Exhibit 5.2

		99 Bishopsgate
		London EC2M 3XF
		United Kingdom
		Tel: +44(0)20.7710.1000    Fax: +44(0)20.7374.4460
		www.lw.com
		FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
		Abu Dhabi		Milan
		Barcelona		Moscow
		Beijing		Munich
		Boston		New Jersey
		Brussels		New York
19 December 2016		Century City		Orange County
		Chicago		Paris
		Dubai		Riyadh
Rowan Companies plc		Düsseldorf		Rome
78 Cannon Place		Frankfurt		San Diego
Cannon Street		Hamburg		San Francisco
London EC4N 6AF		Hong Kong		Shanghai
United Kingdom		Houston		Silicon Valley
		London		Singapore
(the “Guarantor”)		Los Angeles		Tokyo
		Madrid		Washington, D.C.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as English legal advisers to the Issuer in relation to the filing of the registration statement on Form S-3 originally filed on 14 May 2015 by the Issuer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Registration Statement”). The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the terms of a New York law governed eighth supplemental indenture to the New York law governed indenture dated 21 July 2009 between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, dated 19 December 2016 between the Issuer, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association and containing the guarantee of the Notes by the Guarantor (the “Indenture”).

The Registration Statement relates to the offer and sale by the Issuer of the Notes.

This letter is being rendered to you pursuant to Form S-3.

In this letter:

Latham & Watkins is the business name of Latham & Watkins (London) LLP, a registered limited liability partnership organised under the laws of New York and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 203820). A list of the names of the partners of Latham & Watkins (London) LLP is open to inspection at its principal place of business, 99 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3XF, and such persons are either solicitors, registered foreign lawyers or European lawyers. We are affiliated with the firm Latham & Watkins LLP, a limited liability partnership organised under the laws of Delaware.

For the purpose of issuing this letter we have reviewed only the following documents and conducted only the following enquiries and searches:

This letter, the opinions given in it, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with this letter and/or the opinions given in it, are governed by, and to be construed in accordance with, English law and relate only to English law as applied by the English courts as at today’s date. In particular:

The opinions given in this letter are given on the basis of each of the assumptions set out in Schedule 1 (Assumptions) and are subject to each of the reservations set out in Schedule 2 (Reservations) to this letter. The opinions given in this letter are strictly limited to the matters stated in paragraph 2 (Opinions) below and do not extend, and should not be read as extending, by implication or otherwise, to any other matters.

Subject to paragraph 1 (Introduction) and the other matters set out in this letter and its Schedules, it is our opinion that, as at today’s date:

The execution of the Indenture and the exercise by the Guarantor of its rights and the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder have been duly authorised by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Guarantor.

The Guarantor has the requisite corporate capacity to enter into the Indenture and to exercise its rights and to perform its obligations thereunder.

2

We express no opinion as to any agreement, instrument or other document other than as specified in this letter or as to any liability to tax which may arise or be suffered as a result of or in connection with the Registration Statement.

This letter only applies to those facts and circumstances which exist as at today’s date and we assume no obligation or responsibility to update or supplement this letter to reflect any facts or circumstances which may subsequently come to our attention, any changes in laws which may occur after today, or to inform the addressees of any change in circumstances happening after the date of this letter which would alter our opinions.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Securities Act. This opinion also may be relied upon by Latham & Watkins LLP in connection with the issuance of its opinion letter in connection with the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, including any post-effective amendments to be filed by the Issuer with the SEC under the Securities Act. This letter may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose.

We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) contained under the caption “Legal Matters”. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

3

SCHEDULE 1

ASSUMPTIONS

The opinions in this letter have been given on the basis of the following assumptions:

That all statements of fact and representations and warranties as to matters of fact (except as to matters expressly set out in the opinions given in this letter) contained in or made in connection with any of the documents examined by us were true and correct as at the date given and are true and correct at today’s date and no fact was omitted therefrom which would have made any of such facts, representations or warranties incorrect or misleading.

That no consents, approvals, authorisations, orders, licences, registrations, filings or similar formalities are required from any governmental or regulatory authority in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the Notes by any of the parties thereto or if such consents, approvals, authorisations, orders, licences, registrations, filings or similar formalities are required, these have been made or will be made within the prescribed time limits.

That none of the parties to the Indenture has taken any corporate or other action nor have any steps been taken or legal proceedings been started against any such party for the liquidation, winding up, dissolution, reorganisation or bankruptcy of, or for the appointment of a

4

liquidator, receiver, trustee, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer of, any such party or all or any of its or their assets (or any analogous proceedings in any jurisdiction) and none of the parties to the Indenture is unable to pay its debts as they fall due within the meaning of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986 or becomes unable to pay its debts within the meaning of that section as a result of any of the transactions contemplated herein, or is insolvent or has been dissolved or declared bankrupt.

5

SCHEDULE 2

RESERVATIONS

The opinions in this letter are subject to the following reservations:

The Searches are not capable of revealing conclusively whether or not a winding-up or administration petition or order has been presented or made, a receiver appointed, a company voluntary arrangement proposed or approved or any other insolvency proceeding commenced. We have not made enquiries of any District Registry or County Court.

The opinions set out in this letter are subject to:

We express no opinion as to matters of fact.

6