Luke has over 19 years’ experience in leading law firms in Australia and London. Luke practices in the areas of corporate, commercial, foreign investment, real estate and energy and natural resources law.
He has deep experience in cross-border M&A and corporate finance transactions and routinely acts for a number of financial / PE sponsors on private capital transactions.
He is renowned for providing exceptional and responsive client service, sharp legal and strategic advice and first-rate execution capability. Client feedback in Legal 500 Australia (2022) recognised that “Luke Nicholls is a fearless negotiator in the transactional space, always obtaining excellent outcomes for us.”
Luke’s clients include Warburg Pincus/ESR, Vale, Patriot Lithium and Carnarvon Energy Limited.
Expertise
Luke’s expertise includes:
- Advising on the full spectrum of corporate/M&A transactions, including cross-border M&A and competitive sale processes (buy- and sell-side).
- Advising on corporate finance transactions for corporates and financial / PE sponsors.
- Advising on real estate funds and investments, including platform and project level M&A.
- Advising on Australian foreign investment restrictions, including foreign government investors.
- Advising on the supply chain for mining operational and commercial arrangements, including offtake, supply, royalty/stream, joint ventures, mineral rights, logistics and mine contracting.
- Advising on upstream energy M&A transactions.
- Advising on corporate restructuring transactions, including s 413 schemes of arrangement.
- Advising on ASX Listing Rule and head office / corporate governance matters.
Recent projects
- Advising Patriot Lithium Ltd on its acquisition of exploration tenure from First Mining and Guyana and its earn in option with Midex Resources Ltd.
- Advising Global Advanced Metals on its sale of Tabba Tabba tenements to Wildcat Resources Ltd for a combination of shares, performance rights, royalties and mineral rights.
- Advising Carnarvon Energy Limited on its partial sell down of a 10% interest in Dorado oil & liquids joint venture to CPC Corporation.
- Advising Vale on its Australian group restructuring, including a series of 15 s 413 schemes of arrangement and related corporate advice.
- Advising Sandfire on the acquisition of the MATSA mine complex in Spain from Trafigura and Mubadala and corporate governance matters.
- Advising EMR Capital on its acquisition of the Golden Grove copper mine from MMG and the Lubambe copper mine from ARM/Vale.
- Advising Warburg Pincus/ESR Group on the establishment of its Australian and Indian logistics real estate platforms, the restructuring of its Korean logistics real estate platform and its first real estate development joint venture with BWID in Vietnam.
Professional Memberships / Accreditation & Activities
- Best Lawyers (2019 – 2024)
- Legal 500 Australia (2019 – 2022)
- “Next generation lawyer” for Natural Resources (Transactions and Regulatory) – Legal 500 (2019)
Sector
- M&A / Corporate Advisory ,
Services
location
Perth
