Ashurst strengthens Corporate practice with two partner hires
02 May 2023
Global law firm Ashurst announces the hire of two new Corporate Transactions partners in its Sydney office. Patricia Paton will join Ashurst as an Equity Capital Markets (ECM) partner and Jo En Low will join the firm as a Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) partner.
Her experience also covers a wide range of corporate governance issues, including advising on ASX listing rules and continuous disclosure requirements, executive and employee incentive arrangements, and private company mergers and acquisitions. Patricia joins Ashurst from Hamilton Locke, where she was one of the first partners at the firm. Prior to that, she spent almost a decade at Clayton Utz.
Jo En was recognised by Legal 500 (UK) 2022 as a "leading lawyer" in its Projects, Energy and Natural Resources – Power (including Electricity, Nuclear and Renewables) category who "proactively engages" with clients and delivers "advice which is clear, commercial and on point".
She joins Ashurst from Bracewell, where she was a Corporate M&A partner in the London office and co-chaired that firm's global ESG practice. She previously held roles at Clifford Chance.
The moves come after Ashurst announced four new Corporate Transactions partners in Australia - Eliza Blandford, Brooke Coghlan, Jason Maletic and Ben Stewart – as part of a record 25 promotions across the firm globally for a second year running.
Anton Harris, partner and co-head of Ashurst's Australian Corporate Transactions practice, commented:
"We are delighted to welcome Patricia and Jo En to the Ashurst team. Patricia is a capital markets expert who has a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape. She will bolster the firm's core offering for corporate clients, investment banks and corporate advisers. Jo En will help the firm's strategy in expanding its focus on energy transition-related deals. Her sector expertise and experience in advising private equity clients will add bench strength to our practice as energy M&A continues to grow."
Patricia said:
"I am excited to join Ashurst and eager to begin working with the broader team. The firm's global network and commercial focus make it a compelling platform for me to expand my practice."
Jo En added:
"I'm excited to join the Ashurst team in Sydney. Ashurst's global offering outlook, strength in the Australian market and industry focus makes it a compelling firm to house my practice, which is focused entirely on partnering with clients to deliver on their strategic objectives. It is inspiring to join a firm that shares my clients' optimism and enthusiasm to pursue the opportunities presented by the energy transition."
Patricia Paton
Patricia has more than 18 years' experience advising on corporate and capital markets transactions in the listed and unlisted space. Her practice includes advising issuers, underwriters and managers on private and pre-IPO capital raisings, initial public offerings, hybrid securities issuances, convertible note and debt offers, accelerated and traditional entitlement offers, placements, share purchase plans and dividend reinvestment plans. She has acted on several complex and high-profile initial public offerings and worked in Australian and UK markets.Her experience also covers a wide range of corporate governance issues, including advising on ASX listing rules and continuous disclosure requirements, executive and employee incentive arrangements, and private company mergers and acquisitions. Patricia joins Ashurst from Hamilton Locke, where she was one of the first partners at the firm. Prior to that, she spent almost a decade at Clayton Utz.
Jo En Low
Jo En is a highly regarded private equity/M&A expert who advises financial investors and major international corporates in the renewable energy sector. She has over a decade of experience leading prominent, cross-border transactions across the energy spectrum, including those involving solar, onshore/offshore wind, hydro, battery storage and tidal energy assets alongside hydrogen, carbon capture, oil and gas assets.Jo En was recognised by Legal 500 (UK) 2022 as a "leading lawyer" in its Projects, Energy and Natural Resources – Power (including Electricity, Nuclear and Renewables) category who "proactively engages" with clients and delivers "advice which is clear, commercial and on point".
She joins Ashurst from Bracewell, where she was a Corporate M&A partner in the London office and co-chaired that firm's global ESG practice. She previously held roles at Clifford Chance.
The moves come after Ashurst announced four new Corporate Transactions partners in Australia - Eliza Blandford, Brooke Coghlan, Jason Maletic and Ben Stewart – as part of a record 25 promotions across the firm globally for a second year running.
Anton Harris, partner and co-head of Ashurst's Australian Corporate Transactions practice, commented:
"We are delighted to welcome Patricia and Jo En to the Ashurst team. Patricia is a capital markets expert who has a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape. She will bolster the firm's core offering for corporate clients, investment banks and corporate advisers. Jo En will help the firm's strategy in expanding its focus on energy transition-related deals. Her sector expertise and experience in advising private equity clients will add bench strength to our practice as energy M&A continues to grow."
Patricia said:
"I am excited to join Ashurst and eager to begin working with the broader team. The firm's global network and commercial focus make it a compelling platform for me to expand my practice."
Jo En added:
"I'm excited to join the Ashurst team in Sydney. Ashurst's global offering outlook, strength in the Australian market and industry focus makes it a compelling firm to house my practice, which is focused entirely on partnering with clients to deliver on their strategic objectives. It is inspiring to join a firm that shares my clients' optimism and enthusiasm to pursue the opportunities presented by the energy transition."
