With offices across Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, A&O Shearman assists clients with the full gamut of energy and resources mandates, including those relating to LNG, power, renewables and mining. The group is co-led by Yvonne Ho, a key point of contact for national and international banks and corporates seeking aid with cross-border energy projects and financings, Ling Li, best known for her work on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, and outbound investments in the energy and natural resources spaces, and Xiaogang (Sean) Wang, who is recommended for his project financing and development for major Chinese SOEs in the energy sector. Ho and Li are based in the Beijing office, while Wang splits his time across all three offices. The deep bench also fields Shanghai’s Matthew Bisley, who works with Chinese and international lenders and corporates on project development and financings, Benjamin Crawford, who handles a spread of corporate work relating to renewable energy, and Lucia He, who is recommended for cross-border M&A transactions.

The team at Ashurst is sought out by project sponsors and lenders, ECAs and multilateral agencies looking for aid with large-scale, multi-jurisdictional, and cross-border project financings and developments in the transport and infrastructure sectors and has a special focus on countries across Asia, Africa and South America. The team is led by Singapore-based Chin Chuan Chen, who is well-versed in handling landmark financing transactions across the infrastructure, energy, and mining sectors. Zhibin Fan, of the Beijing office, is also recommended for cross-border project financings.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP remains a top choice for clients including sponsors, banks, government bodies, looking for assistance with traditional energy, renewables, utilities, transport and infrastructure projects. It’s recent caseload includes a diverse range of projects ranging from water and waste, to transport infrastructure like rail, airports, ports, and roads, as well as PPP/PFI initiatives. In Beijing, the group is steered by Calvin Ho who expertly handles cross-border developments, acquisitions, financings and joint ventures for leading energy and infrastructure players. Over in Hong Kong, Hilary Lau stands at the helm, offering aid with issues related to oilfield services and LNG. In November 2024, Monica Sun departed.

Boasting national expertise and international capability, Linklaters remains a dominant force in the projects and infrastructure space, and has notable experience handling large scale Belt and Road projects. The team is well-equipped to handle an array of mandates within the natural resources and new energy spaces, and is increasingly instructed on EV battery space matters.  The Beijing office includes Xiaohui Ji, who focuses on project finance for Chinese financiers and sponsors and Jianbin Wang who counts Chinese policy and commercial banks, ECA as well as Chinese enterprises as his key clients.

The interdisciplinary energy and natural resources team at Clifford Chance LLP handles a variety of work in the projects space, and, is most notably recognised for long-standing climate change practice. Practice head Jiahua Ni is a key point of contact for major banks looking for assistance with cross-border financings, Shanghai-based Kelly Gregory handles national and international M&A, disposals and joint ventures, whilst in Beijing Terence Foo advises on public and private M&A transactions in teh energy sector. Splitting their time between Hong Kong and Beijing are Maggie Lo, who is well versed in handling cross-border financings including project finance, acquisition finance for Chinese and international financial institutions and borrowers and Vicky Ma, who deals with international project financing transactions in the energy and infrastructure spaces.

with offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, Milbank has an excellent track record of navigating a range of energy and natural resources matters on a national and international basis. Project finance specialist Shepard Liu steers the practice from its Beijing office, supported by Hong Kong-based Desiree Woo who handles project development within the power and natural resources sectors, and Beijing-based infrastructure finance-focused Marco Ying who is a key contact for international banks and private equity sponsors.

National and international banks, financial institutions and corporates within the petrochemical, renewables, energy, nuclear, oil gas, infrastructure sectors make up the impressive client roster at Norton Rose Fulbright. The practice is co-chaired by the Beijing-based duo Jerry Li, who is recommended for corporate, M&A, concessions, PPP and project finance and Tom Luckock whose wide practice encompasses transactional, project development and project finance relating to the power, infrastructure and mining sectors. Also in Beijing, Yaxun Wang is known for advising SOEs, ECAs, commercial banks and corporations clients on a wide range of international finance deals, with a particular focus on oil & gas, power and infrastructure sectors.

White & Case LLP 'draws upon energy specialists across the globe, including in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore'. The team is known for its ability to handle the full scope of project development and financings within the renewables, oil and gas, mining and metals and infrastructure spaces, both within China and beyond it. Beijing-based practice head David Li  leverages his expertise in equity and debt financings throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America, working on projects across the energy, natural resources, utilities, and telecommunications industries. In Shanghai, Vivian Tsoi is recommended for US-China and Europe-China cross-border transactions. Yan Yan is a further name to note.

Baker McKenzie FenXun handles the gamut of corporate, regulatory, transactional and disputes with a special focus on projects within the power, oil and gas, petrochemicals, renewables and mining and metals spaces. On the projects side, the group is led by Simon Leung, who splits his time between Beijing and Hong Kong, and is sought after for his experience in cross-border financings, while on the energy side, Beijing-based Stanley Jia advises on overseas investments in the energy, power and mining sectors. In Shanghai, Alexander Gong is also noted for transactional work.

Pinsent Masons is singled out for its ‘rich international legal knowledge and practical experience'. The team has solid track record in projects and financing mandates, and is well-equipped to handle cross-border matters. The team is increasingly instructed on complext Belt and Road investments, and is advising Chinese SOE contractors on mega projects in Saudi Arabia. Practice head Kanyi Lui advises lenders and sponsors on project financings, while John Yeap is regularly instructed on regulatory and corporate aspects of energy and power transactions. Mark Hu is a key contact within the energy and infrastructure spaces and has worked on a number of noteworthy cross-border renewables developments projects.

Clyde & Co LLP is particularly active in the oil and gas, LNG, renewables and mining spaces across China. It enjoys its joint law venture with Westlink Partnership to act on a diverse range of onshore and offshore projects. Hong Kong-based practice head Fei Kwok handles corporate contracts and M&A mandates in the oil and gas, renewables and petrochemicals sectors. Shanghai-based Yang Lu handles financing transactions, M&As, and LNG procurement and trading.

With a strong track record in M&A, project development and financing within the energy and natural resources sectors, DLA Piper is instucted by corporates and government bodies on project development, regulation, transactions and disputes. The practice is jointly led by the Hong Kong-based Carolyn Dong, a name to note for cross-border project development, joint ventures, and M&A, and Russell Wilkinson who handles sales, purchases and financing within the LNG and gas sectors. Project financing specialist Matthias Schemuth now splits his time between Singapore and Hong Kong.

With deep experience handling matters related to natural resources projects,  Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. is a top choice for contractors, sponsors, lenders, governments seeking assistance with major infrastructure and energy projects. The group is jointly led by M&A expert David Boitout, who operates from Shanghai, Beijing’s tax partner Guo Min, who attracts leading European companies looking to invest in China, as well as Jiannian Fan whose wide practice encompasses banking and finance, disputes work and M&A.

The energy and natural resources group at Reed Smith LLP advises on regulation, financings, M&A and disputes for clients in the energy, renewables and oil and gas sectors. In Beijing, practice head Eric Lin has notable expertise in M&A, project finance within the energy and natural resources spaces, while Katherine Yang is well equipped to advice multinationals on regulatory issues in the energy, manufacturing and mining sectors, and has particular focus on the environment, sustainability and carbon footprint aspects of ESG.