By Annie Dang
Experienced Australian energy & resources lawyers are in high demand with international firms who have energy practices in Asia, specifically in the Singapore and Hong Kong markets. Roles for energy & resources lawyers are increasing and Australian lawyers are at the top of the candidate list, says David Talalla, a director of legal recruitment firm David Talalla & Associates. “Australia relies heavily on China and the E&R work is still very buoyant in this market,” he said.
With strong economic growth projected for Asia over the next 30 years, international firms such as Herbert Smith are looking to boost their Asia E&R practices, maximising on the huge increase in demand and consumption for energy. The firm has long-term goals to build its energy &resources practice in the ASEAN region and is looking to capitalise on mining and resources projects taking off in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
According to Herbert Smith’s Singapore-based global energy practice partner Lewis McDonald, Australian energy lawyers often have the expertise, experience and skills the firm is seeking. Having started his career as an energy lawyer in Western Australia, before moving to London and Hong Kong, McDonald knows the benefits of being an Australian-qualified energy lawyer practising in Asia. “Australia’s strong natural resources base has played a large part in producing quality energy & resources lawyers who know and understand the business of local, foreign and international resources companies, and the sorts of projects and infrastructure those companies need to carry out their business,” he said.
McDonald said that Australian energy lawyers are attractive candidates for international firms because of their intensive training in energy transactions and the fact that the majority of cross-border transactions involve English law from which Australia law derives. “We find that many of the stronger candidates are from Australia. This is because Australian lawyers are trained under a state-based legal regime for energy & resources investments. This means their understanding of the law in this area is detailed, and thus more easily transferable to other jurisdictions,” he said.
McDonald said the ideal candidate will have the right set of skills and expertise in energy and commercial transactions; bi-lingual or tri-lingual language skills are sought after, but not essential criteria.
More than 50 energy law jobs are currently listed on www.legaljobcentre.com. To view jobs, click here.
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