Lawrence Graham - lawyers advising the natural resources sector London Dubai Monaco Moscow

Natural resources

Lawrence Graham has a long established presence in the UK and international natural resources industry. We work with clients in the mining and minerals, oil and gas, power, renewables energy and cleantech and commodities sectors, as well as related services businesses.

We have a team of experienced natural resources lawyers who can advise on a wide variety of matters ranging from mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions through defensive deal structuring and jurisdictional advice to enable clients to manage and minimise their risks. We also provide specialised assistance in relation to litigation and international arbitration, restructuring, employment, environmental, tax and finance.

We pride ourselves on our industry experience, placing as much emphasis on the commercial and practical areas as on the complex technical issues. We have close relationships with other law firms in the leading centres for the natural resources industry around the world and we routinely lead and co-ordinate multi-jurisdictional transactions and disputes for our clients in this sector.

Natural resources

Our areas of expertise include:

Acquisitions, disposals and assignments of interests, assets and companies takeovers (including reverse takeovers)
Initial public offerings and secondary offerings on the London Stock Exchange (Main Market) and AIM and dual listings on the world's major exchanges
Private equity and venture capital raising (including seed capital and pre-IPO fund raising)
Joint ventures and shareholder agreements 
Investment funds (focusing on the natural resources industry)
Restructuring, reorganisations and turn-arounds and intra-group transfers debt and project finance
Outsourcing and procurement, executive employment and recruitment
Licences and royalties
Commercial agreements relating to exploration, production, processing, off-take, transportation and distribution JOAs, farm-in, farm-out, strategic alliances and investments
Natural resources and commodities litigation
Regulatory and anti-corruption matters 
International arbitration (LCIA, ICC, SCC, UNCITRAL, ICSID)

Natural resources

Advised Firestone Diamonds Plc, an international diamond mining and exploration company with assets in Botswana, on its acquisition of AIM company Kopane Diamond Developments Plc with assets in Lesotho for £52.7 million which constituted a reverse takeover for the company. Further advised the company on several secondary placings raising an aggregate of £48.15 million

Advised exploration company Kalahari Minerals Plc with assets in Namibia on its placing and admission to trading on AIM and on all subsequent corporate activity as its market capitalisation has grown from £14 million to £550 million including, the disposal of its uranium assets to Extract Resources Limited in consideration for a 42% shareholding, the disposal of its copper and other base metal assets to North River Resources Limited in consideration for a 40% interest, numerous secondary fundraisings, the issue of convertible notes, its £26 million acquisition of Coronet Resources Limited and on Takeover Code advice in relation to specific issues

Acted for Archipelago Resources Plc on its pre-flotation fundraisings and subsequent admission to AIM, raising £8 million for the purposes of exploration of gold interests in Indonesia and the Philippines and on its secondary placings (raising amounts of £30 million, £28 million and £9.7 million respectively) and disposal of assets. Advised on a share subscription and grant of options raising aggregate funds of £17.7 million

Advised Aurum Mining Plc, a company focused on acquiring gold projects in the former Soviet Union, on its initial placing and admission to AIM. Subsequently advised on its reverse takeover of Kaldora Company Limited, two returns of capital to shareholders in the aggregate sum of £236 million, and its disposal of its Kyrgyz mining assets for US$15 million. Also advised the company on a number of significant secondary fundraisings

Advised Cape plc on its step up from AIM to the Main Market and its simultaneous restructuring by way of a scheme of arrangement to put in place a new offshore parent company for the group and advise generally on UK matters. Cape is an international leader in the provision of industrial services principally in the oil and gas, minerals and mining sectors

Advised Cove Energy plc in connection with its acquisition of certain oil and gas assets in Mozambique and Tanzania which constituted a reverse takeover and a related £42 million fundraising. Advised on subsequent secondary placings raising £25.7 million and £110 million respectively. Also advised the company in connection with its farm-ins to the Rovuma Basin assets in Mozambique and on its acquisition of certain exploration assets in Kenya

Advised nominated advisor and broker, Cenkos Securities plc, in relation to a fundraising for Canadian oil and gas company Caza Oil and Gas, Inc. Caza, which is dual listed on AIM and Canada’s TSX, raised £18.9 million by way of a placing of new ordinary shares with institutional investors in the UK with the proceeds being used to fund future drilling, reworking and exploration projects

Advised Indian oil producer Hardy Oil and Gas plc on its US$30 million placing and admission to AIM, its subsequent US$29 million and US$42 million secondary fundraisings and its move up to the Official List of the London Stock Exchange. Advised on subsequent placing raising £10.8 million. Also advised on the farm-out of a 20 per cent. interest in the onshore Nigerian Oza field to Emerald Energy Resources Limited and the subsequent disposal of its Nigerian oil assets for US$4.5 million through the sale of Hardy Oil (Africa) Limited to Inergia Petroleum Limited

Natural resources
Title

Mineral resources companies note
Listing a mineral resources company in London
27 Jan 2012 DOWNLOAD PDF

Mining and metal credentials
A summary of our mining and metal credentials.
20 Dec 2011 DOWNLOAD PDF

E-bulletin: Renewable energy and cleantech October 2010
A news bulletin from LG, tailored to the Cleantech industry.
07 Dec 2011 MORE

E-bulletin: renewable energy and cleantech
Latest news on renewable energy and cleantech.
07 Dec 2011 MORE

Oil and gas brochure
Our work for the oil and gas sector is one of our core business areas.
07 Dec 2011 DOWNLOAD PDF

Oil and gas credentials
Our oil and gas credentials.
07 Dec 2011 DOWNLOAD PDF

Mining brochure
An overview of our mining capabilities.
07 Dec 2011 DOWNLOAD PDF

Renewable energy and cleantech tombstones
Some of our recent renewable energy and cleantech transactions.
06 Sep 2011 DOWNLOAD PDF

Renewable energy brochure
An overview of our renewable energy, clean-tech and recycling sector capabilities.
07 Oct 2010 DOWNLOAD PDF

Oil and gas tombstones
Our work for the oil and gas sector is one of our core business areas.
07 Oct 2010 DOWNLOAD PDF

Mining tombstones
Our work for the mining sector is one of our core business areas.
07 Oct 2010 DOWNLOAD PDF

Natural resources credentials
A summary of our Natural Resources team's credentials.
07 Mar 2010 DOWNLOAD PDF

Natural resources
Title

Kalahari Minerals sold for £650 million – advised by Lawrence Graham
LG hs advised Kalahari Minerals Plc in its sale to Taurus Mineral, a newly incorporated company formed at the direction of CGNPC-Uranium Resources Co. Ltd and the China-Africa Development Fund, for £650 million.
Feb 2012 MORE

LG advises Kalahari Minerals
LG acting for Kalahari Minerals plc in connection with a £632 million cash offer for the company's entire share capital
Dec 2011 MORE

LG advises Golden Prospect Precious Metals Limited on its £18.6m capital raising on the Channel Islands Stock Exchange
Partner Jeffrey Elway led the team at LG, which included corporate associates Farhod Moghadam, Jenna Beever and Esterina Fiore.
Nov 2011 MORE

Lawrence Graham LLP advises Frontera Resources Corporation on its equity fundraising
LG has advised Frontera Resources Corporation on its equity fundraising, SEDA facility, debt restructuring and redomicile to the Cayman Islands
Jul 2011 MORE

LG advises international forestry investment company on $67 million placement and CISX listing
LG has advised The Forest Company Limited in relation to its third private placement with a value of $67 million.
Jun 2011 MORE

Lawrence Graham to advise Ukrainian oil and gas giant Naftogaz
LG has entered into a procurement contract with Naftogaz for the provision of legal advice and assistance.
Jun 2011 MORE

LG advises Cape Plc on proposed new international holding company and move to the LSE market
LG is advising AIM-listed Cape plc on its step up from AIM to the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
May 2011 MORE

Lawrence Graham advises Kalahari Minerals on CGNPGs £756m takeover bid
LG has acted for Kalahari Minerals in connection with a £756 million possible cash offer for the company's entire share capital by Chinese state-owned CGNPG Uranium Resources Co.
Mar 2011 MORE

Lawrence Graham ranked as top legal adviser to AIM clients
LG has been named as the top legal adviser to AIM clients in the latest Hemscott Advisers Rankings Guide.
Feb 2011 MORE

LG advises on four AIM deals involving African natural resource companies
LG advises on four AIM deals involving African natural resource companies.
Jan 2011 MORE

LG advises Cenkos on £18m oil and gas placing
LG has advised nominated adviser and broker Cenkos Securities Plc in relation to a fundraising for Canadian oil and gas company Caza Oil & Gas, Inc.
Nov 2010 MORE

LG advises international AIM listed mining company on takeover
LG has acted for Firestone Diamonds Plc on its takeover by way of a scheme of arrangement of Kopane Diamond Developments Plc.
Oct 2010 MORE

LG advises international forestry investment company on $126 million placement
LG has advised The Forest Company Limited in relation to its second private placement of $126 million.
Jun 2010 MORE

Lawrence Graham consolidates position as top AIM legal adviser
LG remains top legal adviser to AIM clients in the Hemscott rankings for the second quarter of 2010.
May 2010 MORE

LG advises on fundraising for international natural resources AIM company
LG has acted for AIM client Cove Energy Plc on a fundraising which will take the aggregate funds raised by the company since last summer to over £70 million.
Mar 2010 MORE

LG celebrates top spot with a flurry of fundraisings on AIM and LSE Main Market
LG has advised on secondary fundraisings for five clients on both AIM and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange with an aggregate value of approximately £78 million.
May 2009 MORE

Natural resources

Lawrence Graham is a Band 1 firm for Capital Markets: AIM - Chambers UK 2012

"The team excels at advising clients in the insurance, natural resources and energy sectors.

"Client Service "They rose to the challenge of the transaction, were responsive beyond office hours and managed to out-negotiate the other side despite all the guns being aimed at us." - Chambers UK 2012

"Lawrence Graham LLP's AIM practice has become a market leader and has reaped some lucrative instructions on the mining side." - The Legal 500

"Lawrence Graham LLP assists clients in the energy and natural resources sectors, and is regularly instructed by Indian clients." - The Legal 500

"[The Mining team at] LG is 'excellent in all respects'..." - The Legal 500

"LG's efforts in attracting Indian investors and listing companies have been fruitful, whilst natural resources and renewable energy sectors are other areas of success." - Chambers UK

Lawrence Graham is ranked number 1 legal adviser to AIM companies by Morningstar      In its 5th anniversary edition, Hemscott ranked Lawrence Graham as the number 1 legal adviser to AIM companies

Tom Nicholls
Partner, Corporate
Tom Nicholls
Geoff Gouriet
Partner, Corporate
Geoff Gouriet
Richard Elphick
Partner, Finance
Richard Elphick
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