Corporate/M&A

The standout Herbert Smith Freehills practice is renowned for its consistent involvement in many of the most prominent and challenging transactions. The team frequently acts on both major public M&A and private equity transactions and is able to apply debt and capital markets expertise when required. It is noted for its immense depth of resources and longstanding relationships with a variety of top-flight multinationals, and is especially valued for its ability to provide substantial, multi-jurisdictional support at both the regional and global levels. The firm is trusted to coordinate multibillion-dollar divestment and demerger deals for a varied roster of financial, mining, IT and healthcare services clients. Key clients include National Australia Bank, Alliance Airlines and AGL Energy.

"This team is exceptional, and I have experienced first hand their professional, pragmatic, commercial and strategic approach. Their team operates like clockwork, with every base covered, and they anticipate every twist and turn before they even arise."

"They have vast experience and expertise across the whole range of areas we need."

"Herbert Smith Freehills has some very strong M&A partners who are responsive, highly intelligent and hard-working, and all of the work they produce is of a high quality."

Herbert Smith Freehills advised BHP on its merger with Woodside Petroleum, creating an oil company with an estimated market capital of USD30 billion.

Baden Furphy handles public M&A and private equity mandates with equal readiness from the Melbourne office and is frequently engaged to assist clients on matters relating to demergers, buy-backs and hostile takeovers. "He is very pragmatic and experienced."

Philippa Stone commands the highest respect among both clients and other sources in this space, not only for handling public M&A deals as effectively as the equity capital markets transactions for which she is especially renowned, but also in the spheres of negotiated deals, privatisations and corporate reconstructions. "Philippa is the most capable, experienced, well-recognised capital markets lawyer in the country, but she's also an extremely accomplished M&A lawyer – undoubtedly a contender for a lead M&A lawyer as well."

Rebecca Maslen-Stannage is the firm's chair and senior partner, and she offers an impressive track record in the representation of prominent domestic and multinational clients in some of Australia's highest-profile mergers and takeovers. "In my opinion, Rebecca Maslen-Stannage is a top corporate lawyer in Australia, because she works on all the major takeovers and is brilliant."

Rodd Levy advises on substantial M&A transactions, takeover defence and corporate governance issues from the Herbert Smith Freehills Melbourne office. "It's been great to have someone with his experience and gravitas being able to give advice to the board as well as thinking commercially and being a great advocate for the internal legal team and working with us legally." "He is an outstanding practitioner."

Tony Damian practises out of the Sydney office, where he regularly advises on technically sophisticated public takeovers, mergers and schemes of arrangement, transaction types upon which he is also a noted published authority.

Damien Hazard is noted for his work assisting private equity clients on both acquisitions and divestments, offering a noted specialisation in private treaty transactions. He is based in Sydney and co-heads the Australian private equity team.

Andrew Rich handles both public and private M&A mandates in, among other spheres, the consumer products, energy and TMT sectors, and offers noted experience of cross-border transactions. He is based in Herbert Smith Freehills' Sydney office. "Andrew is a very sophisticated lawyer in his field. He is very composed in a challenging and time-pressured environment."

Raji Azzam co-heads the private equity team from the Melbourne office and is widely acknowledged as a prominent and effective practitioner in the space, attracting particular acclaim for his relationships with major private equity firms.

Kam Jamshidi earns a ranking as a fast-rising partner who is skilled in private equity transactions and public M&A, including schemes of arrangement. He is based in Herbert Smith Freehills' Melbourne location. "He's been completely available, no matter what time it has been, no matter what question or issue it has been."