Expertise

Nayna is a Director in Fairbridges’ Commercial Law team, advising on the commercial and land arrangements that carry energy and infrastructure projects from bid submission through financial close and implementation.

Her practice spans renewable energy, battery storage, gas-to-power, oil and gas, mining-linked infrastructure and independent power producer procurement. She has acted for developers, sponsors, lenders, investors and contractors across multiple procurement rounds, as well as on privately developed energy projects.

Much of her work concerns the rights and agreements on which a project depends. These include long-term leases, servitudes, grid-connection rights, municipal and community land, land consents, security arrangements and the legal opinions required for bid submissions and financing.

Her qualifications as a conveyancer and notary give her a detailed understanding of land and security structures, although her role extends considerably further than conventional property work. She advises within the broader transaction, identifying how tenure, financing, procurement requirements and project agreements must fit together before development can proceed.

Nayna has more than 18 years of post-qualification experience and has worked on major solar, wind, battery storage, LNG, gas-to-power, hydro and mining-related projects. Clients also engage her on project development itself, reflecting the practical and commercially involved role she takes within their wider teams.

Signature Matters

• BP Teesside Power and Carbon Capture Project: Assisted the UK legal team with the property and land due diligence for the proposed development, construction, operation and eventual decommissioning of an 860MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant with post-combustion carbon capture.
• Mulilo Renewable Project Developments: Advised on the land workstreams for its REIPPPP Bid Window 7 and Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme Bid Window 2 submissions. Mulilo was subsequently awarded five battery storage projects and one renewable energy project.
• SOLA Group: Advised on the land arrangements for a 195MW solar photovoltaic project in the Free State, including the registration of a long-term lease, servitude agreements, bond negotiations and the required legal opinions.
• Karpowership South Africa: Advised on the land workstream for the 1,220MW floating LNG-driven power projects awarded under the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, including grid connection, servitude agreements and land consents.
• Richards Bay Gas Power 2: Advised on the land aspects of a proposed 400MW gas-to-power facility and four associated 100MW photovoltaic projects. The work included municipal land, the lease within the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, servitude options, consolidation and authority to conclude the project agreements.
• Barloworld Khula Sizwe Transaction: Advised on the property component of the R3.5 billion broad-based black economic empowerment transaction, involving the disposal of a substantial property portfolio and the registration of security in favour of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking.

Qualifications

• BA, University of the Witwatersrand, 2001
• LLB, University of the Witwatersrand, 2003
• Notarial Practice Course, Legal Education and Development
• Conveyancing Course, Legal Education and Development

Credentials

• Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, 2006
• Admitted as a Notary, 2006
• Admitted as a Conveyancer, 2007
• Pinsent Masons Aspire Leadership Programme, 2023–2024
• Leadership Development Intervention Programme, University of Stellenbosch, 2019–2020
• Legal Project Management Programme, 2019