James D. Simpson, Jr.

James Simpson is a partner in our London office who focuses his practice on global project finance. James has over 35 years of corporate transaction experience, focused on the power and energy and infrastructure sectors, including project development, privatizations, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings, government work and restructurings. Based in Europe since 1992, he has considerable privatization and transactional experience in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia/CIS, the Middle East and Africa.

He has extensive experience in project finance and infrastructure (including power, water/waste water, ports, airports and motorways), oil & gas, LNG-to-power and renewables and clean energy, as well as telecommunications. He regularly acts for project sponsors, lenders (including multilateral financial institutions, development finance institutions and ECAs), infrastructure funds, equity investors and governments.

• Represented developers, lenders and procurers on a wide range of power and water transactions throughout Europe, the Middle East, Turkey, India and Africa.
• Currently representing the sponsor on various offshore wind projects in Europe.
• Represented Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) on all aspects of the ISTP1 and ISTP2 wastewater transactions.
• Currently representing Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC) in a range of matters.
• Represented the sponsors and the project company in connection with the first-of-its-kind Delimara LNG-to-IPP transaction, which took place in Malta; this was recognized by IJ Global as “European Power Deal of the Year.”
• Represented sponsors on various other LNG-to-power transactions and LNG infrastructure transactions.
• Represented sponsors and lenders in connection with many of the I(W)PPs that have taken place in the Middle East.
• Represented the sponsor in connection with one of the leading petrochemical project financings in Europe.
• Currently representing the sponsors in connection with several major petrochemical and refinery projects in the Middle East.
• Represented the sponsor in a large agribusiness project in Canada.
• Represented sponsors, lenders and equity investors on a wide range of telecommunications projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, India and Latin America.
• Represented clients in connection with some of the first privatizations and projects financings in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia/CIS and Turkey involving power, telecommunications, oil & gas, water, motorways and other industries.
• Represented clients in connection with a range of power, oil & gas, LNG, telecom and mining transactions in Africa.
• Currently representing an African utility on several power projects.

• Recognized as a Leader in Power (including Electricity and Nuclear) and Renewables, Legal 500 UK, 2025
• Recognized as a Leader in Project Development and Project Finance, United Kingdom, IFLR1000, 2024

• New York State Bar Association
• Registered Foreign Lawyer, England & Wales