Energy Transition Legal Services : Frontline of Practice
Update
Dec 12, 2024
Authors
Key Contacts
Practice Areas
The energy transition is transforming the global energy sector and is an essential process for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In this article, we introduce our strengths and the extensive range of services that we provide for energy transition related projects and transactions. Additionally, we will publish a series of roundtable discussions by lawyers with cutting-edge practical knowledge and experience, delving into the latest hot topics related to the energy transition.
1. Legal Support for Promoting the Energy Transition
The energy transition refers to the shift from traditional energy systems, which are based on fossil fuels, to lower-carbon, more sustainable energy systems. The energy transition is transforming the global energy sector and is essential for achieving carbon neutrality (net-zero) by 2050 and building a decarbonized society. Many types of projects, transactions and technologies are contributing to the energy transition, including those referred to below. We have extensive experience and expertise in these areas and our multi-disciplinary team provides wide-ranging legal support to support our clients’ needs (including project development, project financing, investments, acquisitions, divestments, regulatory, intellectual property, dispute resolution etc.), as outlined below and described further in Section 3 below.
Renewable Energy
CCS and CCUS
Hydrogen and Ammonia
Battery Storage
Low Carbon Fuels
Energy Efficiency Technologies
Energy Market Regulation
Sustainability and ESG
2. Strengths of AMT
Expertise and Experience
Our lawyers, with their extensive experience and specialized knowledge in energy transition matters, address complex legal challenges for our clients. We provide legal advice on cutting edge projects and the latest technologies and regulations.
One-Stop Shop
As a full-service law firm, we are a one-stop shop that can handle all legal needs in the energy sector, including M&A, joint ventures, financing, competition law, regulation, dispute resolution, restructuring, and more. This enables our clients to receive comprehensive legal support.
Multilingual Support
We have many bilingual lawyers, enabling us to provide multilingual support tailored to the needs of our clients. This allows us to offer smooth communication and effective legal support for international projects and transactions.
Global Perspective
By utilizing international networks and expert teams, we provide optimal solutions after understanding the regulations and market trends of each country. The energy transition is an international movement, and a global perspective is indispensable.
3. Legal Support Across All Areas of the Energy Transition
We support clients with a wide range of legal issues related to the energy transition.
We provide the following services related to renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, biomass, etc.) projects:
- Project Structuring, Development, Acquisition, Sale, and Operation: We provide legal support in all phases from the initial stages of the project structuring and development through to its operation.
- Project Finance: We handle the drafting and negotiation of financing agreements, supporting clients in securing the necessary funding. For lender clients, we ensure that loan terms protect their interests and minimize risks.
- Regulatory Compliance: We are well-versed in regulations related to renewable energy, such as FIT (Feed-in Tariff), FIP (Feed-in Premium), and corporate PPA (Power Purchase Agreement), and have extensive experience in supporting these areas.
Additionally, we provide specialized legal support in the following areas:
- CCS and CCUS: We provide legal support for the development of CCS and CCUS projects.
- Hydrogen and Ammonia: We address legal issues related to the production, transportation, utilization, and financing of hydrogen and ammonia.
- Battery Storage: We provide legal support for the long term decarbonization auction and battery storage projects.
- Low Carbon Fuels: We advise on the investment into and offtake from low carbon fuel projects (including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), biofuel etc.).
- Decarbonization Support Loans and SDGs Loans: We support in drafting and negotiating contracts for loans based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and decarbonization initiatives.
- Carbon Credit Trading: We provide legal advice on carbon credit trading.
- Low-Carbon Urban Development (Smart City): We provide legal support for smart city projects.
- Microgrid: We address legal issues related to the construction and operation of regional energy systems.
- EV: We provide legal support for the proliferation of electric vehicles, including charging infrastructure.
- Energy Distribution and Transmission: We address legal issues related to energy distribution and transmission.
- Electricity Trading: We provide legal advice on trading in the electricity market.
4. High Evaluation from Clients and Industry
Our lawyers are well-versed in the latest trends and legal frameworks, earning high praise from both clients and the industry. In promoting the energy transition, we prioritize the success of our clients and provide specialized and comprehensive legal support.
Awards
5. Discussions on Hot Topics relating to the Energy Transition
In future articles, we will publish timely discussions by our energy sector specialist attorneys on the latest trends and practices relating to the energy transition. Stay tuned for future updates.
Key Contacts
ReijiTakahashi
Tokyo
Partner
Reiji Takahashi specializes in financial transaction, in particular, project finance and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI).
Mr. Takahashi represented national government, local governments, private companies or banks in many PFI projects including all prison projects initiated by Ministry of Justice, Haneda air terminal project, which is the largest PFI project in Japan, satellite project, etc.
Mr. Takahashi also has extensive experience advising on renewable energy projects, IPP project, resource development and water sector business.
NobuyukiMaeyama
Tokyo
Partner
Nobuyuki Maeyama has been engaged in an extensive range of legal practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. In particular, he has been involved with various financial transactions, including securitization of real property and receivables, Acquisition Finance, CMBS (Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities), Project Finance and PFI (Private Finance Initiatives). Mr. Maeyama has also provided a wide range of advice to domestic and overseas clients in M&A transactions (including Management Buy Out). Mr. Maeyama also advises regarding various compliance matters.
Mr. Maeyama also acts as a trustee in bankruptcy appointed by the court in the corporate liquidation process, assisting clients in civil rehabilitation and corporate reorganization related issues.
EijiKobayashi
Tokyo
Partner
Eiji Kobayashi has been involved in a broad range of legal services in connection with the large-scale projects, including real estate development, renewable energies projects, fund investments, project financing transactions and dispute resolutions related thereto, and he has been advising various clients (domestic and foreign) such as investors, developers, constructors, and manufacturers. In addition, Mr. Kobayashi has various experiences on overseas practices, especially he has involved in a number of Russia related matters, including joint venture transactions and investment transactions with Russian companies.
NorifumiTakeuchi
Tokyo
Partner
Norifumi Takeuchi has been engaged in an extensive range of legal practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune; in particular, assisting in significant financial transactions (including asset based finance, syndicated loan, securitization, capital markets and fund business), and merger and acquisition deals. He has also advised many Japanese and non-Japanese companies on general corporate matters, in the areas of corporate law, contract law, financial instruments and exchange law and various types of business law.
KunihiroYokoi
Tokyo
Partner
Kunihiro Yokoi advises on a wide range of legal matters in various areas, such as energy and infrastructure, financings, construction, PFI/PPP and other corporate/commercial matters. He has special expertise in energy and infrastructure projects and project finance transactions, ranging from power, renewable energy, natural resources, oil and gas, transportation, ports, other infrastructure and real estate matters, working with domestic and international clients.
He has acquired abundant practical experience in advising on a broad and complex array of legal issues, as well as practical issues, throughout his practice career, including his secondments to both domestic and overseas firms. He is able to leverage his expertise to assist clients in achieving their goals in respect to project development and operations, commercial contracts, joint ventures, M&A transactions, financial matters, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution matters.
TerumaNaito
Tokyo
Partner
Teruma Naito’s practice focuses on international and domestic project finance, cross-border finance, corporate and equity finance transactions in the area of power, water, oil and gas, infrastructure, shipping, export credit financings and insurance. He has extensive experience working for a magic circle law firm in England and Tokyo and has a broad range of experience in cross-border financings and corporate matters in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. He is fluent in English and Japanese.
JamesHearne
Tokyo
Special Counsel
James Hearne is a projects and cross-border M&A specialist with significant experience advising Japanese and international clients on transactions in the energy and natural resources sector.
James is an English law qualified lawyer with over 15 years' experience advising on complex cross-border investments, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, strategic alliances, project development and project operational matters, as well as on general corporate and commercial matters, particularly within the energy, natural resources, power, mining, metals, chemicals, technology and telecoms sectors.
His energy and natural resources sector experience includes advising on:
・conventional energy projects (including oil & gas, LNG, power and coal projects);
・energy transition projects (including hydrogen, ammonia, CCS/CCUS, carbon farming, carbon credits, biofuels and battery storage projects);
・renewables projects (including solar, wind, hydro and biomass projects), and
・offtake, trading and shipping of energy products (including LNG, coal, hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels).
James advises:
・Japanese clients on their overseas projects (outside of Japan), outbound investments and cross-border transactions with international counterparties; and
・international clients on their Japanese projects, inbound investments into Japan and cross-border transactions with Japanese counterparties.
He has advised on transactions and projects across the globe, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania and South America.
Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, James worked for top-tier law firms in London and Tokyo for over a decade. He also worked in-house at a major Japanese general trading company for five years as a senior legal counsel and deputy general manager of the energy legal department, which developed his deep understanding of clients' needs, strong commercial awareness and clear communication skills.
James has been recognised as a "Next Generation Lawyer" for corporate and M&A work in Japan by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific law firm directory in 2018 and 2019.
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