Jamie A. Benson

is the head of the firm's U.S. Capital Markets practice and India Practice . He has more than 20 years' experience in advising on capital markets and M&A transactions. Jamie has advised on more than 100 equity and debt offerings throughout the world with total proceeds of approximately US$21 billion. He is one of the leading international legal counsel advising on securities offerings by Indian issuers, having worked on more than 60 offerings by Indian issuers in the last 15 years. He is currently based in Singapore, having previously worked in New York, Sydney and London.

Jamie's experience includes advising on: equity offerings (public offerings and private placements); high-yield, convertible and investment-grade bond offerings; debt private placements; SEC-registered equity and debt offerings; mergers and acquisitions of both U.S. and non-U.S. public companies; going private transactions; SEC reporting obligations, compliance with U.S. broker-dealer laws, general corporate law matters, commercial law matters and FCPA matters. Jamie has a wide range of industry experience, including working on deals involving companies in the following industries: aviation; banking; beer and wine; business process outsourcing; cable television; construction; electricity transmission and distribution; film production; gambling; healthcare, infrastructure; jewelry; insurance; mining; non-banking financial companies (NBFCs); oil and gas; print media; property; telecommunications; television broadcasting; and toll roads.

Jamie has represented almost every major international and Indian investment bank.

Jamie is ranked in Chambers Asia-Pacific for Capital Markets (International Firms)-India, 2020, where it is stated Jamie Benson is regularly called upon for his expertise advising on IPOs and QIPs. One client says: His thorough diligence, knowledge of US law and sound knowledge of accounts are what makes Duane Morris & Selvam stand out from other comparable firms. He is listed as a Leading Lawyer/Highly Regarded for Capital Markets by IFLR 1000, 2016-2020 and as a Recommended Lawyer for Capital Markets in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2016-2019. Jamie Benson is a prominent name in India ECM deals. The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, India, Capital Markets, Foreign Laws Firms, Recommended Law Firms, 2018. He is also listed in the International A List: - the top 100 India-focused legal experts outside the country for 2019 and 2020 by India Business Law Journal and the A-list - Singapore’s top 100 lawyers 2019 by Asian Business Law Journal.

Jamie studied law at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College), where he was awarded a B.A. and an M.A. He received his Master of Laws from the University of Virginia. Jamie is admitted to practice law in New York, USA and Tasmania, Australia.

Resume

Experience

•Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, Singapore
- Director, 2012-present
•Dorsey & Whitney LLP, London and Sydney
- Special Counsel, 2008-2012
- Senior Consultant, 2007, 2005-2006
•Coudert Brothers, Sydney
- Senior Associate, 2003-2005
•Jones Day, Sydney
- U.S. Corporate and Securities Associate, 1999-2003
•Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP, New York
- Associate, 1996-1999

Honors and Awards

•Ranked in Chambers Global for Capital Markets-India and Singapore, 2020
•Listed in India Business Law Journal’s A-List, 2020
•Ranked in Chambers Asia-Pacific for Capital Markets-India, 2020
•Listed by IFLR 1000 as a Highly Regarded Lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt, Capital Markets: Equity, M&A for 2020

•Listed in Asia Business Law Journal as a Top 100 Lawyer in Singapore, 2019

•Listed in India Business Law Journal as part of the The International A-List: the Top India-focused Lawyers at International Law Firms, 2019

•Listed in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a recommended lawyer for Capital Markets - Foreign Firms for 2019

•Listed by IFLR 1000 as a Highly Regarded Lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity, Capital Markets: Debt, M&A for 2019

•Listed in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a recommended lawyer for Capital Markets - Foreign Firms and India Foreign Firms for 2018

•Listed by IFLR 1000 as a Highly Regarded Lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity, M&A for 2018

•Listed by IFLR 1000 as Leading Lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity, M&A for 2016 and 2017

•Listed in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a recommended lawyer for Capital Markets - Local Firms for 2016 and 2017

•Listed in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a recommended lawyer for Corporate and M&A - Myanmar for 2017
•Awarded Finance Monthly Deal Maker of the Year Award 2016 for his role as the lead lawyer advising First Myanmar Investment Co., Ltd. on the listing of its shares on the Yangon Stock Exchange, which was the first listing on that stock exchange
•Led the firm's team that acted as U.S. legal counsel to the President of India on the sale of Rs. 27 billion (US$406 million) of shares in NHPC Limited in an offer for sale (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.), which was recognised as one of the Deals of the Year 2016 by India Business Law Journal.
•Led the firm's team that advised First Myanmar Investment Co., Ltd. on its historic listing on the Yangon Stock Exchange, which was the first listing on that stock exchange. That deal was listed in 2016 Deals of the Year - Capital Markets by Asia Business Law Journal, Deals of the Year 2016 by asian-mena Counsel and was a finalist in Emerging Markets Awards for Capital Markets Deal of the Year: Equity 2016 by The Asian Lawyer.

Publications and Speaking Engagements

Selected Publications

•Co-author, Proposed Amendments to the Exempt Offering Framework under the Securities Act Relevant to Asian Companies, Duane Morris Alert, April 20, 2020
•Co-author, COVID-19: Bond Buybacks and Liability Management in Asia, Duane Morris Alert, April 6, 2020

• U.S. SEC Adopts Amendments to Update and Simplify Disclosure Requirements, Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, January 28, 2019

•Featured in, Fine Organics goes public, Indiana Business Law Journal, September 17, 2018

• U.S. President Trump Begins Cutting 'Red Tape', Duane Morris LLP, March 28, 2017

•Featured in the video series Doing Business in Myanmar - The Yangon Stock Exchange, Conventus Law, July 3, 2016

•Featured in, Myanmar's First Stock Listing Explained, International Financial Law Review, April 22, 2016
•Featured in Duane Morris & Selvam Advises on First-Ever Yangon Stock Exchange Listing, Asian Legal Business, April 12, 2016
•Featured in Aussie Lawyer Advises Historic Listing on Yangon Stock Exchange, Lawyers Weekly, April 11, 2016
•Featured in Lawyers ThrashBankers in Cricket, India Business Law Journal, March 2016
•Featured in Lawyers Go One Up Against Bankers in 5th Charity Cricket Match, Bar & Bench, February 15, 2016
•Featured in The India Diaries, India Business Law Journal, December 2015
• US Regulatory Reforms in a Time of Global Financial Crisis, Client Note, April 6, 2009
• Company Reporting: Topping Up Annual UK Reports for the US, PLC's US Special Report, November 17, 2008
• Ongoing Reporting Obligations: Requirements for Foreign Private Issuers, PLC's US Special Report, November 17, 2008

Selected Speaking Engagements

•Speaker for Listing Your Company on the Yangon Stock Exchange, a half-day seminar held at the Yangon Stock Exchange on August 31, 2016.
•Gave a full-day seminar in Singapore titled Contentious Clauses in Contracts on February 27, 2015. The seminar was organised by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.
•Speaker for the Listing of Indian Companies in the U.S. - Key Legal Aspects panel at the Threading the Needle in U.S. India Deals: Safe Passage Through Formidable Legal Risks conference, February 13-15, 2014, New Delhi, India. The conference was organized by the ABA Section of International Law and the Society of Indian Law Firms.
•Gave a full-day seminar in Hong Kong titled Risk Mitigation & Allocation - Drafting to Maximise Contract Performance on May 14, 2014. The seminar was organised by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.
•Gave a half-day seminar in Singapore titled Heads of Agreement, Memoranda of Understanding & Letters of Intent - Differentiating Between Them and Best Practice in Negotiating and Drafting on March 27, 2014. The seminar was organized by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.
•Gave a one-day seminar in Singapore titled Risk Mitigation & Allocation - Drafting to Maximise Contract Performance on October 18, 2013. The seminar was organised by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.
•Gave a one-day seminar in Singapore on contemporary commercial contracts, May 22, 2013. The seminar was organized by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.