Current practice

Stephen’s work encompasses all aspects of corporate and securities law, including mergers & acquisitions, capital raisings and general corporate advice.

His main focus is on negotiated transactions, but he also has extensive experience in public M&A and equity capital markets work.

Areas in which Stephen has experience and expertise include:

• acquisitions and disposals of businesses across a range of industries
• significant joint ventures and strategic alliances
• private equity and similar strategic investments and exits
• public equity, debt and hybrid offerings
• general commercial agreements and advice, and
• schemes of arrangement and other public control transactions.

Industry experience

Clients Stephen has advised include leading industrials, investment banks, private equity funds and telecommunications companies.

Recent transactions in which Stephen has been involved include:

• the Coles/Wesfarmers transaction
• Telecom New Zealand’s exit of its 19.9 per cent stake in Hutchison 3G Australia in return for 10 per cent of the listed Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Limited
• multiple equity investments by Heart Care Group (a subsidiary of DCA Group Limited) in cardiology practices across Australia
• equity and debt raisings by Record Realty
• Caltex Australia’s retail petrol alliance with Woolworths Limited, and
• various strategic investments for an offshore hedge fund.

Professional background

Stephen holds a first class degree in law from the University of Oxford and is admitted as a solicitor in Victoria, New South Wales and England. Before joining Freehills in 1997 Stephen worked for several years for Herbert Smith, a leading law firm in the City of London.