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Benjamin Walker

Lawyer

Email

benjamin.walker@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 1536

Offices

Perth

V-CARD
Ben advises on a wide range of domestic and cross-border commercial transactions including takeovers, mergers, acquisitions, disposals, capital raisings, joint ventures and mining operational agreements.

He practices primarily in the areas of corporate, commercial and energy and resources law.

Ben has conducted and coordinated comprehensive due diligence programs in those areas and has experience in drafting, negotiating and advising on takeover documentation, share and business sale agreements, joint venture and shareholders’ agreements and project-level mining agreements. Ben also has experience advising on general corporate governance matters and Australia's foreign investment regime.

Ben is the pro bono coordinator associate for the firm’s Perth Office and takes a lead role in the office’s pro bono and community investment initiatives. 

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • Advising a national petroleum and natural gas company on its proposed acquisition of a significant stake in an independent retail fuels business, including conducting and coordinating a comprehensive due diligence program, providing structuring advice and preparing documentation.
  • Fortescue on corporate governance matters and on project acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures.
  • Gransolar Group regarding the sale of a combined 440 MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities from three projects in South Australia and negotiating share purchase agreements, development services agreements and a framework agreement in respect of the same.
  • Global Advanced Metals on the sale of the Tabba Tabba Lithium-Tantalum Project to Wildcat Resources, for a consideration of shares, performance rights and royalties followed by a subsequent block trade of those shares to Mineral Resources.
  • OreCorp Limited on its proposed takeover by Silvercorp Metals Inc initially via a scheme of arrangement under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (including a placement of new fully-paid ordinary shares of OreCorp issued to Silvercorp to raise AUD28m), and in relation to the subsequent successful takeover bid by Perseus Mining.
  • OreCorp on the demerger of its Australian subsidiary, Solstice Minerals and the subsequent IPO of Solstice Minerals on the Australian Stock Exchange.
  • OreCorp on the acquisition of mining and exploration licenses in Tanzania and Australia and on a variety of corporate governance issues.
  • Resolute Mining on their AUD140m equity raising via an underwritten placement and accelerated non-renounceable rights issue and the issue of a prospectus to allow the new shares to trade on the LSE.
  • Horizon Minerals on its acquisition of Greenstone Resources Limited by way of two schemes of arrangement under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Pro bono

  • The Centre for Reproductive Rights providing advice relating to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right.
  • Valued Lives Foundation providing advice relating to its corporate structure. 
  • Forest Peoples Programme providing advice relating to international forest conservation practices. 
  • Villa Kitty Foundation providing internal general corporate advice. 

Awards

  • 30 Under 30 Award, Winner in the Mergers and Acquisition category, Lawyers Weekly, 2024

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as a Solicitor, Western Australia, 2021

Academic

Bachelor of Laws, University of Notre Dame, 2020

Bachelor of Commerce (Finance), University of Notre Dame, 2020

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.