Webinar 05.08.25
05.08
Doing Business in Saudi Arabia
2:00PM - 3:00PM CST
A fantastic construction lawyer.
Simon Barrett is Pillsbury's Senior Partner in Japan and heads firm's Finance practice in Japan and the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure practice in Japan.
Mr. Barrett advises clients on the development and financing of large-scale projects in the energy infrastructure and sustainable finance sector. He counsels procuring authorities, developers, contractors and lenders on all aspects of projects, from procurement and contract drafting, through to contract administration and dispute resolution.
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Mr. Barrett has worked on projects in over 25 jurisdictions involving the oil and gas, power, chemicals and transportation sectors. He has particular experience in the area of construction law and is listed in legal directories as a leading practitioner in this field.
Mr. Barrett’s work in the energy sector also extends to advising clients on regulatory and compliance matters, in particular with respect to anti-bribery. In connection with this work, Mr. Barrett often advises energy and construction companies on preventative measures and crisis management.
Representative Experience
- Represented SoftBank Group Corp. in its CAD $99 million investment in Nemaska Lithium Inc.
- Represented a Japanese chemicals company on its joint venture for the $5.2 billion expansion of the Rabigh 2 refinery and petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia.
- Represented a Japanese trading house on the acquisition of a 90 percent interest in the Kelanitissa power plant in Sri Lanka.
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- Represented a Japanese trading house on its successful bid for the 2,500MW Facility D IWPP in Qatar.
- Power
- A Japanese trading house on the development of a £1.1b energy-from-waste project in the UK.
- A Japanese trading company on its bid for a mechanical, electrical and instrumentation (MEI) EPC package in connection with the 289 MW Nam Ngiep hydroelectric project in Laos.
- A Japanese construction company on its bid for various civil works packages on the 180 MW Asahan 3 hydroelectric plant, Indonesia.
- An international developer on an EPC contract for Phase 2 of the Kribi IPP, Cameroon.
- A Japanese trading house on series of disputes under various contracts with a Chinese counterparty involving the sale and purchase of carbon emission reduction (CER) certificates.
- An international developer on the acquisition of a majority stake in a 435 MW CCGT power plant located in Greece.
- The developer on a construction contract for the South Hook CHP Plant in the UK.
- An international developer on various extension of time claims in connection with the Kribi IPP in Cameroon.
- A Japanese trading house as a minority investor in the Shuqaiq 2 IWPP in Saudi Arabia.
- A Japanese trading house on its bid (in consortium) for Mirant’s power assets in the Philippines.
- A Japanese construction company on a dispute relating to the construction of a solar plant in Italy.
- Chemicals / Petrochemicals
- A U.S. chemicals company on a series of major EPC projects for the construction of new chemical process plants in the PRC, Philippines and Singapore.
- A Japanese trading house on various high-value contracts supply for supply of chemicals to a Turkish buyer.
- A Japanese trading house on the construction of a phosphoric fertilizer plant in Turkmenistan.
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A Japanese chemicals company on its joint venture for the $5.2 billion expansion of the Rabigh 2 refinery and petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia.
- Infrastructure
- A leading global technology company on a major refurbishment of a process plant in Kyushu, Japan.
- A procuring authority on a military accommodation project in the UK.
- An international engineering company on leniency negotiations with regulators in Japan.
- The project company on the Belmarsh West prison in South East London.
- The commercial lenders to a series of PFI street lighting projects in the UK.
- The commercial lenders to a series of PFI hospital projects in the UK.
- A Japanese construction company on its bid for works on the redevelopment of a large area of downtown Doha, Qatar.
- A metal trading company on a dispute involving a high-value supply contract for the supply of steel to a desalination plant in Chile.
- Transport
- A Japanese bidder (in consortium) for the third set of locks project at the Panama Canal.
- A procuring authority on various disputes with an international contractor over claims for additional payments in relation to the Saigon East-West highway in Vietnam.
- A consultant on a sealift project involving the construction and operation of a fleet of new military transportation vessels.
- Oil & Gas
- A Japanese trading house on a proposed oil pipeline in East Africa.
- A Japanese heavy equipment manufacturer on a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Turkmenistan.
- A metals trading company on its bid for a high-value steel supply contract in connection with the South Stream oil and gas pipeline.
- A Japanese trading house on the sale of its shares in the Tuban oil refinery in East Java.
- A Japanese trading house on a joint venture agreement for the construction of a $5 billion oil refinery at Izmir, Turkey.
- The project company and sponsors of the Nabucco natural gas pipeline in relation to the shareholders and funding agreement.
- A Japanese construction company on sanctions and contract advice on the Yamal LNG project.
- A Japanese oil & gas company in relation to the renegotiation of a buyback contract in Iran.
- A Japanese trading house on multiple FPSO/FSO transactions including in Brazil, Angola and Vietnam.
- A Japanese equipment supplier on a dispute relating to the construction of two LNG storage tanks in India.
Professional Highlights
- Recognized in Chambers Asia-Pacific in Japan Construction (2013 – 2014, 2017 – 2024); and in Japan Projects & Energy (2021 – 2024).
- Recognized in The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific in Japan Construction (2012 – 2022); and as a Leading Individual in Japan Projects & Energy (2017 – 2022).
- Who's Who Legal – Construction; Who's Who Legal Japan – Construction & Real Estate
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- Honors & Awards
- Recognized as Highly Regarded by International Financial Law Review (2024).
- Best Lawyers (published by BL Rankings LLC), Construction Law |Project Finance and Development Practice (2020 – 2022)
- IFLR1000: Leading Lawyer in Japan – Banking, Energy & Infrastructure, Project Development and Project Finance (2019)
- Who’s Who Legal Japan – Construction & Real Estate
- Profiled as a key member of Pillsbury’s Latin Lawyer 250-ranked practice in the region.
- Member of the Projects Team, Ranked in IJ Global – Three Top 20 League Tables for First of 2017 in North America (including Project Finance, Infrastructure Finance and Power Infrastructure Finance).
- Speaking Engagements
- “English Case Law Update,” Pillsbury Seminar, December 2023, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- “Pillsbury International Disputes Seminar,” April 2023, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Secondment
- Two years to the legal department of a leading Japanese trading house.
- Associations
- International Association of Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN)
- Engineering & Consulting Firms Association, Japan (ECFA)
Education
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Legal Practice Course, The College of Law, London, 1999
Common Professional Exam, The College of Law, London, 1998
B.A. (Hons), Political Science, Queen Mary College, University of London, 1993
Admissions
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England and Wales
Japan, Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association (Foreign Admitted Lawyer)