Australia's most client focused law firm - that's how we want our clients to think of Clayton Utz. We do this by focusing on the relationships we build. This means being responsive, listening to our clients needs, understanding their business structures, goals and objectives, and providing practical, commercially driven advice - every time.
Our client base includes a number of the top 100 Australian companies as well as over 250 Federal and State Government Departments, Agencies, and organisations.
We pride ourselves on the reputation we have built for legal innovation and excellence, driven by our goal to give our clients creative commercial solutions. This has seen us appointed to some of the most significant deals and litigation across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, where our reach spans multiple disciplines, markets and industries.
We have advised, or are currently advising on a number of significant transactions and matters, including:
- Agrium Inc.: advised Agrium on its acquisition of AWB for over A$1 billion and the regulatory aspects of the subsequent sale of the AWB commodities business to Cargill for $870m.
- AMP Limited's $14.6bn merger with AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (AXA APH): worked alongside AMP Limited's in-house legal team throughout the merger process, which completed on 31 March, 2011.
- Anatolia Minerals Development Limited: advised Canadian-based Anatolia on its merger with Avoca Resources Limited, valuing the merged entity at around US$2 billion.
- Asciano: acted for Asciano in securing A$1.14 billion of new debt funding and on its US144A bond raisings.
- Australia Pacific LNG Project: continuing to advise ConocoPhillips, Origin Energy and Australia Pacific LNG Pty Limited on this $35 billion project to liquefy coal seam gas for export markets, at a proposed facility to be located at Gladstone in Queensland. This included advising in relation to the agreement to issue a 15% interest in the project to Sinopec in conjunction with Sinopec entering into an agreement to purchase 4.3 million tonnes per annum of LNG from the project for 20 years.
- Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) proceedings against former directors and officers of the James Hardie Group: acting for ASIC in relation to their High Court of Australia appeals against former directors and officers of companies in the James Hardie Group and in defending the appeal brought by the former company secretary/general counsel in that Court.
- Barrick Gold Corporation: advised Barrick Gold Corporation on its approximately A$7.1 billion bid to acquire ASX and TSX listed Equinox Minerals Limited. This is the largest Australian transaction announced in 2011 to date.
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA): acting for the CBA defending a number of class actions including the defence of proceedings commenced by ASIC and a class action commenced for and on behalf of a group of margin loan customers.
- Myer acquisition of sass & bide: worked alongside client Myer Holdings Limited on its strategic acquisition of a 65 per cent stake in one of Australia's best known designer labels, sass & bide, for A$42.25 million.
- New Royal Adelaide Hospital: advised the South Australian Government on the New Royal Adelaide Hospital PPP project. This is currently the largest social infrastructure project in Australia. The project reached financial close in June 2011.
- Noble Group: advising Noble on a number of its recent transactions including Gloucester's acquisition of Donaldson Coal (enterprise value of A$580 million) and the proposed $123 million takeover bid by Exxaro Resources Limited for Territory Resources.
- Origin Energy asset acquisition / capital raising: advised Origin Energy on its $3.25 billion acquisition of the NSW energy retail assets of Country Energy and Integral Energy, as well as the gentrader rights in respect of the Eraring power station. We also advised Origin Energy on its innovative $2.3 billion entitlement offer and its €500 million hybrid issue.
- Peninsula Link project in Victoria: advised the Linking Melbourne Authority (a Victorian Government statutory authority) to assist in delivering the A$759 million toll-free Peninsula Link. Peninsula Link represents the next generation of road sector Public Private Partnerships in its use of the Availability Charge model - a first for road PPP projects in Australia.
- Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry: Acting for two local councils and other government entities in response to the Queensland State Government's Floods Commission of Inquiry.
- QR National IPO: advisers to the five Joint Lead Managers (RBS, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Credit Suisse) on the A$6.7 billion Initial Public Offering of rail freight company QR National in 2010.
- Singapore Exchange merger with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX): acted as legal advisers to Singapore Exchange (SGX) on its proposed merger with ASX Ltd.
- Seven: acted for Australian Capital Equity and WesTrac Holdings Pty Ltd on the formation of a new ASX-listed company, Seven Group Holdings, which acquired the WesTrac business and Seven Network Limited. We were also primary competition advisor to Seven in obtaining clearance from the ACCC for the acquisition of its interest in West Australian Newspaper Holdings Limited.
- Yara International ASA: advising Yara, the world's largest fertiliser company, in relation to a significant dispute concerning Burrup Fertilisers (of which it owns 35%) with Pankaj and Radhika Oswal (who collectively own 65% of Burrup Fertilisers).
