Luke Nicholls
Counsel
Perth
Luke Nicholls
Counsel
Perth
Contact details
Luke is a senior corporate lawyer with over 16 years' experience in leading law firms in London and Australia.
Luke practises in the areas of corporate, commercial, real estate and energy and resources law and has advised on a wide range of commercial transactions, including takeovers, mergers, acquisitions, disposals, capital raisings and joint ventures. Luke also has considerable experience in cross-border M&A transactions and private equity, including advising private equity and investment funds on in the real estate and energy and natural resource sectors.
Luke is praised by clients for being “internationally experienced in private equity matters” and so “brings a good understanding to cross- border transactions, particularly of the importance of the private equity structure to the wider elements of transaction structuring.” He has also been recognised by Chambers Asia Pacific, Legal 500 and Doyle’s legal directories for his expertise. Luke has also been recognised as a “next generation lawyer” for Natural Resources (transactions and regulatory) in the Legal 500’s 2019 guide. Legal 500 Australia 2022 recognises ""‘Luke Nicholls is a fearless negotiator in the transactional space, always obtaining excellent outcomes for us"" (Natural Resources (transactions and regulatory)).
Luke is dual qualified to practice law in Australia and England & Wales.
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted as solicitor, Victoria, Australia, 2004
Admitted as solicitor, Western Australia, 2004
Academic
Law LLB (Honours), University of Western Australia, 2003
Bcom (Finance), University of Western Australia, 2003
Related articles
News: 27 October 2022
A&O advises Wyloo Metals on its investment in Greatland Gold
Experience highlights
EMR Capital on its acquisition of an 80% interest in the Lubambe Copper Mine valued at USD971.1m
Read more Experience highlightsUSD1.125bn acquisition of Shell Development Australia Limited's participating interest in Wheatstone LNG project and in the Wheatstone-lago Joint Venture
Read more Experience highlightsEFG International on its acquisition of Shaw and Partners
EFG International, a global private banking group based in Zurich, on its acquisition of 51% of the issued share capital of Australian wealth management and financial services provider, Shaw and Partners, the subsequent buy-back (which moved EFG to a 75% control position) and the subsequent acquisition of the remaining 25% of issued share capital of Shaw and Partners which EFG did not already own (which moved EFG to a 100% control position).
EMR Capital on its acquisition of an 80% interest in the Lubambe Copper Mine valued at USD971.1m
EMR Capital on its acquisition of an 80% interest in the Lubambe Copper Mine in Zambia from Africa Rainbow Minerals and Vale valued at USD971.1m.
ESR Cayman on its USD306m investment by JD.com Inc
ESR Cayman on its USD306m investment by Chinese online retailer JD.com Inc and related cooperation arrangements. The cooperation includes property development, fund management and investment across the APAC region.
USD1.125bn acquisition of Shell Development Australia Limited's participating interest in Wheatstone LNG project and in the Wheatstone-lago Joint Venture
Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company on the acquisition of Shell Development Australia Limited's participating interest in Wheatstone LNG project and in the Wheatstone-lago Joint Venture for USD1.125bn and related off-take arrangements.
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted as solicitor, Victoria, Australia, 2004
Admitted as solicitor, Western Australia, 2004
Academic
Law LLB (Honours), University of Western Australia, 2003
Bcom (Finance), University of Western Australia, 2003
Other noteworthy experience
Advising
- EMR Capital on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in MMG Golden Grove which owns the Golden Grove copper-zinc-lead-precious metals mine.
- E-Shang Cayman Limited (e-Shang) on its merger with the Redwood Group by way of an all-stock merger to create a pan-Asian logistics platform across the PRC, Japan, Korea and other select markets.
- E-Shang Redwood on a USD300m pre-IPO investment involving a consortium of Chinese institutional investors including GF Investments (HK), Huarong International, Huarong Rongde, SPDB International, China Everbright, Everbright Securities and CMBC International.
- ESR Cayman (formerly E-Shang Cayman) on a US$333m strategic investment by SK Holdings to subscribe for 10% of the fully diluted shareholding in ESR, along with the sale of shares of a co-founder of ESR to Warburg Pincus.
- ESR Cayman on its real estate logistics joint venture in India and Australia and related founder arrangements.
- Kufpec Australia on the sale of its interest in the Harriet gas production joint venture to Quadrant Energy and on the acquisition of Quadrant Northwest’s interest in the Tallaganda retention lease.
- Lighthouse Minerals on its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Birla Mt Gordon, which owns the Mt Gordon copper mine in Queensland, Australia, for approximately AUD55m.
- Link Market Services, Australia on the acquisition of registrar of services GmbH, Germany from Deutsche Bank.
- Nova Property Investment Co., Ltd. (A Warburg Pincus portfolio company) on its issuance of shares to, and joint venture with, Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC, with total financing commitments of up to US$1 billion from GIC.
- Resource Capital Funds on the sale of their interests in QMAG Limited, the largest independent non-Chinese producer of magnesia products for the global refractory and chemical markets.
- Russian Direct Investment Fund (a USD10bn fund ultimately controlled by the Russian State Development Bank) on its cornerstone investment in Tigers Realm Coal and associated takeover panel proceedings and related matters.
Pro-bono experience
- Advising Breast Cancer Care (WA) Inc on fundraising and governance issues in Western Australia
- Advising Mental Illness Foundation (WA) Inc on governance issues in Western Australia
Recognition
Luke is recognised as a Next Generation Lawyer for Natural Resources: Transactions and Regulatory.
Legal 500 Australia 2019
Recognised by Doyles Guide as a Rising Star for Energy & Natural Resources.
Doyles Guide, 2016
Published work
- “Pilmer v. Duke Group Ltd (in liquidation)-Corporate Insolvency” Corporate & Securities Law Journal (2001) C&SLJ 397
- “Doing business in 2005: removing obstacles to growth”-contributing author, World Bank Group and International Finance Corporation (2005)
- “Doing Business in 2006: creating jobs”-contributing author, World Bank Group and International Finance Corporation (2005)
