In the 12-month period from spring 2012, a market-moving Australian merger or tie-up was the must-have accessory for a major international firm. From Ashurst and Herbert Smith to Linklaters and King & Wood, everyone wanted a piece of Australia’s red hot, cross-border energy market.

Among those expected to follow their rivals down under was Hogan Lovells, an outfit with a significant US, European and Asia presence, not to mention a focus on energy, projects and infrastructure work.