Michael Lyndon-James
Image of Michael Lyndon-James

Michael Lyndon-James

Senior Associate

Michael has over 14 years of experience advising on the structuring, procurement, financing, and delivery of complex energy, transport, and major infrastructure transactions, both in the United States and Australia.

Michael’s experience spans project finance, public-private partnerships and alternative delivery models. He works closely with sponsors, contractors, lenders, equity investors, underwriters, and public authorities across a range of assets, including airports, toll roads, broadband and other digital infrastructure, electric vehicle charging networks, energy transition assets, and mining and resources projects. 

Michael is known for a collaborative, solutions-driven approach that builds consensus among diverse stakeholders and multidisciplinary advisor teams and delivers commercially robust, bankable outcomes. 
Michael is admitted to practice in New York and Western Australia.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

Infrastructure:
  • A consortium of ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., JLC MJE-Loop Capital Partners and MasTec advising in relation to the bid, development, and financing for the availability payment-based Miami Beach Northern Corridor Rail P3 Project concession (cancelled) (previous firm experience). 
  • A consortium of Meridiam Infrastructure, a multinational energy company and Jair Lynch in connection with the first phase of the Prince George County Public Schools (PGCPS) P3 procurement in Maryland (previous firm experience). 
  • Georgia Department of Transportation on the Interstate Broadband Deployment Project, a series of design-build contracts for a fiber optic and wireless broadband network with a separate long-term operations and maintenance component (previous firm experience). 
  • Georgia Department of Transportation on the state-wide deployment of the NEVI Formula program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan (previous firm experience). 
  • Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on the $500 million Newark ConRAC Project. First merchant risk ConRAC in North America, and awarded North America PPP Deal of the Year: Newark ConRAC (Proximo Infra 2019); P3 Deal of the Year Americas: Newark ConRAC (Project Finance International Awards 2019); North American Airports Deal of the Year (IJGlobal Awards 2019); and Best Financial Structure (P3 Awards 2020) (previous firm experience). 
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation on the procurement of the $3.2 billion I-77 South Express Lanes P3 project (previous firm experience). 
  • Georgia Department of Transportation on the procurement of the $4.6 billion SR 400 Express Lanes P3 project (previous firm experience). 
  • Plenary Group on multiple U.S. infrastructure projects, including the UC Merced 2020 Project, the Long Beach Civic Center Project, the Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, the State Street Redevelopment Project, and the Colorado HPTE U.S. 36 and I‑25 Express Toll Lanes Project, in connection with downstream structural amendments arising from Caisse de dépôt et Placement du Québec’s acquisition of the Plenary Americas business (previous firm experience). 
  • Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on the $2.7 billion redevelopment of Newark Terminal A procured through a Design-Build Agreement and a long-term Terminal Operator Agreement, and the provision of ongoing advice (previous firm experience). 
  • Maryland Department of Transportation on the $9 billion I-495/I-95 Capital Beltway and I-270 Congestion Relief Improvements P3, including working with MDOT to evaluate and develop the project and drafting and negotiating procurement documents and public-private partnership agreements (previous firm experience). 
  • Underwriters and Bank Lenders to the ACS-led Shortlisted Consortium on the $4.9 billion P3 for the Automated People Mover (APM) train system at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This is the first deal to combine private activity bonds (PABs) and bank financing in a US Public Private Partnership (P3), and the first P3 transaction for LAWA. Also named P3 Deal of the Year by IJ Global Americas and Best Transit Project by P3 Bulletin (previous firm experience). 
  • Underwriters (J.P. Morgan) on the multi-billion-dollar Chula Vista Bayfront project in San Diego County, California (previous firm experience). 
  • Plenary's financing parties (SMBC in a bank financing and Allianz in a private placement) in connection with certain amendments to the project and finance documents and other post-financial close matters of the landmark Long Beach Civic Center project (previous firm experience). 
Mergers and Acquisitions: 
  • Boroo Pte. Ltd. on its acquisition of the Lagunas Norte mine in Peru, including assumption of $173 million in reclamation bond obligations (previous firm experience). 
  • Confidential Mining Company on its purchase of mining equipment in Peru (previous firm experience). 
  • Confidential Biomedical Company on its strategic acquisition of a Seattle‑based firm in the United States through a Plan of Merger and Merger Agreement (previous firm experience). 
  • Foresight Group US on the disposal of a 10.1MW solar portfolio in California and Colorado (previous firm experience). 
  • Mitsui & Co. Ltd. on its joint acquisition with the Development Bank of Japan of an 8.5% stake in FKS Food & Agri Pte. Ltd. in Singapore (previous firm experience). 
  • SAP SE on its acquisition of a multinational software developer involving the sale of shares in U.S. subsidiaries in the United States (previous firm experience). 
  • Confidential ASX-listed Investment Manager on its proposed acquisition of a funds management business involving U.S. subsidiaries in the United States (previous firm experience). 
  • BHP Billiton Nickel West on the proposed sale of its Western Australian nickel business in Australia. Supported divestment planning ahead of the South32 demerger (previous firm experience). 
  • BHP Billiton Iron Ore on ITOCHU and Mitsui’s $1.5 billion acquisition of an interest in the Jimblebar mining hub in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • K+S on its acquisition of the Ashburton Salt Project in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
    Fletcher Building Limited on its A$203 million divestment of Rocla Quarry Products in Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • Confidential Financier on the provision of a secured debt position to influence control and obtain asset ownership in the Northern Territory, Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • China Minsheng Banking Corporation on its acquisition of gold mining assets under care and maintenance in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
Energy and Resources: 
  • BHP Billiton Limited on the restructuring of its Western Australian gas supply arrangements relating to the North West Shelf and Macedon fields in Australia. Supported the formalization of upstream and downstream supply frameworks (previous firm experience). 
  • Woodside, as operator of the Pluto joint venture, on carbon sequestration projects and the proposed sale of carbon credits in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • Yara Pilbara Fertilisers on the negotiation of long‑term sea water supply and brine disposal agreements and associated land access arrangements in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • St Ives Gold and BHP Billiton Nickel West on their Federal Court appeals concerning historical State Agreement issues in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • BHP Billiton Iron Ore on State Agreement, land access, and tenure approvals required for the expansion of its operations in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • Confidential Resources Client on suspension and closure obligations for major mining and processing assets in Western Australia (previous firm experience). 
  • INPEX on the development of the AU$40 billion Ichthys LNG Project in Australia (previous firm experience). 

Speaking Engagements

  • Guest Speaker, Broadband and Data Centers: Current Trends and Case Studies, Stanford University’s Global Project Finance Course, Stanford Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, May 2025
  • Guest Speaker, Data-Driven Decision Making for Mega Airport Project Success, Society of Construction Law North America, July 2025
  • Guest Speaker, Accelerating Infrastructure Delivery, P3 Government Conference, August 2025

Awards

  • Future Leader of the Year, Shortlisted, P3 Awards, 2025
  • Future Leader of the Year, Shortlisted, P3 Awards, 2024

Qualifications

Admissions

Western Australia Supreme Court, 2012

New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Department, 2018

 

Courts

High Court of Australia, 2015

Academic

Bachelor of Laws, University of Notre Dame Australia, 2011

Bachelor of Commerce, University of Notre Dame Australia, 2011

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.