Capital Markets

Recent examples where we have acted on transactions which have been executed under English law and/or Australian law include:

• Kangaroo Bonds: we have acted for a number of international issuers who have accessed the Australian domestic capital markets through Kangaroo Bonds including, Barclays Bank plc, SEK, Royal Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Scotland, AIB, the Province of Quebec, Council of Europe Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Nationwide Building Society and Northern Rock.
• Structured Debt Products: NAB: National Capital Investments and ANZ in relation to its Capital Trust III structured product in both cases as both Australian and English counsel. Swiss Re in relation to its hybrid product in 2007. We act regularly for JP Morgan on issues undertaken under its “exotic” programmes.

Australian Issuers

• Telstra: we act as Australian and English counsel for Telstra in respect of its EMTN programme including a Prospectus Directive compliant prospectus and listing on the London Stock Exchange.
• Westpac: we have acted for Westpac Banking Corporation in relation to Australian and English law aspects concerning several of its London based programmes.
• Macquarie: we act on Macquarie debt issuance programme together with our offices in Sydney.

Asset and Structured Finance

• Aircraft Financing: we have acted for the Allco Group in relation to more than 10 aircraft financings which have been governed by English law and have also undertaken the coordination role for foreign lawyers in multiple jurisdictions. Recent examples have been Ryanair, Flybe and Asiana financings which have involved cross border issues involving several jurisdictions where the transaction has been documented under English law.

Securitisation

We have acted recently in relation to a number of securitisation transactions executed under English law. These include:

• Mobius: we acted as both Australian and English counsel on this trust acquisition of a portfolio of English equipment lease receivables and a re-financing of that transaction.
• Mobius Financial Services Pty Ltd: we acted as both Australian and English legal counsel on this acquisition by a UK SPV of a portfolio of English residential mortgage receivables.

Corporate Advisory

Recent transactions where we have assisted clients in relation to UK corporate work include:

• The acquisition of a business based in Sweden for a large US company where we undertook the Australian and English law work, working with the Swedish lawyers for the US purchaser.
• The acquisition of Thames Water acting for QIC a cornerstone investor in the Macquarie Bank syndicate.
• Mandarin Oriental: the restructure and refinancing of the Hyde Park Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London.
• Stockland: the acquisition of Halladale in 2006-7.
• Allco: we acted for Allco Finance Group as both Australian and English counsel in respect of its acquisition and subsequent sale of a LNG business in Italy.

“The London office is particularly recommended for banking, finance and capital markets transactions…The team has advised a number of high-profile clients such as telecoms company Telstra, Westpac and Macquarie Bank.”

Legal 500 2008