Lander & Rogers has advised Singaporean transport company ComfortDelGro Group (listed on the Singapore stock exchange), via its wholly-owned subsidiary ComfortDelGro Australia, on the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Sydney bus operator Forest Coach Lines, plus the acquisition from related entities of a property trust which held two freehold depot sites. Earlier this year Lander & Rogers advised on its acquisition of Tullamarine Bus Lines in Victoria.
Lander & Rogers advised on all aspects of the transaction, which included complex legal due diligence conducted within a compressed timeframe, advising on and negotiating separate transaction documents for the acquisition of shares in Forest Coach Lines and interests in the trust holding two freehold depot sites, providing complex environmental due diligence relating to Forest Coach Line's multiple sites (leased and owned) throughout NSW including strategy for phase 2 environmental assessments of certain sites, advising on the need for and structure of warranty and indemnity insurance, and providing FIRB and employment advice including advice on key director, shareholder, and executive restraints relating to the transaction.
Deanna Constable, lead partner on this transaction, noted, "We work hard to live up to our own client service standards and our reward is the trust of our clients and their continuing to work with us. We don't take these important relationships for granted and are always looking for ways to deliver value to ComfortDelGro and work seamlessly with their team as if we were sitting in their office. We are proud to have continued our relationship with ComfortDelGro by advising on this strategically important investment as they continue to expand across Australia".
Minter Ellison advised private equity firm Next Capital as majority shareholder, and Ashurst advised a shareholder and his related entities, which owned a minority stake in the company.
About Lander & Rogers
Lander & Rogers is a leading independent Australian law firm operating nationally from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. We are proud to be the trusted advisor to many publicly listed and private Australian and global companies, Australian subsidiaries of global companies as well as all levels of government.
We have nearly 500 people nationally, seven broad areas of practice, and we cover a diverse range of industry sectors, with a core focus on financial services, insurance, government, real estate, and retail and supply chain.
Our firm believes that legal services are much more than just the law — they are about great people, sustained excellence and exceptional client service. We have a reputation in the legal market as a provider of premium legal services and as a sought-after employer. We are renowned in Australia for our down-to-earth and collaborative workplace culture.
About ComfortDelGro Group
ComfortDelGro Group is one of the largest land transport companies in the world with a global workforce, a global shareholder base and a global outlook. The Group operates in seven countries and has a global fleet of about 42,700 vehicles. Their businesses include bus, taxi, rail, car rental and leasing, automotive engineering services, inspection and testing services, driving centres, non-emergency patient transportation services, insurance broking services and outdoor advertising. In addition to being the market leader in Singapore, ComfortDelGro has a significant overseas presence. The Group’s operations currently extend from the United Kingdom and Ireland to Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, as well as across 11 cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang and Chengdu.
