LGS Firm & Services

Firm and Services

The role of lawyers in Indonesia is constantly evolving. Recognising this ever-changing role, LGS strives to remain informed on the latest legal, political and socioeconomic developments to provide advice of the highest calibre. LGS understands the dynamic setting that its lawyers play in facilitating our client’s access to policy makers, regulators, and government agencies. And so our lawyers use their legal skills and knowledge of Indonesian business practices to arrive at customised legal solution. LGS is a law firm with the largest number of lawyers in Indonesia pursuant to ALB survey: the ALB 50 asia's largest law firms 2009.

The approach taken by LGS in dealing with a business transaction includes:

a. Providing legal advice in the context of the clients’ businesses; 
b. Produce legal advice to strengthen the clients’ bargaining power; 
c. Increasing clients’ cost efficiency, maximise clients’ strength and minimising risk; 
d. Proposing a structure for a transaction which is beneficial to clients, and secure the legality and enforceability of the transaction; 
e. Devise the most tax efficient transaction;
f. Providing legal advice in consideration of commercial, technical and procedural aspects, and the clients’ wishes; 
g. Conducting legal due diligence pursuant to any scope of work determined by clients. 

Practice Areas

LGS is widely recognized for its Corporate and Commercial Law expertise, while at the same time also continues to expand its commercial litigation, and is consistently ranked at the top of league tables for every major area of its practice, namely:

1. Alternative dispute resolution
2. Anti trust
3. Bank and debt restructuring
4. Banking and secured transactions
5. Bankruptcy
6. Capital market
7. Construction
8. Consumer protection defense litigation
9. Corporate finance
10. Distribution of goods and services
11. E-commerce
12. Foreign and domestic investment
13. Forestry and plantation
14. General corporate
15. Infrastructure 16. Information technology
17. Insurance
18. International trade
19. Intellectual property rights
20. Labor
21. Maritime and shipping
22. Merger and acquisitions
23. Mining, oil and gas
24. Privatization
25. Project finance
26. Property and real estate
27. Structured finance
28. Telecommunication

Together, LGS lawyers work across practices to provide the highest quality legal services, bringing their collective experience to bear on the issues clients face. Underpinning the quality of our work are our shared values. We take pride in the success of our clients and in our contributions to them.

1. Bank and Debt Restructuring

Since the aftermath of the economic crisis, LGS has become one of the leading law firms involved in the rebuild of the banking sector, as the primary counsel to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA). LGS has advised during the process of suspension, take over and due diligence of the troubled banks. It has also played vital roles in the drafting of banking law amendments, re-capitalization, settlement arrangements with the former owners, due diligence and negotiations in debt restructuring, as well as implementing other IBRA assignments.

From 2007 until H1 2008, LGS has been retained by Kerry Coal (Mauritius) Limited, Goldman Sachs (Asia) Finance, Citigroup Financial Products Inc., Vencap Holdings (1987) Pte Ltd, and Arindo FCM (Mauritius) Limited as the Indonesian counsel to the shareholders of Arianne Investments Mezzanine Pte Ltd and advising the clients in connention with the sale of their interest in the said investment companies, which is part of the restructuring of PT Adaro Indonesia group companies which also involves the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of PT Adaro Energy Tbk (formerly PT Padang Karunia), whereby LGS advises the clients in the subscription of shares on the IPO through allotment procedures.

2. Capital Market

LGS is known as one of the leading Indonesian leading law firms in the capital market area. It has provided legal services to its clients (issuer and underwriter) in more than one hundred capital market transaction projects including IPOs, bond issues, rights issues, M&As of public companies, investment and divestment of public companies, tender offer, conflict of interest transactions, etc. Some of LGS’ clients are “blue-chip” companies such as Astra International, Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna, Charoen Phokphand groups, Ramayana Lestari Sentosa, Bank Universal, United Tractors, Astra Otoparts and others. Our representations include Legal Consultant for Underwriters, Bonds Issue in Foreign Stock Exchanges and Transaction under 144A Rules and/or 1065 Rules.

During 2007 until early 2008 LGS has represented PT Charoen Pokhpand Indonesia Tbk, for a public rights issue. As previously mentioned, LGS has also been involved in advising certain foreign investors in the US$ 1.1 billion Initial Public Offering of PT Adaro Energy Tbk., one of the largest IPOs in Indonesia.

3. Mergers and Acquisitions

At LGS, we solve problems that arise in complex mergers and acquisitions transactions by proposing a structure that is beneficial to clients, and also secure the legality and enforceability of the transaction. Our in-depth experience in this area has brought us to handle several significant cases from 2007 to 2008, among others:

Representing PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. in the asset acquisition of major brands in Indonesia under the name of Buavita and Go Go, followed with long-term cooperation through a toll manufacturing agreement;
Representing PT Recapital Advisors as the seller in the acquisition of 71% share in PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional Tbk. by TPG Nusantara S.a.r.l. where the acquisition is conditioned to the IPO of PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Tbk;
Representing PT Retower Indonesia in the proposed acquisition of tower company and base-transceiver station (BTS) towers from other telecommunication operators; 
Representing several clients in the acqusition of coal mining companies located in South Kalimantan.

4. Project Finance

Our deep understanding of the issues surrounding project finance enables us to help our clients turn plans into reality. Some of the works conducted from 2007 until H1 2008 are:

Representing Syabas Energy in the initial stage of the assignment of 10% stake in Block Cepu from Mobil Cepu Ltd. (MCL) and Ampolex (Cepu) Pte. Ltd., subsidiaries of ExxonMobil Corporation and PT. Pertamina EP Cepu to four local government companies;
Representing PT. Recapital Advisors in its effort to finance PT. Jakarta Monorail to construct and operate monorail as a follow up of the Cooperation Agreement made by and between DKI Jakarta and PT. Jakarta Monorail.

5. Refinancing and Bank Lending

LGS also provide its legal services for refinancing and bank lending agreements. LGS has represented several clients from 2007 until H1 2008, including:

DBS Bank Ltd; Standard Chartered Bank; Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., and UOB Asia Limited in relation to refinancing of the existing facilities of Adaro Group;
Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P, DBS Bank Ltd, and Signum Finance Cayman Limited in relation to refinancing of the acquisition of PT Adaro Indonesia and PT Indonesia Bulk Terminal;
Calyon, Aozora Bank Ltd, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Calyon Merchant Bank Asia Limited, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and PT Bank Sumitomo Mitsui Indonesia in relation to refinancing of the existing debt of Orchard Maritime Logistics Pte. Ltd.

6. Mining, Oil and Gas  

LGS is highly experienced in the field of mining and energy. We have assisted our clients on major transactions in the mining sector and has achieved many successful results. The following are some of LGS’ prime projects, among others:

Indonesian counsel of J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. and Goldman Sachs (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. in connection with the offer of US$ 400 million Guaranteed Secured Notes by Adaro Finance B.V., which are guaranteed by PT Adaro Indonesia and PT Indonesia Bulk Terminal and the refinancing of PT Adaro Indonesia group companies;
Representing PT Pamapersada Nusantara in the share and asset acquisitions of several local mining companies in South Kalimantan;
Representing Credit Suisse in managing Escrow Documents in the acquisition of PT Bumi Resources Tbk., a coal mining concession company by Tata Power Company Limited;
Representing Baramulti Group companies in mining services in the acquisition of PT Antang Gunung Meratus, a coal mining concession company and a series of sale and purchase of share transactions;
Representing PT Baramulti Sugih Sentosa, a coal mining service company in the proposed acquisition of a forestry company in Kalimantan;
Representing PT Prima Mulia Sarana Sejahtera, a coal mining concession company in the proposed railroad infrastructure for coal transportation in Sumatera;
Indonesian counsel to China Minmetals, a nickel mining company, in the proposed acquisition of Bintangdelapan Group companies holding mining concession;
Indonesian counsel to PT Astra International Tbk. in the proposed acquisition of Bayan Group companies in coal mining, mining services and general trading business;
Indonesian counsel to the shareholders of Arianne Investments Mezzanine Pte. Ltd. in the sale of their interest in the said investment company.

7. Maritime and Shipping

LGS is one of the small number of law firms with expertise in maritime and shipping law. Our Senior Partner, Dr. Ganie obtained his Ph.D. degree in Shipping Law from the University of Hamburg and is an acclaimed expert in maritime and shipping law. Moreover, LGS has involved in several projects in the sector, our recent cases among others are:

a. Representing Itochu Corporation regarding the oil pollution in Indonesia; 
b. Assisting Pusan International Law Office regarding ship arrest in Batam; 
c. Representing Bulk Trading SA, Asia Pacific regarding the case of Maritime Light versus MHKL 36;
d. Representing PT Parna Raya regarding the sale and purchase of vessel; 
e. Representing PT Swasti Bahari Utama in connection with the time charter party; 
f. Assisting Lin & Associates, Maritime Law Office regarding MV Shinko Ocean V-15; 
g. Assisting G. Trantalides & Partners (Law Offices) regarding the claim on an MV sunk; 
h. Assets acquisition of Orchard Maritime Services Pte Ltd (Singapore) by Orchard Maritime Logistic Pte Ltd (Singapore); 
i. Representing PT Pan Maritime Wira Pawitra regarding sailing issues.

8. General Corporate transactions

LGS has counseled on general corporate issues, including labour issues and commercial litigation for a number of companies, such as PT Daimler Chrysler Indonesia, PT TVS Motor Company Indonesia, PT Charoen Pokphand Indonesia Tbk., Sampoerna Foundation, Sampoerna Strategic Group, PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk., PT Kievit Indonesia, PT Frisian Flag Indonesia and Frieslandfoods International Group, PT Danmotors Vespa Indonesia, VFS International AB, PT Mitsui Indonesia, PT Dow Chemical Indonesia, PT Bussan Auto Finance, Bank Resona Perdania and PT Terumo Indonesia. 

9. Tax  

With regard to the tax sector, LGS may assist you in conducting due diligence and providing advice with regard to the tax treatment under the prevailing Indonesian regulation. We can also assist you in preparing the required tax application and filings to the Indonesian tax agencies. However, for more detailed tax advices, it is suggested that you should refer to dedicated tax advisors. For your ease reference, we could provide you the names of tax advisors as you may require.

LGS Database

Considered as the most complete legal database in Indonesia, the LGS Database contains more than 40,000 laws and regulations. This database functions as LGS’ basis to serve the varied needs of clients. It is regularly updated with the latest developments to keep clients informed. This practice of sharing knowledge and resources with clients leads to improved strategic outcomes. Aside from laws and regulations, the LGS Database also provides legal memoranda, forms and agreements, boilerplate provisions and litigation reports. This is all easily accessible online to allow the business community to access comprehensive, user friendly and affordable legal information.

Affiliations

LGS maintains contacts with international and national law firms in jurisdictions around the world to satisfy the need in a globalised world. The contacts are built in order to provide clients with an international legal service that is truly unparalleled in excellence.

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