Critical Minerals
Driven by energy transition goals, national security priorities, and advanced manufacturing demand, critical minerals have become a central focus of government policy and private investment worldwide. Critical minerals are essential raw materials that support economic security, national defense, and key technologies, but they are often exposed to supply chain vulnerability and disruption. Because they are difficult to substitute, they are increasingly important to clean energy, manufacturing, and defense applications. In response to this growing importance, the firm has established a dedicated Critical Minerals industry sector group providing legal support to global clients navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of critical mineral development, processing, and deployment.
Our Critical Minerals team brings together lawyers, policy professionals, and deep industry experience to deliver seamless, cross-border legal solutions across the full value chain—from upstream extraction and midstream processing to downstream manufacturing and recycling. We advise mining companies, industrial manufacturers, investors, and technology developers on how to develop, finance, and operationalize critical minerals projects across the globe.
Thought Leadership
Our annually updated Global Employer Guide provides a concise, easy-to-read summary of employment laws across more than 15 countries.
The year 2025 saw significant regulatory activity in the realm of digital assets. The US Congress and financial regulators took steps to create and implement a clear legal framework to facilitate financial transactions using digital assets, and they will continue to do so in 2026.
The Washington state legislature has adjourned for 2026, and key tax changes are in store if Governor Bob Ferguson signs several tax-related bills into law, and if those tax changes then survive expected legal challenges.
Starting on 30 June 2024, with the application of the first of two introduction phases of the Regulation on Markets in Crypto-assets across all member states of the European Union, the EU has introduced for the first time a harmonized regulatory framework as well as accompanying passporting rights for service providers of the crypto-asset market, affecting both traditional institutions of the financial sector and new players emerging in the crypto-ecosystem.