Current practice

Mark has extensive experience in all areas of corporate and commercial practice across a range of industry sectors, with a focus on mergers and acquisition, reorganisations, capital raisings and joint ventures. He has specific expertise in the telecommunications, media and technology sectors, having founded and led Freehills’ Corporate/Technology group.

Mark was head of Freehills’ national Corporate group, the firm’s largest practice area, for four years from 2002–06. Under Mark’s leadership, the group consolidated its position as Australia’s leading corporate team, consistently ranking first in Thomson’s M&A and other league tables. From 2000–06 Mark was a member of Freehills’ executive management team. Mark returned to full-time legal practice at the end of 2005.

From July 2006 until January 2007, Mark was group general counsel of Lend Lease Corporation (on secondment from Freehills). He continued to have a role in some major transactions (such as T3) outside his general counsel role. Mark returned full time to Freehills in January 2007.

Industry experience

Mark’s clients include Lend Lease Corporation, National Australia Bank, Australian Capital Equity Group/Seven Network, Austar, Macquarie Bank, CHAMP and the Australian Government.

Some of the recent transactions in which Mark has been involved include advising:

• Castle Harlan Inc. on its $114 million sale of 83 per cent of Americast to Bradken and associated $110 million capital raising by Bradken
• National Australia Bank on its investment in Pengana Capital
• CHAMP on its acquisition of Golding Contractors
• National Hire Group on its joint $2.2 billion acquisition with Carlyle Group of Coates Hire and the creation of a 50/50 joint venture with Carlyle (The Banker’s Australian Deal of the Year 2008)
• MFS Group (now Octavia) on the corporate restructure and refinancing of Stella Group, and sale of 65 per cent of Stella to CVC
• Seven Network in relation to its media joint venture with Kravis Kohlberg Roberts
• The Australian Government on T3—the sale of its remaining 51 per cent shareholding in Telstra (Australian Deal of the Year 2007, and Equity Market Deal of the Year, Australian Legal Business)
• Austar on the sale by CHAMP and senior management of approximately 44 per cent of Austar by way of sale to LibertyGlobal and also a block sale through the market (CFO’s Deal of the Year and Australian Venture Capital Association’s Buyout of the Year 2006)
• Seven Network on the establishment of Yahoo!/7, its 50/50 joint venture with Yahoo! Inc. for internet, mobile and IPTV
• Cashcard on a parallel trade sale and IPO process resulting in its acquisition, by scheme of arrangement, by First Data Resources, and
• Austar on its issue of STARS hybrid securities and associated refinancing.

Professional background

Prior to joining Freehills, Mark was an in-house counsel with Channel Four Television in London, which he joined after practising as a barrister in London.

Mark is a member of the Freehills Board.

He is also a member of the Corporations Committee of the Law Council of Australia.