Find Lawyers in Adelaide, Australia for Corporate Law
Practice Area Overview
In Australia, the practice area denoted by the expression "Corporate Law" is very broad. It is typically understood to encompass the following specific practice areas:
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Equity Capital Markets
- Private Equity
- Corporate Governance
These areas often intersect, however. For example, a client may need to raise capital as a prelude to an acquisition, with the capital raising and the acquisition raising various corporate governance issues.
Similarly, a private equity fund may acquire a controlling shareholding in a listed company and seek representation on the Board of Directors, which in turn raises corporate governance issues. Alternatively, a private equity fund may wish to exit its investment in an entity by undertaking a dual track IPO and trade sale process.
It is common for Australian corporate lawyers to have expertise and experience across most of these areas, although specialisation in one or two areas is also becoming more common given the increasing complexity and sophistication of transactions.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Australian lawyers practising in this area represent entities that wish to merge with or acquire the shares or assets of another entity in the same industry sector (to increase the acquirer's industry scale), a complementary industry sector (to achieve, for example, vertical integration with the acquirer's other operations), or an entirely new industry sector (to achieve earnings diversity). Lawyers practising in this area also may represent entities that are the subject of a merger proposal or a sale/acquisition proposal. In other words, Australian M&A lawyers typically act on either the buy-side or the sell-side of these transactions.
Equity Capital Markets
Australian lawyers practising in this area represent entities that issue securities to raise capital, security holders seeking to sell their securities, or banks and investment banks that underwrite and sell such securities.
Private Equity
Private equity lawyers are involved in establishing private equity funds (usually in the form of corporations, limited partnerships, and trusts) and structuring private equity transactions. Private equity funds include:
- leveraged buy-out funds;
- venture capital funds;
- hedge funds;
- real estate investment funds; and
- infrastructure investment funds.
Private equity lawyers work closely with specialist lawyers in areas such as M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Banking and Finance, and Tax to ensure all relevant legal aspects of private equity transactions are covered. This often involves coordinating foreign law advice.
Corporate Governance
Corporate governance is the system by which companies are directed and managed, including the division of decision-making responsibility between a company's shareholders, its Board of Directors, and executive management. Corporate governance seeks to promote transparency and accountability in the management of companies, in turn contributing to investor protection and confidence in publicly listed companies.
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James is the leader of our Public M&A and Equity Capital Markets practice. He is a current member of the Australian Takeovers Panel and has extensive experience working in top-tier corporate law firms in Australia and London. James’ experience includes leading the Kain teams advising: SILK Laser Clinics (ASX:SLA) on its proposed acquisition by Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) (a subsidiary of Wesfarmers (ASX:WES)) by way of scheme of arrangement for approximately $180m; Ke...
Gerry is the leader of our M&A (Private) and Equity Capital Markets (Private) practices. He has been advising on capital raising transactions, mergers and acquisitions and capital structuring for over 30 years in key financial markets including Sydney, Hong Kong and London. He is a trusted advisor to our clients. Gerry’s experience includes leading the Kain teams advising: sportsmed on the sale of their hospital to Burnside War Memorial Hospital; SILK Laser Clinics (ASX:SLA) on its ...
Sarah is an experienced Transactions lawyer who is valued by clients for her attention to detail, commercial acumen and dedication to achieving the best commercial outcome for them. Sarah’s transactional experience includes; Advising Best Doors and Reliance Doors on their business sale to Swiss listed company Dormakaba; Advising sportsmed on the sale of their hospital to Burnside War Memorial Hospital; Leading the due diligence team in relation to Kelsian Group’s (ASX:KLS) $698m (...
Brett Cowell is a founding partner and the Chairman of Cowell Clarke and is a Director of the firm’s Corporate and Commercial team. Brett’s passion for science, technology, and innovation has enabled him to support corporate and business clients in growing and protecting their tangible and intellectual property assets. Brett has very broad-based experience, with a particular interest in advanced manufacturing, defence, ICT, life sciences and technology businesses on a national and...
James is a corporate practitioner with significant experience in corporate transactions, corporate governance, directors’ duties and compliance with the Corporations Act, ASIC requirements and ASX Listing Rules. His practice has a strong focus on mergers and acquisitions, takeovers (both for bidders and targets), IPOs, other capital raisings and corporate structuring and reconstructions. James also focuses on financial services, including financial services licensing, registered and unr...
Michael leads our growth activity, combining his product, market and client experience. He is an experienced corporate lawyer who has advised some of Australia’s biggest corporates and funds on their most complex and strategically critical transactions. Michael’s practice includes advising on corporate mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, alternative asset fund establishment and deployment as well as foreign investment and financial services advice. Michael has a particular f...
Mark is a specialist banking and finance lawyer with over 30 years’ experience. He advises and acts primarily in matters involving corporate lending, loan syndication, Corporations Act compliance and commercial contracts. Mark also advises on privacy issues relating to the Privacy Amendment (Privacy Sector) Act 2000. Mark has extensive experience in public listed company transactions and has provided advice on a wide range of matters to a number of high profile companies and government ...
As a highly skilled commercial lawyer Tim advises clients on efficient and effective business structures that facilitate access to the capital necessary for growth or acquisition. Capital Structuring extends to business restructuring whether solvent or insolvent and to enable generational business succession or exit. Tim provides pragmatic advice that has seen him develop key client relationships across a range of industries including manufacturing, construction, agri-business, technology, to...
Daniel is a principal in the firm’s transactions practice. He acts on mergers & acquisitions, corporate and commercial matters for a broad range of business clients, ranging from SMEs to some of the largest businesses in South Australia. He works across a variety of industry sectors, including financial services, property, energy and resources and manufacturing. Daniel regularly leads projects involving: share, asset, business and property sales and purchases; corporate structuring ...
Bianca specialises in mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment and corporate governance. In addition, her practice involves providing general corporate and commercial advice to clients throughout the lifecycle of their businesses. She has positioned herself as a trusted advisor to a variety of Australian and international clients ranging from private family businesses and not for profits to large corporates and fund managers. Her clients appreciate her pragmatic strategic approach and abi...
Michael specialises in corporate and personal insolvency law and is recognised as one of Australia’s leading insolvency lawyers. He acts regularly for banks, financial institutions and other secured lenders providing advice in relation to the security enforcement. He acts for insolvency practitioners in all types of personal and corporate business restructuring and insolvency administrations. Michael is regularly engaged to act for companies and directors providing advice on the restruc...
Loretta Reynolds has been a Partner of the firm since 1998 and was elected Chair in 2007. While her main focus is on her funds management/mergers & acquisitions practice, she also has executive responsibility for client development and relationships in all markets. Loretta is individually recognised in Chambers Asia Pacific (2013, 2014 – 2016) in the Private Equity category for her “ extensive experience in fund formation, handling of buyouts, and work for superannuation funds...
Tony has more than 25 years' significant experience in commercial transactions, including public and private infrastructure. Tony acts for clients in a range of sectors, including government services, property development, construction and defence. Tony has a particular interest and depth of experience in major projects, joint ventures, and infrastructure and development projects. He has advised clients on many of the major residential and commercial developments in South Australia. Tony is a...
Simon is a respected corporate and commercial lawyer with extensive expertise on a broad range of transactional and advisory matters. He acts for Australian and international corporations, fund managers, high net worth family offices and private clients. He has been involved in many corporate projects including asset and share sales and acquisitions, equity capital raisings and diligence investigations. He has drafted and negotiated a broad range of commercial documentation including Governme...
Brian is an experienced Corporate and Transactions lawyer who has advised high profile clients on public and private M&A transactions, corporate restructures, debt financing, major projects and complex and strategically critical transactions. Brian specialises in private and public M&A, capital raisings, debt financing, major infrastructure projects, social and affordable housing and strategic commercial transactions. Brian’s experience includes advising: Kelsian Group (ASX:KLS)...
Annabel West is a Special Counsel in the corporate team in Adelaide. She specialises in corporations and securities law, with a principal focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital raisings and corporate advisory work. Annabel has extensive experience in managing corporate transactions for a wide range of local and international clients in diverse industries, from listed companies, private equity funds and government owned corporations, to SMEs and not for profits. Her experie...
Nicholas is a commercially astute transactions lawyer with specialist skills in private mergers and acquisitions and funds management. He prides himself on his commerciality and transparency to achieve strategic outcomes for clients with minimal disruptions to their businesses. Nicholas has worked on many transactions and regularly advises fund managers across numerous industries. Nicholas’ recent experience includes: Kelsian Group (ASX:KLS) on their US$325m (~A$487m) acquisition of All...
Having worked on some of Australia’s largest private equity deals at a top-tier firm in Melbourne, Travis brings a wealth of experience advising clients in complex public and private M&A transactions. Travis is a Transactions lawyer specialising in private and public M&A transactions. He is recognised for his commercial acumen and technical excellence across a breadth of industries and is always working to ensure he can effectively manage complex legal issues and transactions fo...
With a background in corporate finance, Stefan brings a pragmatic and commercial approach to transactions, working with clients to understand their strategic goals to deliver optimal outcomes. Stefan specialises in the areas of public and private mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets and corporate advisory, with experience acting for large public and private clients across a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, construction, online retail, tourism and information tec...
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