Banking & Finance: Acquisition Finance
Global Guide 2024 : Australia
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+61 2 9263 4000About
Provided by Gilbert + Tobin
In a competitive commercial environment, a careful approach and resourceful thinking are what businesses look for when seeking legal advice. With our specialist industry knowledge and rich experience across the sector, our Banking and Infrastructure group advises leading financial institutions, investment banks, corporations and private equity funds – both in Australia and abroad.
Our Approach
Our lawyers have strong experience in both domestic financing and cross-border transactions. Most have practised in other jurisdictions across Europe, Asia and the United States, as well as in-house with our clients.
We act for lenders, borrowers, arrangers and investors, with a detailed understanding of the commercial drivers for each. We are able to anticipate key legal and commercial issues likely to arise in any financial transaction and guide our clients through them.
Our lawyers work closely with our Corporate Advisory team to provide seamless, integrated advice and transaction management. We also partner with our Competition and Regulation group for clients needing advice in these areas.
Our Services
- Acquisition finance
- Corporate finance
- Debt capital markets and securitisation
- Project finance and public-private partnerships (PPP)
- Reconstruction and corporate recovery
- Structured finance
Real estate finance
Chambers Review
Gilbert + Tobin boasts a top-tier practice advising market-leading acquisition finance players and possessing strong expertise with regard to large corporate refinancings. The firm has extensive experience acting on complex financings for private equity sponsors, banks and corporations. Its banking and finance team handles cross-border deals, especially those involving US private equity and US term loan B markets. It also enjoys an established reputation acting for both borrowers and lenders, including international investment banks. Key clients include Aware Super, Alinta Energy and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Work Highlights
- Gilbert + Tobin advised CDC Data Centres on the AUD2.7 billion refinancing and upsizing of its debt facilities and its AUD308 million US private placement issuance.
- Gilbert + Tobin advised Westpac, MUFG and Sumitomo Mitsui as the mandated lead arranger, bookrunner and underwriter on the financing of the AUD2.35 billion acquisition by Aurizon of freight rail group One Rail Australia from MIRA and PGGM, and the subsequent divestment of the ECR business to the Magnetic Rail Group.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"They are extremely sophisticated and well-versed in managing and resolving issues. They know when to push and when to release pressure."
"They have a deep and well-experienced bench. They understand the turnaround times required and are across all relevant deals and current market trends."
"They are extremely sophisticated and well-versed in managing and resolving issues. They know when to push and when to release pressure."
"They have a deep and well-experienced bench. They understand the turnaround times required and are across all relevant deals and current market trends."
Notable Practitioners
John Schembri maintains his longstanding reputation as a leading acquisition and corporate finance lawyer.
"John is in the top echelon of legal practitioners in the Australian market."
"John is the standout leveraged finance lawyer in the Australian market. His great depth of experience, coupled with his ability to grapple successfully with complex problems and his commercial focus on client needs, position him as our first call on all leveraged financings."
Gail Christopher enjoys a strong reputation for her acquisition finance work and frequently provides advice to an impressive clientele consisting of major private equity firms and banks.
"She is deeply experienced, with great bedside manner, and proactive. I'm very happy with the service."
"She's very hard-working and solutions-focused, as well as collaborative with clients. She will always find workable answers for everyone and is a really good problem-solver."
Simon Lynch has considerable experience in corporate and acquisition finance and is frequently sought after for major mandates.
"Simon is excellent; he's well connected and very knowledgeable. He can resolve things for his clients."
"His ability to delineate the issue and resolve it expediently is incredibly valuable."
Stuart Cormack is active advising both lenders and sponsors on high-profile leveraged finance mandates and acquisition facilities.
"Stuart is sophisticated, commercial, sensible, responsive and easy to use."
"He's excellent and has already thought of a solution that works from a legal and also commercial perspective. Stu is just terrific."