Next Generation Partners

Firms To Watch: Corporate and M&A

KPMG Law in Australia, co-led by Catherine Debreceny and Hoda Nahlous, provides clients with advice on mergers and acquisitions across key sectors, from telecoms and technology to energy and natural resources.

Corporate and M&A in Australia

Allens

Headed by well-regarded partners Tom Story and Mark Malinas, market leader Allens delivers 'high-quality advice' to clients navigating boardroom and regulatory issues on a global and domestic basis. The team is well versed in advising private equity sponsors across the investment life cycle, from establishment through to eventual exit, and makes use of legal tech to maximise efficient services for its clients. The department is home to Guy Alexander, who has over 25 years of experience in the field, as well as Vijay Cugati and Richard Kriedemann. The team is further enhanced by Emin Altiparmak and Noah Obradovic, who leverage their expertise in private equity transactions.

Practice head(s):

Tom Story; Mark Malinas


Other key lawyers:

Guy Alexander; Richard Kriedemann; Emin Altiparmak; Vijay Cugati; Noah Obradovic


Testimonials

‘Emin Altiparmak – hard-working, strategic thinking, excellent client service.’

‘The strength and depth of their M&A team is impressive. They are all generally super to work with. They are strong on the law but also very commercial and pragmatic.’

‘Emin Altiparmak is great with clients and a strong operator.’

Key clients

Morrison & Co


Cooke


Northleaf and InfraRed


Blackstone


IFM Investors


TPG Telecom


IFM Investors


AUB Group


Woolworths Holdings Limited (South Africa)


Brookfield Asset Management


Nexus Day Hospitals (owned by QIC)


Warrego Energy Limited


Livent Corporation


Triple Flag


Crestone Wealth Management


Nitro Software


Adamantem Capital


BGH Capital


KKR & Co Inc


Work highlights


  • Advised Brookfield Asset Management and MidOcean Energy on the proposed acquisition of Origin Energy, for an implied enterprise value of A$18.2bn.
  • Advised Livent Corporation on its proposed merger with Allkem to form a A$15.7bn global lithium chemicals producer.
  • Advised Morrison & Co and Brookfield on the A$3.4 bn acquisition of Uniti Group by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Gilbert + Tobin

Headed by Costas Condoleon, Gilbert + Tobin remains the trusted advisor to many of the most prominent corporates operating in Australia; the team fields 'exceptionally smart lawyers' and is equipped to provide an end-to-end service to their domestic and international clients. The department is home to renowned specialists Peter Cook, who has over 25 years of experience in the industry, and Rachael Bassil, who has notable expertise across private equity and equity capital markets transactions. Seasoned advisor Tim Gordon is another key practitioner, advising on both the regulatory and commercial aspects of transactions, in addition to Karen Evans-Cullen, whose knowledge spans the full range of corporate governance issues.

Practice head(s):

Costas Condoleon


Other key lawyers:

Peter Cook; Rachael Bassil; Tim Gordon; Karen Evans-Cullen


Testimonials

‘Market leader in corporate including complex / time sensitive transactions with the deepest pool of senior talent – extremely hands on delivering timely advice on complex issues with market leading precedents continually being set.’

‘Just top-notch. Efficient and practical. Responsive and with a clear understanding of the support we require. Excellent transaction support.’

‘Experienced team, well managed. Available any time. Work is accurate and well researched. Good team behind the managers, communicate very well, and price is very attractive.’

Key clients

Oz Minerals


Macquarie Asset Management


Atlas Arteria


Afterpay


CIMIC


Virtus Health


Thoma Bravo


APA


Orica


Resolution Life Australasia


Telstra


Cleanaway


Yancoal


UniSuper


HRL Morrison and Co


KKR


Adamantem Capital


TPG Capital


PAG


Quadrant Private Equity


Mincor


Work highlights


  • Advised OZ Minerals on the proposed A$9.5bn acquisition of it by BHP Lonsdale, the largest binding public M&A deal announced in 2022.
  • Advised Virtus Health on the competing proposed scheme of arrangement and simultaneous takeover bid by CapVest.
  • Advised Thoma Bravo on its A$1.055bn acquisition of Nearmap, handling all of the Australian legal aspects of the transaction, including securing partial funding for the deal.

Herbert Smith Freehills

With deep expertise in public M&A, the team at Herbert Smith Freehills advises on deals across a wide range of jurisdictions, benefiting from the firm's extensive office network. Its work also covers private equity deals in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. The Melbourne office corporate team, led by Carolyn Pugsley, is home to the highly experienced Baden Furphy and Rodd Levy. The well-known Philippa Stone leverages her expertise in privatisations and corporate reconstructions for listed companies. Stone works from the Sydney office, where key practitioners Tony Damian, Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, Damien Hazard and Andrew Rich are also based.

Practice head(s):

Carolyn Pugsley


Other key lawyers:

Tony Damian; Baden Furphy; Philippa Stone; Rodd Levy; Rebecca Maslen-Stannage; Damien Hazard; Andrew Rich


Key clients

Newcrest Mining


Ramsay Health Care


Origin Energy


Brookfield


Suncorp-Metway


Perpetual


BHP


QIC


AGL


Australia and New Zealand Banking Group


BGH Capital


ANZ


Apollo Global Management


Sydney Aviation Alliance


Crown Resorts


Tabcorp


National Australian Bank


Alliance Airlines


Yankuang Energy Group


Riverside Company


IGO


Work highlights


  • Advising Newcrest Mining on its proposed A$27.16bn takeover by Newmont Corporation, under which Newmont would acquire 100% of Newcrest by scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised Ramsay Health Care (Ramsay) on the A$20bn proposal received from a consortium of financial investors led by KKR for the acquisition of Ramsay by scheme of arrangement.
  • Advising Origin Energy on the proposed $18bn acquisition of it by a consortium of Brookfield Asset Management and MidOcean Energy (backed by US-based EIG Global Energy Partners) by way of a scheme of arrangement.

King & Wood Mallesons

The corporate and M&A team at King & Wood Mallesons, led by practice heads David Eliakim and Rachael Lewis, has the size and resources to deal with a large volume of mining-related private equity and M&A work, and is 'differentiated by its deep knowledge of the clients it acts for'. The Sydney office is home to David Friedlander and top M&A and equity capital markets lawyer Meredith Paynter, who heads the firm’s market-leading food and agribusiness sector team. Jason Watts and Peter Stirling operate from the Melbourne office, in addition to Nicola Charlston, who plays a key role in the firm’s expansion into the health sector.

Practice head(s):

David Eliakim; Rachael Lewis


Other key lawyers:

David Friedlander; Nicola Charlston; Meredith Paynter; Peter Stirling; Jason Watts; Henrik Moritz; Jennifer Cheung


Testimonials

‘The King & Wood Mallesons M&A and Corporate team is differentiated by its deep knowledge of the clients it acts for, its depth of experience, and its commercial and pragmatic approach.’

‘Jason Watts is an exceptional M&A lawyer. He is always calm and measured, and very easy to deal with. He is very focussed on solving problems. His technical prowess is very high.’

‘A good understanding of the client’s objectives. Good practical solutions offered – timely service was provided with contingencies in place to ensure there was back-up if key team members were away. Worked well with client’s internal functions.’

Key clients

Accenture


Adamantem


Abano


Affinity Equity Partners


Altium


AMP Limited


Apax Partners


Apollo


APT (APA)


Archer Capital


Australian Unity Property Fund


AustralianSuper


Austreo


Aurizon


Australian Retirement Trust (formerly QSuper)


BetaShares


B2Gold Corp


Beach Energy


BGH Capital


vBHP Petroleum


Blackstone


Block


Brookfield


Campbell Soup Company


Caterpillar


CHAMP Ventures


Citigroup


Club Plus


CPE Capital


CVC Asia Pacific


EBOS Group Limited


Endeavour Group


EQT Partners


Findex


Gandel Group


Goldman Sachs


Healius


Icon Cancer Care


Incitec Pivot


Investec


IOOF


IRESS


Work highlights


  • Advised Newmont Corporation on the proposed $A26bn acquisition of it by arrangement, one of the largest public M&A deals in Australia on record.
  • Advising Healius on its defence of the takeover bid by ACL.
  • Advised Pendal Group on Perpetual’s successful $2.5bn cash and share offer to acquire 100% of Pendal shares by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Ashurst

From its offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Ashurst advises on numerous high-profile deals across the real estate, private equity and infrastructure sectors and - in line with the social impetus towards clean energy - has increasingly been working on projects surrounding renewables. The team has been bolstered by the arrival of partners Neil Pathak and Susannah Macknay from Gilbert + Tobin. Pathak now shares leadership of the practice with John Brewster and Anton Harris. Other names to note include skilled practitioners Phil Breden, who specialises in construction, manufacturing and gaming, and Mark Stanbridge, who has over 25 years of experience advising on local and cross-border transactions.

Practice head(s):

Neil Pathak; John Brewster; Anton Harris


Other key lawyers:

Susannah Macknay; Ben Landau; Phil Breden; Mark Stanbridge


Testimonials

‘Diligent, pragmatic, commercial, accessible, responsive.’

‘Ashurst’s Corporate and M&A Practice was pivotal in successfully delivering our project. They worked tirelessly in helping us understand the market/ industry and regulatory landscape in Australia. With the steady hand of Ashurst guiding us along the way, we were assured and confident to successfully close the transaction.’

‘Phil Breden – Diligent, pragmatic, commercial, accessible, responsive.’

Key clients

ANZ Banking Group


Mirvac


CapVest Partners


Macquarie Capital


Consolidated Press Holdings


Woolworths Group


Advent International and Cobham


Brookfield Infrastructure


Infomedia


Pickles Auctions


The Growth Fund


Mitsui


Swyftx


SAS Trustee Corporation (NSW State Super)


Woolworths Group


Sibanye Stillwater and Sibanye Resources Australia


Gentari Renewables Australia (Solar)


Northwest Healthcare REIT


Ark Energy


Work highlights


  • Advised ANZ Banking Group on the A$4.9bn proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank and on the divestment of its margin lending loan portfolio to Leveraged Equities.
  • Advised Mirvac on the replacement of the trustee and manager of AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund (AWOF).
  • Advised Woolworths on its acquisition of a 55% interest in the Petspiration Group and on its acquisition of an 80% interest in MyDeal.com.au.

Clayton Utz

With offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, Clayton Utz fields a national practice with over 130 corporate M&A and capital markets lawyers nationwide. Stephanie Daveson leads the team and draws on over 25 years of experience advising on restructuring and demergers, public and private M&A, and equity capital market transactions. Within the Sydney office, Rory Moriarty handles corporate M&A and capital markets, while Niro Ananda and Johan Pietersz deal with private equity transactions. The team is highly sought after by key players both within the Australian market and across the Asia Pacific region.

Practice head(s):

Stephanie Daveson


Other key lawyers:

Niro Ananda; Rory Moriarty; Johan Pietersz


Testimonials

‘High quality group of individuals who can draw on the broader skills and knowledge of the form seamlessly.’

‘A good mix – partner-led but with skilled associates.’

‘Outstanding.’

Key clients

Dye & Durham Corporation


Blackstone Inc


Uniti Group Limited


Squadron Energy


Tyro Payments Limited


Exponential Technology Group


DigitalBridge Group, Inc


Olympus Corporation


HCJI Holdings G.K.


Blackstone Inc


Brookfield & Blackstone, Inc


Newcastle Permanent Building Society


Wyloo Metals


Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia


Work highlights


  • Advised entities owned by funds managed or advised by Blackstone and its affiliates on the A$8.9bn acquisition of Crown Resorts.
  • Advised InvoCare on its takeover defence following a scheme of arrangement proposal from TPG Capital for A$1.86bn.
  • Advised Uniti Group on its acquisition by HRL Morrison & Co and Brookfield Asset Management via a scheme of arrangement, with the consortium to acquire 100% of the issued shares in Uniti.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Fielding over 70 specialists across four national offices, the group at Corrs Chambers Westgarth handles public and private M&A, private equity and corporate governance on both a national and global level. The team attracts mandates from across the real estate, agribusiness, TMT and financial services sectors, and – with the additions of Tracey Greenaway and Anthony Lepere – has seen a further increase in activity in the energy and natural resources space. Sandy Mak heads the firm’s corporate and private equity team, assisting a wide range of local and international clients with foreign investments, equity raisings, buy-backs and restructurings. Also practising from the Sydney office are M&A and PE experts Riccardo Casali and Glen Sauer, who handle cross-border transactions, namely acquisitions, restructurings and divestments.

Practice head(s):

Sandy Mak


Other key lawyers:

Tracey Greenaway; Anthony Lepere Glen Sauer; Riccardo Casali; Adam Foreman


Testimonials

‘Proactive and client focused.’

‘Corrs have a strong national practice with key partners in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offices in particular.’

‘Corrs Chambers Westgarth is our preferred Corporate and M&A legal advisor. We have worked with their core team for a number of years. Their commerciality, creativity and ability to put themselves in their clients’ shoes sets them apart.’

‘Collaborative.’

‘Adam Foreman and Sandy Mak are leaders in their field; highly responsive, engaged, thoughtful and precise.’

‘Good balance of skills and expertise across the team.’

Key clients

One Rail Australia Holdings Ltd


Hancock Prospecting


Gold Road Resources Limited


Telus International


Warburg Pincus


Allegro Funds


ReadyTech Holdings Limited


Norwest Energy


Anchorage Capital Partners


Mercury Capital


Odyssey Private Equity


Next Capital


Roc Partners


Whiteoak


Coles


National Australia Bank (nab)


Silver Lake Resources Limited


Albemarle Corporation


Work highlights


  • Advised One Rail Australia Holdings on both the proposed demerger and ultimate trade sale of its rail haulage business by Aurizon Holdings to Magnetic Rail Group.
  • Advised Hancock Prospecting on its hostile and competitive off-market takeover bid for Warrego Energy, an energy company focussed on the development of an onshore gas project in the Perth basin.
  • Advised Allegro Funds on its acquisition of 100% of the debt and equity of Slater & Gordon by way of a complex acquisition of (1) SGH’s senior secured debt from a number of hedge funds; and (2) up to 100% of SGH’s issued share capital by way of a takeover bid.

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP, with bases in Perth and Sydney, advises on public and private M&A transactions across Australia, Asia and further afield, drawing on its broad network of offices. The team stands out in particular for its in-depth sector knowledge of energy and TMT. Practice head Aaron Kenavan advises on complex corporate transactions across a breadth of industries and jurisdictions; he has over 20 years of experience in the field, as does Michael Parshall.

Practice head(s):

Aaron Kenavan


Other key lawyers:

Michael Parshall; Meredith Campion; Matthew Johnson


Testimonials

‘The depth of A&O’s expertise and experience speaks for itself. But the differentiator is at partner-level where there is such a consistently high level of delivery and innovation, particularly in novel transactions with a cross-border dimension.’

‘Meredith Campion has incredible instincts for the human dimension of regulators, clients and counterparties on complex transactions and how it affects successful delivery. Michael Parshall is the rare true “brainiac” lawyer who also has the energy and commitment to spearhead M&A deals of the highest intensity. Aaron Kenavan brings a highly incisive approach that can add a very large amount of value in a short amount of time to keep deals moving in right direction.’

‘Sound knowledge of law and commercial experience.’

Key clients

Dexus Funds Management


Peppertree Capital Management


Sandfire Resources


Animal Logic Entertainment


Peninsula Energy


Paladin Energy


Elliott Green Power


Credit Corp


Kinterra Capital Corp


Crescent Capital


Work highlights


  • Advised Dexus on its acquisition of AMP Limited’s real estate and domestic infrastructure equity business, comprising a platform of pooled funds and separately managed accounts.
  • Advised Sandfire Resources on its acquisition of Spain’s Minas de Aguas Teñidas from UAE-based investment firm Mubadala and global commodities firm Trafigura for A$2.572bn.
  • Advised Crescent Capital on the sale of PRP Radiology to IFM Investors.

Arnold Bloch Leibler

Headquartered in Melbourne and Sydney, Arnold Bloch Leibler’s corporate and M&A practice attracts ASX-listed companies, large Australian private corporations and international players. The firm is a first point of contact for publicly listed companies which come under attack from short sellers, or when shareholder activist campaigns are being contemplated. The team is co-headed by Jonathan Wenig, whose practice and expertise spans the breadth of commercial and corporate law, and shareholder activism expert Jeremy Leibler. Other names to note include Jason van Grieken, who specialises in venture capital, and Scott Phillips, whose focus lies within the fields of real estate and funds management.

Practice head(s):

Jonathan Wenig; Jeremy Leibler


Other key lawyers:

Jason van Grieken; Scott Phillips; Vidushee Deora


Testimonials

‘A thorough and a safe pair of hands that I could rely on to protect our interests.’

‘Partners and associates work collaboratively together to turn things around efficiently.’

‘Exceptional attention to detail, availability and responsiveness.’

Key clients

Cromwell Property Group


Superhero


Carsales.com


Zip Co


ELMO Software


Netflix Inc.


Insurance Brands Australia


Charter Hall


Tripp Group and Tekkorp Holdings


Slade Group


RYCO


Market Eye


Praemium


ARMA Recoveries


Noumi Limited


Centennial Property Group


Oxanda Education


View Media Group


Australian Way


Elula


Work highlights


  • Advising ASX-listed real estate investor Cromwell Property Group on its proposed demerger and IPO.
  • Advised online share trading platform Superhero on its proposed A$1.5bn merger with Brisbane-based cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx.
  • Acted for long-standing client carsales.com in relation to the acquisition of 51 per cent of US commercial trucks and RVs listing business Trader Interactive for A$1.17bn.

Baker McKenzie

With expertise spanning from financial services right through to intellectual property, the team at Baker McKenzie LLP offer a full-service M&A practice. Department heads Lance Sacks and Simon De Young co-chair the transactional practice together, with Sacks handling M&A and De Young focusing on private equity. The practice is further bolstered by Richard Lustig, head of mergers and acquisitions, and the highly regarded Kate Jefferson, who is well versed in high-profile and cross-border takeovers, mergers and schemes of arrangement.

Practice head(s):

Lance Sacks; Simon De Young


Other key lawyers:

Kate Jefferson; Richard Lustig


Testimonials

‘Second to none corporate & M&A practice, as demonstrated by a number of files over many years. Great all around specialist lawyers as well.’

‘Genuine, down to earth and very practical. Of course, they are technically brilliant, but it’s their partnership approach and human side that make them a delight to work with.’

‘Lance Sacks – really knows his stuff and make excellent calls at critical points in the process.’

Key clients

Bidvest


EQT


Astro


KKR


Macquarie Asset Management


OMERS


Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan Board (OTPP)


Opmantek Limited


Origin Energy


Platinum Equity


PointsBet


Shell Australia


Shell Energy Operations Pty Ltd


Suez Group


Superloop Limited


WestConnex


Work highlights


  • Advised ASX-listed company PointsBet Holdings on the proposed sale of its US sports wagering, advanced-deposit wagering and iGaming operations to Fanatics Betting and Gaming.
  • Acted for Macquarie in relation to the sale of its mobile towers company Axicom to ATN (owned by AustralianSuper and Singtel) for A$3.5bn.
  • Acted for Astro (the Malaysian satellite television and IPTV provider) on its proposed sale to Telstra Corporation of 51% of the Fetch TV Group.

Clifford Chance

Offering an end-to-end M&A experience, the team at Clifford Chance attracts a national and global client base and is best known for its ability to adeptly navigate cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions. Mark Currell handles work in the energy and resources, education and healthcare sectors, while David Clee deals with work in the real estate and finance sectors. Other names to note include corporate specialists Reuben Van Werkum, Nadia Kalic and Jacob Kahwaji, who practice from the Sydney office.

Practice head(s):

Mark Currell


Other key lawyers:

Reuben van Werkum; Jacob Kahwaji; Nadia Kalic; Elizabeth Hill; Andrew Crook


Testimonials

‘Very high attention to detail, provides extreme comfort on technical legal matters, takes time to make it as easy as possible for the client.’

‘Jacob Kawaji – a very strong technical lawyer, outstanding attention to detail, very responsive.’

‘David Clee – technically strong, calm under pressure, highly reliable.’

‘Long standing relationships with clients, strong sense of collaboration, proactive and commercial approach.’

‘Young and hungry, strong work ethic. Shared values. Investing in the client relationship. Key partners: Andrew Crook, Reuben van Werkum and Jacob Kahwaji.’

‘Technically very good and responsive.’

‘David Clee and his team provide a first-rate service, with an unparalleled level of client dedication. Their legal support is invariably pragmatic and solution-oriented, and they are adept at cutting through high-pressure and complex counterparty negotiations. Highly recommended.’

Key clients

AC Newco Pty Ltd (AC Newco)


Management Team of MotorOne; owned by Quadrant Private Equity (Quadrant)


Partners Group Holding AC (Partners Group)


Biocare Projects Pty Ltd (BioCare Projects)


Viva Energy Group Limited (Viva Energy)


Five V Capital Pty Ltd (Five V Capital)


BBRC Private Equity (BBRC)


Adamantem Capital Management Pty Ltd (Adamantem Capital)


HOCHTIEF Australia Holdings Limited (HOCHTIEF)


Kinela


Viva Energy Group Limited


Xpansiv Limited


Goldman Sachs


Work highlights


  • Advised AC Newco on its acquisition of a majority interest in Amarco Enterprises, the exclusive distributor of Danné Montague-King skincare products across Australia and New Zealand.
  • Advised the management of MotorOne on its entry into a new Management Equity Plan and advised on amendments to the shareholders agreement and constitution of the new holding company.
  • Advised global private markets firm Partners Group on its sale of CWP Renewables, a vertically integrated renewable energy platform in Australia, to Squadron Wind Energy Assets.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper's group is led by newly appointed practice head Shane Bilardi, an expert in the digital infrastructure, food, agribusiness and life sciences sectors. The team is bolstered by the expertise of Brisbane-based partner Lyndon Masters, who advises on a wide range of multi-jurisdictional deals, including joint ventures and commercial transactions, in addition to non-transactional advice, as well as that of Grant Koch, who has 25 years of experience advising successful private equity funds and corporations on acquisitions, divestments, investments and restructurings in Australia, the Asia Pacific region, the US and the UK. Accordingly, Koch now leads the firm’s private equity practice in Australia.

Practice head(s):

Shane Bilardi


Other key lawyers:

Grant Koch; David Ryan; James Stewart; Lyndon Masters; Alex Samson


Testimonials

‘DLA have a very strong and motivated team to support M&A transactions. The team is very commercial and strong in achieving timely outcomes.’

‘Shane Bilardi is exceptional in his hands-on approach, huge work ethic and strong commercial skills.’

‘DLA assisted us with an acquisition of a business and was supportive, diligent and proactive.’

‘Informed and able to provide practical solutions for the deal.’

‘We rely on our team at DLA in Melbourne to be our primary advocate. Their support has been outstanding.’

‘Alex Samson and Lyndon Masters are excellent lawyers. Very responsive, business-minded and sharp. Great knowledge of the local market and regulatory framework. Seamless advice with other DLA Piper offices – the integrated team put us at an advantage as part of a negotiation.’

Key clients

Perpetual Limited


Nearmap


BlackRock Financial Management Inc


Aspen Technology, Inc


Lionheart III Corp


PlayUp Limited


Monnoyeur


Amber Australia Pty Ltd


Amber Infrastructure


Leidos Inc


Hickory


Cardiologists / Genesis Care Cardiology


Realbase


Nio NextEV


ResApp Health Pty Ltd


Shareholders of Polymathian


Pacific Equity Partners


Lactalis Group


Solar United Network


Work highlights


  • Advised ASX-listed technology company Nearmap on its A$1.05bn acquisition by US private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
  • Advised BlackRock Real Assets in relation to its commitment to invest more than A$1bn in Australia and New Zealand’s climate infrastructure market through the acquisition of Australian battery and renewable energy developer Akaysha Energy.
  • Advising NASDAQ-listed software provider Aspen Technology on its proposed acquisition of the Australian-headquartered mining software business Micromine Group from Potentia Capital and others.

Johnson Winter Slattery

Led by Paul Vinci in the Perth office, Johnson Winter Slattery has notable expertise across public and private M&A transactions and, due to the strength of its private equity and venture capital offering, is sought out by many leading domestic and international businesses. The deep bench includes James Rozsa, whose strength lies in cross-border mergers and acquisitions as well as capital markets transactions, and Byron Koster, who is known for his work on public M&A.

Practice head(s):

Paul Vinci


Other key lawyers:

James Rozsa; Byron Koster; Richard Graham


Testimonials

‘JWS are highly skilled and have great bench strength to their corporate team.’

‘I have worked closely with Richard Graham over a number of years. He is an excellent lawyer, technically strong – and also commercial and easy to deal with.’

‘Very technically skilled and high level of service.’

Key clients

Accel-KKR


Archer Capital


Axiom Global, Inc


Azelis Group NV


Curve Beam AI Limited


Cuscal


Employment Hero Holdings Pty Limited


Insight Partners


Liverpool Partners


Macquarie


Macquarie Corporate Holdings Pty Ltd (MacCap)


Microsoft Corporation


Perenti Limited


Playboy


Plenary Funds Management.


Potentia Capital


Qantas


Sondermind, Inc.


Spotify


STG Partners


Tantalus Media


Vector Capital Management LP


Veritas


Work highlights


  • Advised private equity bidder Potentia Capital on its high-profile A$600m successful contested takeover bid for Nitro Software.
  • Advising Qantas in relation to its acquisition of Alliance Airlines by scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised the Magnetic Rail Group consortium on the A$888m, 100% acquisition of the OneRail ‘East Coast Rail’ business from Aurizon.

Minter Ellison

Minter Ellison is equipped to handle domestic deals and also has notable cross-border capabilities, offering an end-to-end service on a full range of M&A, joint ventures, spin-offs and demergers, private equity, joint ventures and strategic alliances. The team is co-headed by Constantine Boulougouris and Joseph Pace, and the private equity team is led by Kimberley Low, a new addition from Linklaters LLP, London. Other key individuals include Bart Oude-Vrielink, who is sought out by clients for assistance on schemes of arrangement, governance and regulation, and foreign investment, and Jeremy Blackshaw, who has over 30 years’ experience advising on public and private M&A deals.

Practice head(s):

Constantine Boulougouris; Joseph Pace; Kimberley Low


Other key lawyers:

Bart Oude-Vrielink; Jeremy Blackshaw


Testimonials

‘Ability to solve complex problems in a commercial manner.’

‘Approachable, responsive, market leading knowledge.’

‘They have always been solution driven and proactively look for ways to move forward, rather than black letter law focused, which can often either create obstacles or obstruct commercially sensible resolutions.’

Key clients

AMP


Macquarie Asset Management


Challenger Financial Services


Magellan


HUB24


Helloworld Travel


Washington H Soul Pattinson & Company


Qantas


Slater & Gordon


Dexus


Dai-ichi Life


WPP


CIMIC Group


Greenlit Brands Household Goods Pty Limited


JBS S.A.


Essity Aktiebolag


Salter Brothers


Quadrant


Liberty Hall Capital Partners


Centerbridge Partners


Work highlights


  • Advised L’Oréal Groupe on its A$3.7bn acquisition of Melbourne-based skincare group Aesop from Natura & Co Holding.
  • Advising ASX-listed client Slater & Gordon in relation to the proposed A$192m acquisition of Slater & Gordon by PE fund Allegro Funds.
  • Advising Dai-ichi Life Holdings, the third largest life insurer in Japan, on its acquisition of Partners Group, a New Zealand life insurer, for consideration of A$888m.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Under the leadership of Sydney-based partner Bryan Pointon, the corporate group at Norton Rose Fulbright continues to advise on high-value transactions, with a dominant focus on disposals, joint ventures and governance, especially within the energy, natural resources and financial services sectors. Pointon is a senior corporate lawyer with 35 years of experience in M&A and private equity transactions and has headed the corporate team since 2020, during which time he has worked to significantly further the firm’s M&A offering. Marshall Bromwich, in the Brisbane office, is a trusted advisor to domestic and international market leaders alike, while John Elliott draws upon his wealth of experience to act in major transactions for governmental and regulatory bodies.

Practice head(s):

Bryan Pointon


Other key lawyers:

Marshall Bromwich; John Elliott; David Jewkes


 


Testimonials

‘NRF has a great corporate M&A team, with solid and client-focussed partners, and good bench strength and market knowledge.’

‘David Jewkes is a pleasure to deal with. Not only does he have the expertise and smarts, but he also understands what clients are looking for.’

Key clients

Stanmore Resources Limited


ENEOS Holdings Inc


Arrow Energy Pty Ltd


Petstock Pty Ltd


The GPT Group


Pace Farm Pty Ltd


Coles Group


AXA


Zurich Financial Services Group


Tokyo Gas


Colinton Capital Partners


777 Partners


Egis Projects Asia Pacific Pty Ltd


Landis & Gyr Pty Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised Petspiration Groupon an agreement to sell a majority equity stake of 55% to leading supermarket chain Woolworths Group.
  • Advised Tokyo Gas on the sell down of its minority interest across four LNG projects, including Gorgon, Ichtys, Pluto and QCLNG, to US-based private equity firm EIG.
  • Advised Coles Group on its agreement to purchase two state-of-the-art automated milk processing facilities from Saputo Dairy Australia.

Hall & Wilcox

With a highly experienced team, Hall & Wilcox attracts clients from across a host of industries, and – through its recent expansion into Western Australia – the department has a corporate offering across Australia’s major states. The group includes Oliver Jankowsky, who specialises in high-value cross-border deals, Ed Paton, head of the Southeast Asia desk, and Martin Ross, the sports and entertainment practice leader. Chris Brown and Jacqui Barrett deal with matters overseas, with Brown heading the UK desk and Barrett coordinating the US desk.

Practice head(s):

Oliver Jankowsky; Ed Paton; Chris Brown; Jacqui Barrett; Martin Ross


Testimonials

‘The thing that marks Hall & Wilcox out is that you can rely on them to give not just first-class legal advice, but to give it in a supremely practical commercial way.’

‘Ed Paton – an excellent operator who will find a way to get the job done.’

‘Chris Brown – brilliant at explaining Australian market practice to UK clients.’

‘Oliver Jankowsky – heads H&W’s unique offering to German investors into the Australian market.’

‘Without doubt, the first choice for advising mid-cap and mid-market companies doing business in Australia.’

Key clients

Dandy Premix Concrete Pty Ltd


Aon Corporation Australia Limited


HW Richardson Group (and its subsidiaries Petrogas & HWR Petroleum)


Deluxe Small Business Sales, Inc


Caraniche


WALDNER Laboreinrichtungen SE & Co. KG


Maggie Beer Holdings Ltd


Sydney Surgical Centre


Putzmeister Group


Varley Group Pty Ltd


Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre


DGIT Systems


Metung Hot Springs


Nostra Homes


AMP


My Prosperity Aust Pty Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised Nostra Property Group on its agreement to acquire Porter Davis’s multiple dwelling business, allowing up to 375 Porter Davis end customers to have their homes completed.
  • Acted for Dandy Premix on the $85m sale of its business to national player Maas Group Holdings.
  • Acted for Waldner in its acquisition of the assets and business of Melbourne-based Laboratory Systems Group (Labsystems).

Hamilton Locke

Hamilton Locke further deepened its bench with the recent hires of Justin Fox, Clementyne Rawlyk and Kathryn May from Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Fox now heads the Melbourne office, where he continues to guide international investors and ASX-listed companies through their strategic transactions. Brett Heading leads from the Brisbane office and brings over 43 years of experience in property, corporate law and tax planning to the table, while Shaun Hardcastle heads the corporate team in Perth, balancing a busy practice that spans cross-border and domestic transactions, including corporate restructurings, equity capital markets and M&A. Hal Lloyd and Nick Humphrey co-lead the Sydney practice.

Practice head(s):

Justin Fox; Shaun Hardcastle; Brett Heading; Hal Lloyd; Nick Humphrey


Other key lawyers:

Clementyne Rawlyk; Kathryn May


Testimonials

‘Hamilton Locke has always been an extremely reliable local counsel for our firm on Australian matters. They are responsive, sophisticated and commercial, and have been a wonderful source of support for us over the years.’

‘Very trustworthy and can be relied on for whatever the task or time frame.’

‘They are very strong communicators and are very well respected, when required they can have a hard conversation and bring potential issues to the attention of the client.’

Key clients

Barrick Gold Corporation


Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd


Sichuan Road and Bridge Group Co. Ltd


Sheffield Holdings, LP


Newhaul Pty Ltd


MA Financial Group Limited


Fortitude Investment Partners


Pemba Capital Partners


Medicus Holdco (Pemba Capital Partners portfolio company trading as RxPx)


Danny Lessem, Founder and CEO of ELMO Software Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised MA Financial Group on its recent A$225m agreement to acquire the d’Albora Marina Portfolio from investment company Balmain Corporation and related debt financing.
  • Advising Barrick Gold Corporation on its continuing negotiations with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea regarding the proposed restructuring of equity interests in the Porgera Gold Mine.
  • Advised Apollo Tourism & Leisure on its A$700m merger with Tourism Holdings by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Jones Day

Led by practice head Mark Crean in the Sydney office, Jones Day stands out for its full-service global and cross-border transactional offering, which it provides to its Australian client base. The team is regularly sought after to advise on a variety of public company takeovers, restructurings, joint ventures and schemes of arrangement and is particularly active in the real estate, media and financial services sectors.

Practice head(s):

Mark Crean


Other key lawyers:

Isaac West; Hemang Shah


Testimonials

‘They have a deep sectoral understanding which has made a remarkable difference to deal terms and efficiency of execution. We like the level of partner and senior lawyer focus – low leverage model means we get the expertise we’re paying for – their partners are really “on” the deals.’

‘Hemang Shah and the team are commercial and driven to help clients move to completion. Their weekly billing updates were informative and gave us a good picture of where we stood with legal costs, so there was little surprise.’

‘I valued Hemang’s accessibility throughout the process, and his ability to think outside the box to find practical solutions for our business.’

‘A few of their partners have experience as General Counsel, including in the financial sector, so we find there’s a good understanding of what our team is managing.’

‘Hemang Shah – stand out in tech M&A and private M&A. Very dedicated and energetic – he goes above and beyond. The sectoral knowledge and financial literacy is next level – he really knows his stuff and is great to work with.’

‘Mark Crean – senior partner with deep experience across private and public M&A. Wise counsel when you need it, and provides really thoughtful input.’

Key clients

Cardinal Health Inc.


UPL Limited


Hornblower Group


AAM Investment Group


Westpac Banking Group


On Call Staffing Solutions Pty Ltd


Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd.


Global X ETFs


Esprey Pty Ltd


Cohort Solutions Pty Ltd


Freshmax Group Pty Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised UPL on its $300m sale of a 13.33% stake in its subsidiary Advanta Enterprises to KKR.
  • Advised Hornblower on its participation in the competitive sale process undertaken by Quadrant Private Equity of its Journey Beyond tourism and experiences business.
  • Advised AAM Investment Group on a number of acquisitions by its Diversified Agricultural Fund in 2022.

K&L Gates

K&L Gates is known for its national and sector specific expertise across Australia – excelling in education and childcare in Sydney, agribusiness in Brisbane, health and life sciences in Melbourne and sports in Perth – and retains its standing as a go-to mid-market advisor, attracting a wide range of start-ups and fintech companies nationally as well as globally. The team has recently welcomed three new partners, James Lonie, Natalya Hards and Naomi Philp from HWL Ebsworth, into the department. They practice from the Sydney office, while team head Chris Nikou oversees work from the Melbourne office, dealing predominantly with private equity, mergers and acquisitions, franchising and corporate governance.

Practice head(s):

Chris Nikou


Other key lawyers:

Daniel Atkin; Harry Kingsley; Adam Levine; Simon Leslie; Naomi Philp; James Lonie; Natalya Hards


Testimonials

‘Their knowledge of their client’s business is the key differentiator. The team takes real interest in understanding the strategies, risk tolerances, competitors and targets. This makes them like an extension of the investment and transaction teams.’

‘I have worked with the team for more than two decades. A key attraction for potential clients is the attention to detail, keen desire to understand the client’s business and their skills in Corporate and M&A areas, having done numerous complex transactions.’

‘Key strengths and capabilities in venture capital financings and venture capital M&A.’

‘Daniel Atkin and Simon Leslie are stand-out partners and experts in venture capital financing.’

‘James Lonie – smartest man in the room and a completely quality individual. He is more than ably supported by Naomi Philp. They are technically above reproach, but more importantly approach each engagement with a commercial sensibility which is often missing in highly technically proficient practitioners.’

Key clients

CIMIC Group Limited


Sedgman Pty Ltd


Freightways Limited


Macquarie Bank Limited


Nura Holdings Pty Ltd


Rex Labs Holdings Pty Ltd


Azure Minerals Ltd


Castle Minerals


Emeco Pty Ltd


AirTree Ventures


Telstra Ventures


Macquarie Bank


Azure Minerals Ltd


Castle Minerals


Blackbird Ventures


Telstra Ventures


Macquarie Bank


Work highlights


  • Advised New Zealand Stock Exchange-listed Freightways Limited on its acquisition of the Australian group Allied Transport with operations throughout Australia.
  • Advised TAE Aerospace, a global aerospace company, in connection with its acquisition by Australian defence manufacturer ASDAM Operations.
  • Advised Smart Urban Properties Australia on the acquisition of the SUPA Technologies, Connecx and Fiber Asset Management businesses.

Lander & Rogers

Lander & Rogers leverages its expertise in mid-market transactions and is highly sought after by clients in the real estate, technology and financial services sectors. Practice head Jackie Solakovski leads from the Melbourne office, routinely advising listed and unlisted companies on commercial agreements, corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions, while David Morris, former partner of KPMG Law in Australia, practices from the Sydney office, where he adeptly navigates cross-border transactions between Australia and the US.

Practice head(s):

Jackie Solakovski


Other key lawyers:

David Morris; Alex Dworjanyn; Simon Davidson


Testimonials

‘The practice is very business focussed and understands the imperatives of M&A. It is cost-effective and operates in a very timely and flexible manner. It is good to see a very diverse make up of the team, which reflects the purpose driven nature of our business.’

‘The team provided high-quality legal support throughout our transaction, working efficiently with fast turnarounds of documents and provided pragmatic advice to help us achieve a great outcome.’

‘Jackie Solakovski was our key partner contact. Jackie’s approachable and upbeat manner made us feel like we were in good hands throughout the transaction.’

Key clients

Fujitsu Australia Limited


Shareholders of Everyday Independence Pty Ltd


Indi Pty Ltd


Shareholders of Peak Plan Management Pty Ltd


Next Green Group Pty Ltd


FibreCycle Pty Ltd


Armstrong Flooring Pty Ltd


Reece Australia Pty Ltd


Cadence Minerals plc


Gallagher Australia Investments Pty Ltd


Nurses Now Pty Limited


Exedy Australia Pty Ltd


Healthscope Operations Pty Ltd and Healthscope Pty Ltd


Uniti Group Limited


Seller of a Metal Recycling Business


Arthur J. Gallagher & Co (Aus) Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised Fujitsu on its acquisition of Enable Professional Services, the largest independent ServiceNow provider in the Asia Pacific region.
  • Advised the shareholders of Everyday Independence on the sale of their business to ASX-listed international human services group APM via a competitive auction process.
  • Advised Nurses Now on all aspects of its asset sale to Healthcare Australia, a portfolio company of Crescent Capital.

McCullough Robertson

Under the guidance of Brisbane-based partners Damien Clarke and Ben Wood, McCullough Robertson specialises in public and private deals, managing them from start to finish. The team is well versed in dealing with a variety of corporate work, though transactions in the technology, media, natural resources, agribusiness and financial spaces form much of their workload. Other standout lawyers are Reece Walker (in Brisbane) who, with his strong international reputation, is entrusted with a plethora of cross-border deals, in addition to Ben Mortimer (in Sydney), who is the go-to for governmental agencies and financial institutions.

Practice head(s):

Damien Clarke; Ben Wood


Other key lawyers:

Reece Walker; Ben Mortimer


Testimonials

‘The team takes the time to get to know my business – this upfront investment produces great results and efficiencies down the track as they know what matters most to me, what my risk appetite is, and what my transactional goals are.’

‘Ben Mortimer and his team are excellent – for me, fast and free-flow of information is key to transactions and Ben has a great knack for explaining things simply such that it is easy to understand, apply and make good and fast decisions.’

Key clients

HRL Holdings


Hough Consolidated Pty Ltd


Maropost Inc.


Malabar Resources Ltd


AVADA Group Ltd


Pacific Petroleum Pty Ltd


Henry Schein Inc.


Javelin Global Commodities Ltd


Falcon Oil & Gas


Radiopharm Theranostics


New Hope Corporation Limited


Sojitz Corporation


Technology One Limited


Wagners Holding Corporation


Whitehaven Coal Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised HRL Holdings on its A$82.2m off-market takeover by ALS Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary Australian Laboratory Services.
  • Acted for Hough Consolidated in its A$56m acquisition of Ellume, a COVID-19 rapid antigen test manufacturer.
  • Advised AVADA Group on its A$30m acquisition of the business and assets of Construct Traffic, a leading traffic management business in Victoria.

Mills Oakley

Mills Oakley further strengthened its corporate offering with the recent hire of Gaurav de Fontgalland to its headquarters. The practice fields four skilled practice heads, one in each of its national offices: Tony Symons (Melbourne) is known for his ability to guide founders through full or partial exits to financial or corporate buyers; Gavin Douglas (Sydney) deals primarily with cross-border transactions; Tim Cox (Brisbane) specialises in private equity and joint ventures; and Simon Panegyres (Perth) has expert knowledge of the natural resources sector.

Practice head(s):

Tony Symons; Gavin Douglas; Tim Cox; Simon Panegyres


Other key lawyers:

Gaurav de Fontgallan


Testimonials

‘Mills Oakley has a strong team across the board, with partners out of top tier firms who know what they are doing.’

‘Very strong and knowledgeable team. Always went the extra mile to ensure there were no loose ends. Was billing according to the initial engagement letter and stuck to the price.’

‘The two defining aspects of dealing with the team are (1) the focus on client service and (2) the level of partner contact. When combined, they make it a real pleasure to work with.’

‘Tim Cox’s commitment to client service is above and beyond.’

‘What sets Mills Oakley’s M&A division apart is their unique ability to seamlessly combine legal expertise with a deep understanding of business dynamics, resulting in strategic solutions that drive value and empower clients in rapidly evolving markets.’

‘Tony’s professionalism and integrity are exemplary. He operates with the utmost ethical standards, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility and accountability in all his interactions.’

‘Unbelievably practical service – clear, concise, commercially relevant advice. The team listened to our objectives and risk profile and had these in mind at all times.’

‘Great transparency and forecasting around costs and cost changes (due to our requests), there were no costing surprises. The resulting outcome for the business was beyond our expectations.’

Key clients

Zero Carbon Investek AG


Auctus Investment Group Limited (ASX:AVC)


Australian Pacific Coal Limited (ASX:AQC)


WAM Leaders Limited (ASX:WLE)


WAM Capital Limited (ASX:WAM)


WAM Global Limited (ASX:WGB)


iSelect Limited (ASX:ISU)


Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Limited


Naked Brand Group Inc


ELMO Software Limited (ASX:ELO)


Eurofins Scientific SE (EPA:ERF)


PPK Group Limited (ASX:PPK)


Lux Group Ltd (owner of Luxury Escapes)


Linfox Armaguard Pty Limited


Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ)


Capral Limited (ASX:CAA)


Work highlights


  • Advised Zero Carbon Investek on its acquisition of QNI Resources.
  • Advised Auctus Investment Group with respect to the sale of the Pet Fund’s interest in PETstock to Woolworths.
  • Advised Australian Pacific Coal on a fully underwritten rights issue.

White & Case

The team at White & Case has grown further with several significant recent hires: Belinda Harvey joined from Norton Rose Fulbright; Stefanie Benson arrived from Allen & Overy LLP; and Caroline Sherrell moved across from the firm's London office. Practice head John Tivey, who specialises in energy and natural resources transactions, co-heads the team from the Melbourne office with Nirangjan Nagarajah, whose client list includes a number of listed companies. In the Melbourne office, Christopher Flynn is called upon to advise domestic and international companies and governments on energy, resources and infrastructure projects.

Practice head(s):

John Tivey; Nirangjan Nagarajah; Christopher Flynn


Other key lawyers:

Belinda Harvey; Stefanie Benson; Caroline Sherrell


Testimonials

‘The Corp and M&A Team are very client focused. Their advice is delivered timely, and always with the client’s specific needs and position in mind. Billing has always been sensitive to ensure that the client gets the best value for money.’

‘With the White & Case Team, it feels like a partnership with the client where they invest their time and efforts to ensure that the client gets to the finishing line.’

Key clients

MidOcean Energy Holdings Pty Ltd


Petronas


Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited


Vast Solar


First Sentier Investors


Metric Capital


Brookfield Infrastructure Group


Brookfield Asset Management


Palisade Investment Partners


Canadian Solar Inc.


Tenaga Nasional


Work highlights


  • Advised EIG/MidOcean Energy Holdings in relation to its proposed acquisition of Origin Energy as part of a consortium with Brookfield.
  • Advised EIG/MidOcean Energy on all aspects of its acquisition of Tokyo Gas’s interests in four Australian LNG projects for $2.15bn.
  • Advised Kumul Petroleum Holdings in relation to its proposed acquisition of an additional 5% interest in the PNG LNG Project from Santos Limited.

Colin Biggers & Paisley

The corporate and M&A team at Colin Biggers & Paisley is able to draw on the expertise of employment, property, tax and banking experts, offering a complete and multidisciplinary service to SMEs and other companies in mid-market deals. The work is overseen by the Brisbane-based Jon Meadmore, who has extensive experience advising clients on all aspects of mergers, acquisitions, investments, corporate governance and structuring.

Practice head(s):

Jon Meadmore


Other key lawyers:

Toby Norgate


Testimonials

‘Toby Norgate has been very diligent in all aspects of the legal advisory process. He is on top of details and provides business-oriented advice. Excellent speed to reply to queries and integrate the full range of services of his law firm with the needs of our company.’

Key clients

Austral Gold Limited


MetaPM Pty Ltd


Equicentia Pty Ltd


Sumitomo Corporation


SQX Resources


Tombola Gold


Formula Johnson Pty Ltd


Akura


Contact Harald


Smartsourcing


Huhtamaki


Oz Professional 4 Pty Ltd


Story House Group Holdings


Work highlights


  • Acted for Sumitomo in the acquisition of a strategic stake in Idoba.
  • Advised Formula Johnson on the sale of shares in Racing Team (Aust), Dick Johnson Racing, for roughly A$5,400,000.
  • Acted in the large share acquisition for Finnish-based global packaging giant Huhtamaki.

Dentons

Dentons is a go-to advisor for clients seeking assistance in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. The team is co-headed by Sydney-based partner Kym Livesley, who has over 30 years of experience in the industry and is highly sought after in Australia and Asia Pacific alike, and Caroline Snow in Brisbane, who is recognised for her expert advice on complex regulatory, governance and compliance issues. John Mollard leads the mining and natural resources team in Melbourne.

Practice head(s):

Kym Livesley; Caroline Snow


Other key lawyers:

John Mollard; Alex Eyre


Testimonials

‘The team provided high-quality practical legal advice and guidance in respect of a complex and urgent merger, successfully navigating a full range of structures, different views and personalities.’

‘Alex Eyre is intelligent, insightful and responsive.’

‘A strong team in Adelaide is the stand-out.’

Key clients

Ardonagh Group


Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd


PerkinElmer Inc


Brennan VDI Pty Ltd


Textron Inc


Fairbreak International


Montem Resources Limited


Kina Securities Limited


CBH Resources


Work highlights


  • Advised UK-based insurance broker Ardonagh on its agreement to acquire Envest.
  • Advised Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium, one of the largest suppliers of lithium and lithium batteries in the world, to establish a $170m joint venture with Leo Lithium in respect of the Goulamina Lithium Project in Mali.
  • Advised Brennan VDI to acquire 100% of the share capital of MOQ by a regulated takeover via competitive bidding scheme of arrangement.

Gadens Lawyers

Handling a range of public and private M&A, Gadens Lawyers specialises in technology, health and life sciences, energy and natural resources, financial services and real estate. Newly appointed practice head Jol Rogers advises domestic and international clients across a wide range of sectors, including share and asset acquisitions and disposals, private equity and corporate governance. Other names to note include Clare Miller, Jeremy Smith and Richard Partridge.

Practice head(s):

Jol Rogers


Other key lawyers:

Clare Miller; Jeremy Smith; Richard Partridge


Testimonials

‘Jeremy Smith and Clare Miller provide great insights in a timely manner to all legal queries we may have.’

‘The practice apply a commercial approach to legal risks, and are very good at strategising the best approach to take, both legally and commercially. They appear to be more creative than other firms I am working with and have more conviction in their advice.’

‘The individuals are accessible, genuine, and intelligent in how they strategise. When working with Clare Miller and Jeremy Smith. I feel like they are true trusted advisors, and hence we provide return business to them on new opportunities.’

Key clients

AD1 Holdings


Aussie Broadband Limited


Cbus Property Pty Ltd


Civica Pty Ltd


Deel, Inc.


Explorer Holdings Australia Pty Ltd (subsidiary of JDM Technology Group)


Gandel Metals


GBTEC Software AG


KMD Brands, formerly Kathmandu Holdings


MoTeC Group


Naked Brands Group Ltd


Pickles


SmartMedia Technologies, Inc


Swytfx


Unisuper


ZircoDATA Pty Ltd


3P Learning Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised Deel on the purchase of 100% of the shares of PayGroup and its subsidiaries by a wholly owned Australian subsidiary of Deel, Inc. via a scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised motorsport technology business MoTeC on the sale of the group to Robert Bosch (Australia), which will now form an integral part of Bosch Motorsport, a business unit of Bosch Engineering.
  • Advised Cbus Property and Unisuper in relation to their acquisition of units in the AMP Capital Retail Trust from AMP Capital Finance.

Hogan Lovells

The Australia team at Hogan Lovells forms part of a large, global and fully integrated corporate practice. The group assists on a full spectrum of M&A transactions, attracting a wide spread of market-leading multinationals and corporate organisations as well as governmental bodies. The Sydney office is co-headed by David Holland, whose practice spans public takeovers and M&A to corporate governance and compliance, and Charles Bogle, who has in-depth knowledge of infrastructure investment, private equity and direct investments for superannuation funds.

Practice head(s):

David Holland; Charles Bogle


Testimonials

‘David Holland as partner is the true interface of the team. He is involved in each aspect of the matter and as a result, the trust and confidence in the whole team is there.’

‘David Holland provides exceptional client service, with pragmatic advice backed by a wealth of commercial, corporate and transactional experience. David always strives to meet expectations and timeframes – he is truly a trusted adviser and my first call when needed.’

‘Very commercial M&A practice that focuses on their clients’ best interests.’

‘David Holland has been our go-to M&A adviser, he offers quality advice and builds a great relationship with all levels of our team.’

Key clients

Aware Super


Catalyst Investment Managers


Legal Gateway


HMC Capital (formerly Home Consortium)


Accel-KKR


ARN Media Limited (formerly HT&E Limited)


MediPharm Labs Corp


Mint Renewables


G8 Education Limited


Adamantem Capital


Crescent Capital Partners


Morrison & Co / HRL Morrison & Co (Australia)


Emeco Holdings


Fluor Corporation


Morrison Growth Infrastructure Fund


Work highlights


  • Acted for Aware Super on its A$7.9bn consortium bid with Macquarie Asset Management Holdings, a global financial services organisation, for the State Government of Victoria’s Motor Registry (VicRoads).
  • Advised the sellers of Vesco Foods on its sale to PAG, a Hong Kong-based alternative investment firm focused on the Asia Pacific region.
  • Acted for HMC Capital, which, together with HomeCo Daily Needs REIT, entered into an A$3bn merger with Aventus Group, Australia’s largest manager of large format retail centres.

Maddocks

Maddocks regularly acts for clients operating in the energy and mining, financial services, technology and education sectors. It has also recently seen significant growth in work within the health sector. The practice is co-led by Damien Wurzel, who specialises in M&A transactions and advises clients from across Australia as well as the EU and Southeast Asia, and Duncan Hall, who regularly assists a range of privately held corporates and publicly listed companies in joint ventures, compliance and M&A. Other key practitioners include Andrew McNee, who is noted for his expertise in private equity.

Practice head(s):

Damien Wurzel; Duncan Hall


Other key lawyers:

Ron Smooker; Andrew McNee; Greg Hipwell; Lucille Scomazzon


Testimonials

‘Exceptional client care and diligence to work.’

‘Dedication and availability for urgent matters, even when on leave.’

‘Maddocks has a unique blend of professional dynamism and authentic approachability.’

Key clients

Greencross and Petbarn


Australian Retirement Trust


EnergyAustralia


Airtasker


Diageo Australia


Generic Health


Opal Health


Regis Aged Care


Quadrent Private Equity


The Growth Fund


Archer Capital


Navis Capital


Craveable Brands  Pty Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advising ASX-listed MyDeal.com.au on its $243m merger with ASX-listed Woolworths Group.
  • Advising specialist renewable energy trust CPE Renewable Infrastructure Unit Trust on its acquisition of the Barangaroo South Precinct’s utility business from Lendlease, the developer of the Barangaroo South Precinct.
  • Advising private equity fund Navis Capital on its platform acquisition of a controlling stake of Software Combined, and advised Software Combined on two follow on bolt-on acquisitions.

Pinsent Masons LLP

Under the leadership of Ewan Robertson, the Melbourne-based team at Pinsent Masons LLP advises on the full range of corporate and commercial matters, including divestments, joint ventures and corporate governance issues, especially within the infrastructure, renewable energy, science and technology spheres. Experienced practitioner Tim Dorgan has been entrusted with some of the largest wind, solar and pumped hydro projects in Australia.

Practice head(s):

Ewan Robertson


Other key lawyers:

Tim Dorgan


Testimonials

‘As a client, the experience of using the PM team makes you feel like you instantly have an in-house legal counsel that is highly experienced, always has your interests at heart and, most importantly, takes the stress out of legal matters.’

‘Ewan Robertson is an excellent relationship partner. Hands-on in matters. Provides excellent pragmatic advice. Works with a great team of associates.’

‘The PM team is able to see things from the client’s perspective and help guide you in the best possible direction while taking into account your situation. Moreover, the diversity of team members, their level of experience and attention to detail is very impressive. So is their billing structure, which allows for capped rates, thereby greatly assisting the budgeting process as a client.’

Key clients

Epiroc


Atlas Copco


Lamb Weston


Marble Energy


GFG Alliance Group (Simec Energy Australia)


TricorBraun


muru-D


Horizon 3 Healthcare


Orica


LRQA


RelyOn Nutec


Nurture Education


Work highlights


  • Advised Epiroc, a leading productivity and sustainability partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, on a number of significant acquisitions over the past 12 months.
  • Advised the developer of the Crossroads Energy Park on the joint development and sale option for the 2GW+ multi-stage solar, wind and storage project in Queensland.
  • Advised global packaging leader TricorBraun on its agreement to acquire PB Packaging, the rigid packaging business of Pro-Pac Packaging.

Piper Alderman

With offices in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, the corporate and M&A practice at Piper Alderman attracts clients from across key sectors in the Australian market, including private equity, health and life sciences, and energy and natural recourses. James Dickson has significant experience in corporate structuring as well as mergers, acquisitions and takeovers; he co-leads the group with James Macdonald, who specialises in disposals, venture capital and corporate governance.

Practice head(s):

James Dickson; James Macdonald


Other key lawyers:

Lis Boyce; Josh Steele; Alasdair McLean; Paul Sartori; Clea Cole; Maria Capati


Testimonials

‘I found the Piper Alderman team extremely professional, knowledgeable and collaborative. The team was approachable and available at all times, and they were very solution focused, which was extremely valuable in a very stressful business divestment. I had 100% trust in their advice and recommendations, and I really enjoyed working with them.’

‘PA provides services with professionalism at a reduced cost to the bigger legal firms. They are focused and diligent, and can think outside the box when needed. They also operate with great efficiency.’

‘James Dickson is our go-to partner for any corporate or M&A work. He is responsive and pragmatic. He provides excellent advice, always through a commercial rather than legalistic lens.’

‘The practice is solutions focussed, practical and commercially minded.’

‘Pragmatic, commercial, capable, cost-effective.’

‘Consistently displayed exemplary skills, expertise, and dedication for our matter.’

‘With excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Their ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner, ensured we fully understood our rights, options, and the potential outcomes. ‘

‘Always had our best interests in mind. We felt the communication for their quoting and billing aligned and there were no unknown costs or concerns during the period we dealt with the team.’

Key clients

Australian Central Credit Union Limited (trading as People’s Choice Credit Union)


Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited


BSA Limited


Carlisle Health Pty Ltd


Corporate Carbon Group Pty Ltd


Cowes Bay Group Pty Ltd


Duxton Pubs Pty Ltd


Epiroc South Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd


Kingspan Holdings Australia


Kingspan Water & Energy Pty Ltd


Log Creek Pty Ltd


Normet Group Oy


O’Driscoll Coaches


Paradice Investment Management Pty Ltd


PharmaLex Pty Ltd


PSM Group Holdings Pty Ltd


Red River Resources Limited


Rocky Point Garden


Rover Coaches


Symal Infrastructure Pty Ltd


The Global Training and Development Group


Work highlights


  • Acted for People’s Choice in its merger with Heritage Bank, one of Australia’s largest and most successful customer-owned banks.
  • Advised Bendigo and Adelaide Bank on its entering into a sale and purchase agreement with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, pursuant to which BEN acquired ANZ’s margin lending portfolio.
  • Advised Log Creek, the majority shareholder of Infrastructure Capital Holdings (ICH), on the sale of 100% of the shares in ICH to a wholly owned subsidiary of Foresight Group.

Squire Patton Boggs

Squire Patton Boggs acts for both buyers and sellers on a range of transactions, from mergers and de-mergers to joint ventures and privatisations. The corporate team is renowned for its ability to navigate cross-border transactions, especially those within the technology, energy, media and life sciences sectors. Tony Chong, who leads from Perth, is a first point of contact to a host of domestic and international corporates and high-net-worth individuals.

Practice head(s):

Tony Chong


Other key lawyers:

Campbell Davidson; Michael Gajic; Chris Rosario; Blair Strickland


Testimonials

‘We have a great working relationship with Tony Chong and Blair Strickland. We have been extremely impressed with the knowledge, availability for new and existing engagements, and their relationship with our clients.’

Key clients

Animoca Brands Ltd


Aware Services


DVG Mining Services Pty Ltd


IDOM Automotive Group/Gulliver Automotive Pty Ltd


Live Nation


Metals Acquisition Corporation


Mainetec Pty Ltd


Omni Dental & Aesthetic Solutions Dental


Ricardo


Singular Health Group Ltd


Thiess


Work highlights


  • Advised NYSE-listed Metals Acquisition Corporation in relation to its acquisition of the CSA Copper Mine for total consideration of $1.1bn.
  • Advised Thiess on its A$350m off-market takeover bid to acquire ASX-listed MACA.
  • Advised IDOM on the sale of its Australian operations to Swift Holdings Investments.

Thomson Geer

Thomson Geer is a go-to for mid-market companies seeking help with acquisitions or divestments from across all industry sectors, from natural resources and agriculture to retail and healthcare. Leadership of the firm is shared between four key partners: Dan Kramer, who acts for private equity funds; Matthew Reynolds, who handles corporate advisory within the energy and resources sectors; Adam Brooks, who deals with mergers and acquisitions; and Michael Bowen, who balances a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions.

Practice head(s):

Dan Kramer; Matthew Reynolds; Adam Brooks; Michael Bowen


Testimonials

‘Knowledge, practical experience, depth of team and responsiveness.’

‘Matthew Reynolds is well-supported by a responsive and competent team.’

‘The team at Thomson Geer were consistently client focussed, highly responsive, and worked in an extremely efficient manner to secure a positive outcome. Their communication throughout the process was exemplary.’

Key clients

Kirin Holdings Group, Limited


Genesis Minerals


MACA


Incannex Healthcare


Domino’s Pizza Enterprises


Flick Anticimex


Freight Management Holdings


Oklo Resources


Cannon Resources


PACT Group


Biortica Agrimed


Work highlights


  • Advised Japanese food and beverages giant Kirin Holdings on its A$1.85bn proposed acquisition of listed healthcare company Blackmores via a scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised gold company Genesis Minerals on its acquisition of St Barbara’s Gwalia mine for A$614m.
  • Advised Perth-based ASX-listed mining and infrastructure services company MACA on its A$350m takeover by construction giant Thiess.

Kain Lawyers

Boutique firm Kain Lawyers routinely advises on mid-market transactions, including public and private M&A and reverse takeovers, and is also equipped to advise on corporate disputes. In Sydney, John Kain, the founder and managing director of the firm, has over 25 years of experience in M&A and equity capital markets, and his practice also extends to private equity transactions. Michael Garry and James Burchnall co-lead the group in Adelaide, where they oversee the firm’s public and private M&A offering.

Practice head(s):

John Kain, Managing Director; Michael Garry, Director; James Burchnall, Director


Testimonials

‘Kain has a great culture, cemented by their young leadership team.’

‘Pragmatic, commercial, astute, smart negotiators and highly dependable. The team is resilient and in high-paced environments, this is a crucial attribute. They have never let their clients down whilst finalising transactions. They do all of this whilst keeping their sense of humour and collegiality.’

‘A very commercially focused team, always thinking about potential risks and the outcome sought. Love working with them.’

‘Smart and approachable individuals.’

‘Michael Garry is highly experienced in funds management and has played a key role in our own firm’s development and growth.’

‘A highly commercial firm that takes a practical approach to transactions.’

‘The team approach transactions from a commercial perspective. They start by understanding what are we trying to achieve and build their advice and services around that. They understand us and our business.’

‘They really care about our business and give above-and-beyond service.’

Key clients

Kelsian Group Limited


Premier Health Care Pty Ltd


Roc Partners


Consilium Technology Pty Ltd


KeyInvest Limited


Waveconn Operations Pty Ltd


YES Group (SA) Pty Ltd


Equity Partners


Cibus Capital LLP


Complexica Pty Ltd


Silk Laser Clinics


Alium Capital Management


Inheritance Capital Asset Management (ICAM Pty Ltd)


elmTEK Pty Ltd


SC Capital Partners


Engage Marine Holdings Pty Ltd


Conscious Investment Management Pty Ltd


GrainCorp


ResourceCo Pty Ltd


Zen Energy


Nash Advisory Pty Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised Kelsian Group on its $325m acquisition of All Aboard America! Holdings and the associated A$281m capital raising.
  • Advised Roc Partners entity Longriver Farms on the sale of Emerald Grain to global commodity trader Louis Dreyfus.
  • Advised KeyInvest on its merger with Australian Friendly Society (AFS), creating a merged entity with combined funds under management of approximately $400m and approximately 49,800 members.

Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Under the leadership of Sydney-based partner Sally Weatherstone, Sparke Helmore Lawyers' corporate offering spans a wide range of private equity transactions, mergers, acquisitions, buyouts and exits, and is noted for its ability to navigate both the transactional and regulatory aspects of deals. Its client base is likewise varied, consisting of blue-chip companies, private equity sponsors, financial institutions and SMEs.

Practice head(s):

Sally Weatherstone


Testimonials

‘Sparke Helmore Lawyers have been trusted advisors to our business, they go over and above normal expectations by listening to our needs and giving us bespoke advice tailored to our circumstances.’

‘Our client service team is very responsive to requests, has fantastic turnaround times and always delivers quality products (mainly commercial agreements).’

‘The team are able to provide fast and clear responses in plain English.’

Key clients

R3D Resources Limited (ASX:R3D)


Atturra Limited (ASX: ATA)


Envest


Ingram Micro


Tamawood Limited


Tartana Resources


Hunter Care Group


Yenda Producers Co-Operatives Society Ltd


Aviso Broking


The Benevolent Society


Metro Assist Limited


Work highlights


  • Acting for Envest in the proposed acquisition of Envest by Ardonagh Australia.
  • Acting for Atturra in the acquisition, through its subsidiary Anatas, of 100% of the issued share capital of Hayes Information Systems and Communications.
  • Advising on R3D’s non-renounceable rights issue and two tranche placements, including a cleansing offer and entitlement offer and completing legal due diligence.