Asia Pacific
Vinson & Elkins has represented clients in Asia for more than 30 years. Our office in Tokyo services local commercial hubs, as well as the broader Asia Pacific region. Our practice also has a significant presence beyond our office locations, with lawyers frequently advising on matters in Australia, India, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
We offer a range of international legal advice, and have extensive on-the-ground experience working with local counsel throughout the region. Our lawyers are well equipped to handle the full scope of transactional and contentious matters, both for Asian clients investing abroad and international companies conducting business in Asia.
With a team of U.S., English, Hong Kong, and Australian qualified lawyers, we have an enviable track record of representing top-tier global energy clients across the region. Our lawyers are attuned to the challenges and opportunities of overseas investments, and have advised on groundbreaking M&A transactions for our clients. Our China practice has historically represented prominent Chinese state-owned enterprises on some of China’s largest outbound investments in the natural resources and energy sectors, as well as international consortiums on large-scale energy projects across Asia.
Experience Highlights
Uzbekistan GTL on the construction, development and financing of a $3.6 billion gas to liquids project in the Kashkadarya Region, close to Karshi, in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This project is financed by or under the cover of several export credit agencies, development banks and commercial banks, including China Development Bank, KEXIM and KSure
JLM Financial Partners in the Class A-2 financing of Pacific Springboard, an owner of Top Golf franchises in China
Defended an Australian energy company against numerous contract and tort claims by a holder of contractually reserved revenue interest relating to gas production from an Australian oil and gas field
A Chinese sovereign wealth fund in connection with its 2017 increase in and restructuring of an equity interest it acquired in 2011 in the international E&P division of a global energy company, with upstream assets in North West Europe, North Africa and South East Asia
KNOC in its $1.55 billion joint venture to buy a stake in the liquids-rich Eagle Ford shale in Texas from Anadarko Petroleum, including the subsequent sale of minority interest by KNOC to VOGO
Santos Limited in a $16 billion joint venture with Petronas, TOTAL, and KOGAS, for the development of a two-train greenfield LNG facility in Queensland, Australia, including the negotiation of long-term LNG off-take agreements
CNOOC on its $3.47 billion acquisition from Chesapeake Energy of a 33.3% net undivided interest in oil and gas leases
Korea National Oil Corporation on its $4.1 billion acquisition of Canadian-based Harvest Energy Trust, the largest cross-border deal for South Korea to date
Advising a U.S. professional services contractor over a termination dispute for the construction of a combined cycle power plant in Australia
Samsung Heavy Industries and Samsung Engineering in the creation of a joint venture entity with AMEC to carry out the design engineering for fixed and floating offshore platforms, FPSOs, and subsea pipelines
Sole Arbitrator in LCIA India dispute, relating to warranty dispute following the sale of a petrochemical plant. Consolidated case, with claims brought by both sides
Representing a Chinese exploration and production company on certain tax indemnity claims which our client has brought in an LCIA arbitration in London in connection with its acquisition of upstream petroleum assets in Central Asia
Representing a Dubai based company in an SIAC arbitration with a Chinese company relating to a failed energy project
We act on behalf of four founders/shareholders from Ireland, Egypt, Lebanon, and the UAE, of a technology development company in the UAE in a dispute with their JV counterparty in the Dubai international Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts over (a) a failed share transfer; and (b) unlawful withholding of programming codes for mobile phone applications involving a high profile celebrity, among other things. It is the first reported case of its kind where, in the context of a freezing order, the courts ordered that a disputed item (the programming codes) be delivered up to the Courts pending the dispute
We represent the Claimant in a dispute relating to the high-profile US$ 20 billion Riyadh Metro Project, one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world; The dispute is in ICC arbitration, with a London seat, under Saudi law
Currently representing two executives of a large pharmaceutical company with operations around the world; The DOJ and SEC are conducting a coordinated investigation into certain marketing activities related to one particular drug used to treat a very rare medical condition
Currently representing two executives of a large pharmaceutical company with operations around the world; The DOJ and SEC are conducting a coordinated investigation into certain marketing activities related to one particular drug used to treat a very rare medical condition (FCPA investigation of pharmaceutical approval/marketing/sale in Japan)
Represented the owner in arbitration over failed design and implementation of trading system software platform
Representing an Italian oil and gas industry contractor in a dispute with a Saudi company arising out of the construction and upgrading of a fertilizer plant in Saudi Arabia
Defended Australian energy company against numerous contract and tort claims by holder of contractually reserved revenue interest relating to gas production from Australian oil and gas field