Matthew Prescott

Matthew has specialised in technology and corporate and commercial law since joining the firm in 2001.

He is regularly retained to act on information technology, intellectual property, medical and biotechnology, franchising, competition and consumer, and privacy law matters.

Matthew has a particular interest in the commercialisation and procurement of all kinds of technology and focuses on non-contentious commercial and transactional work. He also has broad-based experience in the effective non-court resolution of disputes. Matthew’s ICT expertise is underpinned by a decade’s prior experience in the IT industry.

Matthew has acted for several loyal clients over many years including ISPs, telecommunications carriers, media companies, ad agencies, cosmetics companies, credit providers, software developers, transport and logistics providers, wine producers, franchisors (particularly in the retail, food, hospitality, agribusiness and motor vehicle sectors), health, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and technology start-ups. ASX-listed clients include a number of medical device manufacturers and mining, resources, and energy companies.

Matthew’s expertise extends to all forms of intellectual property and associated rights. His team manages the trade mark portfolios of an international hotel chain, a major Australian energy company, and a worldwide group of educational institutions. He has successfully prosecuted trade mark opposition proceedings, removal actions and registrations, and domain name disputes in Australia and overseas.

Matthew has acted for several established licensing and franchising systems for over a decade including Fasta Pasta, Mitsubishi Motors, Chemtura, BioGuard, and has assisted to establish several new franchise networks. His experience ranges from preparing documentation such as franchise agreements and disclosure documents, to representing franchisors in disputes and mediations.

Matthew has been a Committee member of the Franchise Council of Australia since 2009.

Recent experience includes:

• Acting for Internode and its shareholders on its sale to ASX-listed iiNet Limited for in excess of A$100 million.

• Assisting ASX-listed LBT Innovations throughout the development, prototyping, and commercialisation of its medical technology products. Recently assisted in concluding a A$6 million joint venture based in Switzerland to develop and distribute a diagnostic imaging device.

• Acting for Novozymes, a world-leading producer of industrial enzymes headquartered in Copenhagen, in a strategic investment in a Sydney-based biotech company based on a target valuation of US$35 million.

• Acting for oOh!media, an outdoor media company, on over 25 discrete business acquisitions (each ranging in price up to A$45 million) over several years.

• Acting for Santos since 2009 on a range of assignments, mainly in the ambit of procurement, IP, and IT.

• Assisting the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute with various commercial tasks including advising on clinical trial agreements, fundraising, and privacy law compliance.

• Assisting various technology start-up clients with a range of activities including initial set-up, fundraising and shareholding arrangements, IP advice, and protection and negotiations with commercial partners. Recent examples include a company developing an electric racecar and motorsport event, a client developing a wound healing therapy, and another seeking to commercialise an innovative sensor technology for domestic cooking appliances.