David is a tax expert with over 20 years of experience as a tax law partner at leading Australian law firms and as executive director with one of the big four global accounting firms, in Sydney and New York.

David’s extensive experience includes all tax aspects of corporate, commercial, infrastructure and financial transactions including: M&A, finance (debt, equity, hybrids & derivatives), major projects, structuring, international, funds, tax authority issues (reviews, audits, disputes, negotiation and settlements), compensation/settlement payments, legal drafting, due diligence, governance and risk management.

David’s knowledge and experience spans a broad range of sectors including property (residential and commercial), resources, infrastructure, renewables, financial services, technology, private equity, hedge funds, pension funds, sovereign funds, communication, education, agribusiness, turnaround, restructuring and insolvency.

In addition to his legal qualifications, David holds the peak qualification with the Tax Institute of Australia (Chartered Tax Adviser), and is also a Chartered Accountant, differentiating David from most other senior tax lawyers in Australia and enabling David to deliver holistic tax law advice that is responsive to broader financial and accounting impacts relevant to each client or transaction.

David’s expertise has been recognised nationally in client and peer surveys including Best Lawyers, Legal 500 and International Tax Review’s guide to the world’s leading tax advisers.

Expertise

• Tax advice on a broad range of commercial and financial transactions and projects
• Deal and transaction structuring advice
• Legal drafting of tax related clauses and documents
• Revenue authority dealings (Australian Taxation Office and State Revenue), including: audits, reviews, disputes, negotiation, settlements and rulings
• Income tax advice
• Tax consolidation advice
• Capital gains tax advice
• GST advice
• Stamp duty advice
• International tax advice
• Withholding tax advice

Example Engagements

Acted for:

• S&P 500 multinational on $3.7 billion takeover of ASX 100 group.
• Leading Australian Property fund on $400+ million sale of stake in landmark Sydney office tower.
• US$340 million acquisition of Australian nickel mining group by listed Canadian mining group.
• Receiver on the sale of a major infrastructure tunnel project.
• Major Australian bank on US$15 billion programme for issuance of Medium-term Notes, Euro-commercial paper and other debt instruments.
• Major property fund on the sale of a majority stake in a prime CBD shopping centre to Hong Kong based group. Advised on matters relating to trusts, managed investment trust rules, capital gains tax and distributions to institutional investors.
• One of Australia’s largest listed property developers on tax aspects of residential property development joint venture.
• Significant tax dispute/negotiation with the Australian Taxation Office involving cutting edge issues forming part of the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project (BEPS).
• Major global banking group on the $1.5 billion sale of its Australian asset finance business and corporate loan portfolio to a Big 4 Australian Bank.
• One of the world’s largest alternative investment managers on US$1.1 billion acquisition of an education group.
• Mandated lead arrangers of a $2.2 billion multi-jurisdiction loan syndication.
• Leading Australian private equity firm on IPO of portfolio company.