
Matthew I. Martin
Biography
Matthew Martin is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Projects group. Matt serves as counsel on complex construction and project development projects across a range of sectors. He is admitted in Illinois, New York and England & Wales.
Matthew has been recognized in the Legal 500 as someone who ‘combines being hands on’ and ‘into the legal detail’, with ‘a deep commercial understanding of projects’.
Practice Focus
Matthew focuses on project development and construction transactions across a broad range of sectors. His practice is fully integrated within the EMI (energy, mining and infrastructure) and Real Estate groups, and he operates across the London and North American offices advising on projects globally.
Matthew has over 10 years' experience advising sponsors, lenders, developers, owners and contractors on large-scale projects. These include hydrogen and renewables projects as part of energy transition, conventional power projects, mega mining projects, process plants and industrial developments, ports and infrastructure projects (including on a PPP basis), data centers and commercial warehousing, healthcare and labs, hotels and hospitality, large scale mixed use urban redevelopments, and offices and corporate remodels.
Matthew advises clients through the full lifecycle of projects, including initial structuring to achieve commercial and financing objectives (and often on a project finance basis). He has extensive experience drafting and negotiating construction and related projects contracts, including EPC, EPCM, Equipment Supply, LTSAs, O&Ms, design and consultancy appointments, construction contracts, construction management and design/build arrangements. As well as drafting and advising on bespoke contracts, Matthew regularly advises on FIDIC, NEC, JCT and AIA documents.
Matthew is dual-qualified in Illinois (US) and England & Wales, and typically advises clients on projects which have a cross-border component, drawing on his dual-admission and extensive experience on advising on international projects, including in the US and North America, the UK, the Caribbean, Southern Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advising the sponsors and project company on the development of a leading hydrogen production and storage project in the US.
- Advising various sponsors, contractors and investors (including sustainable infrastructure funds) on the development (including equipment purchase, construction and operation and maintenance) of more than 25 utility scale solar, battery storage and wind projects across the US.
- Advising the project sponsors and project company in relation to the concession contract and development and operation of a major Caribbean cruise port terminal on a PPP basis.
- Advised J-POWER USA on the construction of a greenfield 1,200 MW natural-gas-fired combined cycle facility to be located in Will County, Illinois.
- Counsel to a global steel and mining company on its development of a significant steel fabrication and rail production facility in the US.
- Construction legal lead for a number of key clients on their global construction programs, including a major US organization developing USD multi-million projects in 30+ jurisdictions worldwide, and one of the Big Tech companies on its global data center procurement and construction program.
- Advising a leading US pharma group on the construction of its USD 700 million oncology headquarters in California.
- Advising the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) on its USD$6 billion development of the Wa’ad Al Shamal phosphate resource, related process plants and the "Northern Promise" industrial city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Advised Edwardian Hotels on the construction of its new-build ultra-boutique five star urban resort hotel development in Leicester Square, London on a construction management basis.
- Acting on the development of a number of projects in Southern Africa, including for sponsors and lenders on various renewables projects as part of the second and third rounds of South Africa's Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme, the sponsors on the coal-fired Morupule B Phase 2 Units 5 & 6, and a major supplier on its contract for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Law Society of England & Wales - Member
- Society of Construction Law - Member
Admissions
- New York~United States (2023)
- Illinois~United States (2020)
- England & Wales~United Kingdom (2012)
Education
- College of Law at London (Legal Practice Course - Distinction) (2009)
- University of Exeter (LLB Hons - First Class ) (2008)
Languages
- English
Previous Offices
- Chicago
- London
- Moscow
- Mexico City