By drawing on the national capability of our group, we are able to provide clients with a dedicated and experienced group of legal advisers with a truly multidisciplinary approach.

This includes:

• project structuring
• project delivery
• risk analysis and management
• preparation of project documentation and contract negotiation
• transaction and project due diligence
• planning, environment and native title advice
• project financing
• equity investment
• dispute resolution and litigation advice when required.

This means that we can offer our clients a one-stop legal service for all facets of infrastructure projects with access to a truly multidisciplinary group of advisers – both in Australia and offshore. Our group comprises partners and senior lawyers, all with extensive Australian and international infrastructure and public private partnership (PPP) project experience.

We advise on projects across all the sectors including:

• social infrastructure (health facilities, community, education, sporting and entertainment, science and industrial, correctional and courts)
• energy and power (general and renewable)
• transport (roads, rail, port and freight)
• oil and gas
• water and waste management (desalination and water treatments), and
• sporting and entertainment infrastructure.

In the area of PPPs, Freehills is at the forefront of development in Australia, both in establishing government policy frameworks, understanding legal and industry developments and in project evaluation and delivery. We have advised on all of the major PPP projects completed to date in Australia.

Awards

• Project of the Year 2009, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Awards 2009 - Defence Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) Project
• PPP Deal of the Year (Asia Pacific) 2008, Project Finance International Awards - ITE College West Project (Singapore)
• Deal of the Year 2008, Asian-Counsel Magazine - ITE College West Project (Singapore)
• Deal of the Year for Malaysia 2008, FinanceAsia Awards - Santos' US$2.508 billion partnership with PETRONAS to develop the Gladstone LNG Project,
• Best Global Project 2007, Public Private Finance Awards - Southbank Institute of TAFE PPP
• Desalination Plant of the Year 2007, Global Water Intelligence Global Water Awards - Perth Seawater Desalination Project
• West Australian Project of the Year 2007, Project Management Achievement Awards - Southern Seawater Desalination Plant
• Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2006, Asia Legal Business - Darwin Waterfront Project

Legal guides

• Tier 1 Ranking, Projects, Chambers Global Guide (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006)
• Tier 1 Ranking, Projects and Infrastructure, Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005)
• Tier 1 Ranking, Energy and Resources, Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005)
• Tier 1 Ranking, Energy and Resources, Chambers Global Guide (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004)
• Leading Firm, Energy, PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004)
• Ranked #1 in Australia in Transportation, Best Lawyers Australia Guide (2009)

Testimonials

• ‘Clients are impressed with the “sheer depth of resources” within the projects practice at Freehills and the “experience and skill of the partners” enables the team to represent many large clients on major projects.’ Chambers Global Guide 2009
•  ‘The team “combines a great understanding of commercial realities with expert legal know-how,” and is “well respected by the business community.”’ Chambers Global Guide 2009
• ‘This multidisciplinary group “comfortably encompasses” construction, engineering, infrastructure, project finance, planning and environment expertise, giving clients access to “an impressive depth of knowledge”. Clients pointed to its “consistently excellent work” while also flagging up the team’s “responsiveness, reliability and forthright, practical approach”.’ 
  Chambers Global Guide 2008
• ‘At Freehills Patrick St John’s team covers the full spectrum of projects work, with a strong presence across transport, energy, water and PPPs. The group, which earns “top marks for project finance work”, acted on ABN Amro/Leighton Contractors Consortium’s acquisition of the Cross City Tunnel motorway. Other highlights included advising the successful bidder for the Orange Hospital PPP, Mark Breheny’s role acting for BHP Billiton on the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group port project, and Jason Ricketts’ role acting on the Perth and Southern desalination plants. John Curtis has a reputation for being a “good strategist”.’ 
  Asia Pacific Legal 500 2008
• Jay Leary, John Copper, John Curtis, Jason Ricketts and David Templeman were each recognised by Best Lawyers International 2009 as outstanding lawyers in the fields of construction and infrastructure. Freehills’ Perth office was ranked first in Western Australia by Best Lawyers International 2009 in the field of construction and infrastructure.
• John Curtis, Brendan Quinn, Alan Rosengarten and Bill Napier were each recognised by Best Lawyers International 2009 as outstanding lawyers in the field of transport.

The Australian infrastructure sector has experienced significant growth in recent years, spurred on by strong economic conditions, significant capital expenditure by both public and private sectors and new approaches to the delivery of public infrastructure.

Furthermore, deal flow in major engineering and construction projects, particularly in nonresidential construction, is expected to continue.

Freehills offers clients a track record of providing innovative and commercially-astute advice across a range of industries and legal issues.