Expertise

Nick acts for a variety of ASX listed alternate financiers, unlisted alternate financiers, private lenders, pooled & contributory mortgage funds, including a broad experience in mergers & acquisitions, management investment schemes and securities covering a range of general corporate & commercial law and banking & securities law. Nick prides himself on providing his clients with effective legal solutions that minimise risk and get the deal done. He possesses intimate knowledge in designing, developing & drafting cutting edge precedent finance documentation suites, facility and security negotiation and settlement, corporate governance, corporate solvency, workouts and restructures, and the application of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth).

Experience

  • project lead on a $130m+ acquisition of various (18+) quarries and concrete sites with multiple sellers including land and lease transfers, motor vehicle and equipment encumbrances and releases and post completion earnings arrangements;
  • negotiating and advising on a $50m company and asset acquisition for a large private company in the mining sector;
  • negotiating and advising on a hostile share buy-back for a large private client operating in the retail pharmacy market across 20+ lease sites;
  • negotiating and advising on an $85m corporate restructure of a national construction company including attending to the transfer of major commercial construction contracts at various stages and drafting documents;
  • negotiating and advising on a $30m cross-border takeover of a private company operating various mines in Australia and Asia by a listed Singapore corporation, including negotiating with financiers and key contract counterparties;
  • advising on an impasse between directors and shareholders of a group of companies flowing from a dissolution of marriage, including: negotiations with secured creditors, receivers and managers, purchasers, employees and unsecured creditors; attending to the affairs of the group including dealing with statutory demands and facilitating the appointment of a liquidator; and various strategic commercial advice;
  • advising on the application of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth), with particular expertise in equipment finance and motor vehicle encumbrances;
  • project lead on designing, developing & drafting precedent finance documentation for an ASX listed alternate financier in invoice financing and equipment financing;
  • project lead on designing, developing & drafting precedent finance documentation for an unlisted private mortgage managed investment scheme fund;
  • acting for an ASX listed alternative financier with a book value of over $400m in a reorganisation of their receivables and recovery business;
  • acting on the inception and registration of a $100m managed investment fund with various investment sleeves including structure design, governance and compliance, fund documentation and registration; and
  • acting on the establishment of a wholesale managed investment fund in the property sector.

Professional Recognition

  • Finalist – Banking & Finance Team of the Year, Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2023
  • Finalist – Commercial Team of the Year, Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2023

Memberships And Associations

  • Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association
  • Collingwood Football Club
  • Deakin University Alumni

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Deakin University
  • Bachelor of Commerce, Deakin University

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practise

  • Victoria

“I aim to provide practical and effective legal solutions to get the job done while minimising risk. My clients appreciate my broad experience and my ability to identify the issues that matter.”