Maestrolex

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Attorneys

DAVID CHRIS

Senior Partner – Maestrolex Attorneys (UK)

Mr. Chris has a long history of advising on international financing matters in particular in project finance, structured trade finance and cross-border lending. On projects and project finance, he has advised governments, development finance institutions, project developers and commercial banks on projects and their financing in many infrastructure and energy sectors, including on public-private partnerships. Africa is a particular focus and he has worked on transactions in more than 16 African countries.

LOGAN WILLIAMS

Senior Partner – Maestrolex Attorneys (USA)

Williams chairs the Corporate Practice. He is a highly experienced lawyer who specialises in various aspects of corporate finance, including project and infrastructure finance, asset finance, leveraged and acquisition finance and debt capital markets. With a particular focus on impact investing and development finance, William has advised on more than 50 project, corporate and structured finance deals that have achieved financial close, contributing in excess of US$40 billion of committed capital towards projects in almost 20 emerging markets.

Prior to joining Maestrolex Attorneys (USA), William worked at International Finance Corporation, the private sector finance arm of The World Bank Group, where he was Africa Regional Lead for the Private Equity and Funds and Advisory Services businesses and practiced for over a decade in project finance and development, banking and structured finance at Latham & Watkins, Allen & Overy and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. He currently sits on the Legal & Regulatory Committee of the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA).

ALEX OKPAN

Managing Partner

Alex Okpan is the Managing Partner and Head of the Energy and Projects Group, Maestrolex Attorneys, Lagos Nigeria.

Okpan possesses over 30 years of experience in the transactional and dispute resolution aspects of the Nigerian oil and gas sector. He advises a broad range of clients including international oil companies, oil service contractors and a number of multinationals operating in Nigeria.

Some of Okpan’s recent transactions include:

  • Chinese National Oil Corporation on its $15.1 billion acquisition of Nexen Inc.
  • Sinopec on its S$7.2 billion acquisition of Addax Petroleum Corporation.
  • The Bureau of Public Enterprises on the restructuring of the now defunct state-owned electricity monopoly, National Electric Power Authority.
  • In conjunction with Freshfields, successfully obtained a US$2billion plus arbitral award for ExxonMobil and Shell in a crude entitlement dispute with the Nigerian Government.

Professional Recognition

Okpan has been listed among the leading Energy and Natural resources lawyers in Nigeria by Chambers Global guide to the legal profession from 2006 to date.

He is also listed a leading energy practitioner in the “Legal 500” and Who’s Who Legal as a leading Project Finance and Oil & Gas lawyer.

Professional Memberships

He is also a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN); Chartered Institute of Taxation, Nigeria as well as the Section on Energy and Natural Resources Section of the International Bar Association.

“A true oil and gas expert, he knows the business and leads his team,”

– Chambers Global.

Unanimously rated as one of the go-to energy lawyers in the market.

“He has been around and is used to the energy sector, he works very well so we make sure he stays in front of all our deals”.

– IFLR 1000.

A well-known figure in transactional work, especially in the oil and gas sector. His astute perspective on business considerations is regarded as an especially valuable trait.

Clients are “very impressed with his responsiveness and quality of advice’’.

 – Chambers Global.

“Respected for his rainmaking skills: He has extensive experience in transactional work and disputes relating to the energy sector.

He is considerate, understands our goals and responds to our needs”.

 – Chambers Global.

SALWAH ABDUL NOORE

Senior Partner

Salwah Abdul Noore is a senior partner and head of the Corporate practice at Welsh & Co. She has been practicing at Welsh & Co. since 1994 and has been partner since 2000 works as an affiliate with Maestrolex Attorneys.

She has been cited as an industry “Leading Individual” (Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500) and “Notable Practitioner” (Chambers Asia-Pacific).

She is experienced in advising on mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and private debt issuance, as well as in intellectual property advisory work, she also advises on film and media matters. 

Salwah also advises on Shariah family matters including estate planning.

Experience

  • Seacorp Schroeder Smallcap Fund Berhad: Advised on the first closed-end fund to be listed.
  • Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad: Advised on the acquisition by Synergy Drive Sdn Bhd of all of its businesses to form the world’s largest listed oil palm plantation company, Sime Darby Berhad.
  • Petroliam Nasional Berhad: Advised on its acquisition of all the equity interest held by The Dow Chemical Company in the Optimal Group at a transaction value of US$600 million.
  • Petron Corporation: Acted for the client in its acquisition of Exxon Malaysia’s downstream operations.
  • SK Telecom Co Ltd: Acted in an investment agreement with Green Packet Berhad and Telekom Malaysia Berhad to collaborate and develop next-generation LTE infrastructure.
  • Microsoft Malaysia: Advised in respect of a copyright infringement case.
  • Multimedia Development Corporation Berhad: Headed the team that drafted the Intellectual Property Manual commissioned by the client with the objective of increasing the appreciation of intellectual property awareness issues amongst MSC-status companies.
  • Confidential client: Advising the purchaser on the acquisition of the franchise rights for a popular fast-food chain in Malaysia.
  • Confidential client: Advising on the client’s proposed investment into a major online fashion retailer.

Film, Media and Intellectual Property

  • Film and media corporation: Advising the promoters on equity raising in the film and media business and assisting with the formation of a private equity fund with a focus on Japanese popular IP and Media content.
  • Sakinah Productions / Let The Change Be (companies under the management of Yusof Islam group): Assisting in the management of the IP portfolio for the group mainly in respect of developing strategy for the protection of IP rights including literary musical derivative rights, as well as reviewing of all IP related agreements with different counter parties.
  • EcoLoo AB/EcoLoo GreenTech Malaysia Sdn Bhd: Assisting in the advisory, fund raising, collaborations and filings of the client’s IP protection in China and Malaysia and advising on the filing of an international registration of the design rights.

Recognition

  • Asia Business Law Journal 2022: The A-List: Malaysia’s Top 100 Lawyers 2022
  • Asialaw 2022: “Distinguished Practitioner”, Corporate and M&A
  • Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021: “Very knowledgeable and always able to give practical solutions to any issues encountered.”
  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2021: Recommended individual in Capital Markets, Intellectual Property, and Projects and Energy
  • Asialaw 2020 – 2021: “Distinguished Practitioner”; Leading Lawyer in Corporate/M&A
  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2020: Recommended individual in Capital Markets and Intellectual Property
  • Asialaw 2018 – 2019: Leading Lawyer in Corporate/M&A and Intellectual Property
  • Asialaw 2018: “Professional, creative and business-minded”
  • Asialaw 2017: Leading Lawyer in Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A and Intellectual Property
  • IFLR1000 2017 – 2021: “Highly Regarded”; Leading Lawyer in Capital Markets
  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2017 – 2021: “Hall of Fame”; Ranked and Recommended Leading Individual in Corporate and M&A
  • Chambers Asia-Pacific 2010: “She is a respected practitioner in the market, rated for her ‘sound technical expertise and spot-on legal knowledge’.”

Memberships

  • Member, Bursa Malaysia Listing Committee, 2013 to present
  • Member, Disciplinary Committee Panel of the Malaysian Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board, 2010 to present
  • Member, Medical Research Ethics Review Board of Institut Jantung Negara, 2008 to present
  • Director, Board of UMW Holdings Berhad, 2017 to present

Member, Integrity and Whistleblowing Committee of UMW Group, 2017 to present.

OLIVIA LEE

Partner

Olivia is a partner based in the Firm’s Canada office. Olivia’s experience includes acting for corporate borrowers, banks, development finance institutions and other finance providers on various types of cross-border transactions including acquisition finance, loan-on-loan financing, trade and commodity finance, prepayment and other receivables-based structures, and general bank lending, with a particular focus on emerging markets.

Prior to joining Maestrolex Attorneys, Olivia trained and practiced as a finance Associate at White & Case LLP’s London office.

Olivia has been recognised as a “Key Lawyer” for Trade Finance in Legal 500, 2015, was awarded the Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year award in 2015 by Law.com, and was shortlisted for the ‘Rising Star’ award in 2015 by the IFLR Women in Business Law Awards.

ANJA SCHULS

Partner

Anja is a partner in the Firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology, and Privacy and Cybersecurity practice groups. Main international legal directories have recognized her for her experience and knowledge in both TMT and IP. She has over 20 years of experience managing complex IP, Privacy, and Consumer Protection portfolios for major multinational and local companies focused on technology, retail, e-commerce, BPO, mass consumption, and transportation.

In addition to local recognition, Juanita’s experience led her to be the Regional Leader of Maestrolex’s Latin America TMT Practice Group, leading regional efforts to provide an effective and practical assessment for clients operating in different jurisdictions.

Anja combines extensive legal knowledge with a comprehensive understanding of the TMT market and the regulatory and political factors that can influence business decisions. Specifically in technology related matters, she has a wealth of experience in traditional and disruptive technologies that support today’s digital economy. She has advised some of the world’s biggest social media, software and technology companies and has successfully handled a wide range of the most relevant data privacy cases in Colombia.

Since 2019, she is certified by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPRP), a qualification granted by the International IT Governance Qualifications Board.