infrastructure sector, working for a broad array of stakeholders in numerous sub-sectors, notably including the alternative energy space. Certain key areas for the firm include power generation, renewables, and nuclear, to name a few. The ’exceptional’ Paul Hill helms the practice, with vast experience of numerous areas including project finance, and greenfield and brownfield projects. Zoe Stollard joined the firm from Clarke Willmott LLP in March 2022, bringing with her significant expertise in the field of nuclear and renewable energy, and with a broader focus on non-contentious work. Nick Smee further strengthens the team, with particular experience of the automotive, aerospace and manufacturing arenas.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Browne Jacobson is a strong practice with a highly pragmatic, commercial approach.'

  • 'Technically strong.’

  • ‘Paul Hill is an exceptional banking lawyer who will work around the clock to deliver for his clients and does so with a high degree of professionalism.'

  • 'They provided innovative fixed-price billing based on discounted rates, which was helpful for a start-up company.'

  • 'I find them a diverse team with many interesting skill sets and sector interests, from IP through to nuclear energy and renewables.'

  • 'Paul Hill has been a hands-on and proactive client partner.'

  • 'Nick Smee was a knowledgeable IP partner overseeing the project.'

Key clients

  • Covanta
  • Suez SA
  • R Capital Partners
  • Welsh European Funding Office
  • Igneo Infrastructure Partners
  • Clean Power Hydrogen
  • Aceleron Energy
  • H2Go
  • PBE Group
  • hyperTunnel
  • British Gas
  • Acceleron
  • Onto Holdings
  • Ingersol Rand
  • Ferguson Advanced Composite

Work highlights

  • Advised Suez and its shareholders GIP, Meridiam and CDG, on the agreement to acquire its former UK management business – Suez R&R UK ��� from French-headquartered business Veolia for an enterprise value of £2bn.
  • Advised the Welsh European Funding Office on a tidal energy infrastructure project off the coast of Wales. This is designed to power more than 180,000 homes once fully operational and will be an infrastructure hub.
  • Advised Rcapital Partners on the distressed acquisition of (and provision of finance to) Avonside Energy, a Leicestershire-headquartered Solar PV service provider. The deal will result in the continued operation of a national renewable energy-linked company, facilitating the UK’s strategy to decarbonise by 2050.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Paul Hill

Paul Hill

Browne Jacobson LLP

Paul Hill is a partner in the Banking and Finance team principally based in Birmingham and he also serves as the sector head for Energy and Infrastructure at Browne Jacobson. Since joining Browne Jacobson in 2019 Paul has made a real impact in the West Midlands market, not only through integration into the commercial community but also through building and developing client relationships. He has also been able to leverage strong interconnections between the West Midlands and London. He has advised on a number of high profile deals including: (1) Rcapital Partners in connection with their portfolio of debt/equity investments in new and existing businesses; (2) Blazehill Capital (and certain founder investors) on the set up of a new alternative lender; (3) Quilam Capital in connection with their portfolio debt/equity investments in new and existing businesses; (4) IB Group in connection with their corporate refinancing and subsequently the raising of CLBILS finance; (5) PBE Group on a multi-jurisdictional holdco corporate financing; (6) NatWest in connection with the provision of a revolving credit facility to a UK university; and (7) LDC in connection with their successful exit of Addo Food Group to European private equity firm PAI Partners. Within the energy and infrastructure sector, Paul has utilised his strong connections, reputation and capability to bring together the breadth of experience across the wider firm to provide a strong fully packaged offering in this area. This has culminated in a stream of high profile work, including advising on some of the highest profile recent infrastructure acquisitions in the UK market and has secured a number of collaboration opportunities in the sphere with large UK City and US white-chip firms. Selected highlights in this sector include advising: (1) First Sentier Investors in connection with their successful c £1 billion acquisition of energy-from-waste assets from SSE plc and  their subsequent acquisition of the entirety of the Wheelabrator UK EfW business from Macquarie; (2) a global asset manager in respect of their proposed purchase of Suez’s UK recycling and recovery business; (3) PBE Group on a multi-jurisdictional holdco corporate financing; (4) AFC Wimbledon on the debt/equity financing and construction of their new football stadium; (5) Manchester County Council in connection with a District Heating Project; (6) Oxford University Trust in connection with a hospital PFI; (7) Performances Birmingham on the financing and redevelopment of Symphony Hall; (8) Homes England on a variety of and (9) Derby County Council on the termination of the Derbyshire EfW Waste Project. Paul has also secured a UK panel appointment for Hydromine Inc, a sustainable energy company focussed on the power plant origination and investment, on-boarded Sculptor Capital, a global alternative asset manager, as a client of the firm and has been involved in a number of panel tenders for large FTSE companies.

Next Generation Partners

Zoe Stollard

Zoe Stollard

Browne Jacobson LLP

Zoe is a partner in the construction team specialising in non-contentious (contracts) advice. She has almost 20 years of experience in advising UK and overseas construction and infrastructure, property, and commercial related projects. Zoe has a particular specialism in energy projects and has advised various stakeholders on a variety of public and private projects. She is highly experienced in creating legal frameworks for complex deals and developments, including construction interfaces with funding, property / leasing issues, corporate restructures, and agreements with interested third parties /stakeholders. She is also well versed in the nuclear sector, having advised on several Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply contracts for Hinkley Point C and now Sizewell C. Zoe’s advice covers a range of Head Contracts, EPC Contracts (including FIDIC, NEC), O&M and Supply Contracts. She also advises on interfaces between project contracts and the pass-through of risks, responsibilities and obligations to best protect the client. Zoe joined Browne Jacobson in 2022 after working for leading international law firms Reed Smith, Baker & McKenzie and Nabarro in London and Singapore, followed by national firm Clarke Willmott on her return to the UK. Zoe has an MSc in Construction Law from King’s College, London and spent over five years in practice in Asia.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Paul Hill

Other key lawyers

Zoe Stollard, Nick Smee