David leads our Sydney corporate practice.
David is a leading Australian corporate lawyer with over 30 years' experience in advising both Australian and international clients on a range of corporate and securities law matters including mergers and acquisitions (public and private), equity capital markets transactions (including IPOs and capital raisings), strategic structuring and foreign investment approvals. David has a particular expertise in cross-border capital markets transactions between Australia and the US.
While he has spent the majority of his career in Australia, David also practised for a number of years in London with a leading global law firm where he acted for some of the world's largest organisations on multi-jurisdictional transactions.
David has been recognised as a leading corporate and commercial lawyer by Best Lawyers, a leading Australian equity capital markets lawyer by IFLR1000 and a leading Australian M&A / corporate lawyer by Chambers.
David is noted for being a "hands-on, innovative, commercial and proactive lawyer" who clients value for his "no nonsense advice" and "a very good sounding board; a bridge between legal and commercial". David has also been noted as being "a very special attorney who is authoritative on both Australian and US law, and is great at counselling - not just turning the crank and producing documents".
Experience
David advises his clients on all aspects of their businesses and has extensive experience in working with both domestic and international clients in a variety of sectors including life sciences and biotechnology, entertainment, technology, energy and resources and sport.
David's areas of expertise include:
- mergers and acquisitions (private and public)
- equity capital markets
- corporate restructures
- joint ventures
- directors' duties and corporate governance
- ASX Listing Rules and Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) compliance
- commercial contracts
- foreign investment (FIRB) approvals
Prior to joining Lander & Rogers, David founded the Australian legal practice of a Big 4 professional services firm, was the head of its Australian M&A and corporate law practice, jointly led its global M&A and corporate law practice (covering over 80 jurisdictions) and was a member of the firm's global legal services leadership team. Prior to that, David was the joint leader of the Asia Pacific corporate practice of one of the world's largest law firms.
Career highlights
David's career highlights include:
Public market
- advising the ASX-listed traffic technology company, Redflex Holdings Limited, on its scheme of arrangement with NASDAQ-listed Verra Mobility Corporation
- advising the ASX-listed AVITA Medical, a leading regenerative medicine company, on its redomiciliation in the US via a scheme of arrangement and the dual listing of its new US parent company on ASX and NASDAQ, and advising on its subsequent equity raisings
- advising the ASX-listed healthcare company, Heartware Limited, on its redomiciliation in the US via three schemes of arrangement and the dual listing of its new US parent company on the ASX and NASDAQ, and advising on its subsequent equity and convertible note raisings
- advising the ASX-listed healthcare company, Unilife Medical Solutions Limited, on its redomiciliation in the US via two schemes of arrangement and the dual listing of its new US parent company on the ASX and NASDAQ, and advising on its subsequent equity raisings
- advising a leading US fund on its on market takeover bid for ASX listed PAS Group Limited
- advising the Allegis Group (one of the largest recruitment businesses in the world) on its acquisition of ASX listed Talent2 Limited by scheme of arrangement
- acting as issuer counsel on the $92m IPO of the radiopharmaceuticals company, Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and its listing on the ASX, which is understood to be the largest IPO by a clinical stage company in Australian history
- acting as issuer counsel on the IPO of the US company, Reva Medical, Inc., and its listing on the ASX, and advising on its subsequent convertible note and equity raisings
- acting as issuer counsel on the IPO of the US healthcare company, GI Dynamics, Inc., and its listing on the ASX, and advising on its subsequent equity and convertible note raising
- acting as issuer counsel on the IPO of the UK oil and gas exploration and production company, Doriemus plc, and its listing on the ASX
- advising ASX-listed Redflex Holdings Limited on a fully underwritten accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer
- advising a major airline on its equity investments in Virgin Australia Holdings, including obtaining Foreign Investment Review Board approval and successfully defending it in proceedings brought before the Takeovers Panel in connection with its participation in a rights issue
- advising an industry participant on the high-profile acquisition of a strategic stake in the ASX-listed Nine Entertainment Co Limited
- advising a leading US investment firm focused on private equity and special situation transactions on its acquisition of an automotive business from an ASX-listed group
Private market
- advising the founders of the ONCALL Group, a leading provider of disability, NDIS and welfare services, on the sale of that business through a competitive auction sale process to private equity funds managed by Pemba Capital Partners
- advising the shareholders of ARMS Reliability, a leading global provider of reliability solutions to some of the world's largest industrial companies, on the sale of the business to international technology group Baker Hughes
- advising the shareholders of a leading data management and technology company, the Servian group, on the sale of 50% of their shareholding to private equity funds managed by Adamantem Capital, and advising management on their subsequent exit (alongside Adamantem) to multinational technology group Cognizant
- advising the founders of a leading IT and managed services business on the sale of a controlling interest in that business to EQT, a Singapore-based private equity firm
- advising Schott AG, a German-based international technology group, on the acquisition of a leading engineering firm from its founders and employee shareholders
- advising the founders of a leading business in the building and construction industry on the sale of that business through a competitive auction process involving several trade and private equity bidders
- advising a leading cybersecurity company on various equity financings
- advising a leading mid-market private equity firm on strategic investments in various fast-growing Australian companies
- advising a major Spanish Group on a full vendor due diligence of its multi-billion- dollar Australian operations in connection with its sale
- advising a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index on its acquisition of a business providing non-destructive testing services primarily to the power generation industry
- advising a Singapore-listed company on its acquisition of a company engaged in the sale and provision of scaffolding and support services to the construction industry
- advising Peter Holmes à Court and Russell Crowe on the privatisation of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club and the subsequent sale of Mr Holmes à Court's interest to Consolidated Press
- advising Max Delmege on the privatisation of the Manly Sea Eagles Football Club, being the first privatisation of its kind in the Australian National Rugby League Competition
- advising on multiple corporate restructures by global groups across a variety of sectors and industries