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A leading employment lawyer, Gordon Williams provides strategic and litigious advice about employment, human resources and industrial relations issues in diverse workplaces and in the context of the wider corporate environment.
Gordon advises his major national and international clients on employment and HR change management issues generally, and as a result of major corporate transactions such as mergers and outsourcing, particularly in the private equity field. He also has market leading expertise in employee benefit arrangements and related corporate governance issues.
Building on his previous UK practice, Gordon also has strong 'project management' skills in multi-jurisdictional employment matters, including international assignments and secondments.
Gordon’s practice spans multiple sectors including financial services, IT, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and telecommunications for such leading and long-standing clients as Australian Catholic University, AMEX, BT, Challenger, iSOFT, Pfizer and Thales.
Recognised for his expertise in the International Who's Who of Management Labour and Employment Lawyers and in Australia by Best Lawyers, Gordon is also a sought-after trainer at industry seminars and client workshops.
Minter Ellison and Allen & Overy acted as joint legal advisers to the Lloyds Banking Group on the sale of its Australian asset finance business, Capital Finance Australia Ltd (CFAL), and its corporate loan portfolio, BOS International Australia Ltd (BOSI) to Westpac Banking Corporation for approximately A$1.55 billion in total. The sale comprises a motor vehicle finance book of A$3.9 billion, equipment finance book of A$2.9 billion and a corporate loan portfolio of A$1.6 billion. As part of the above, we advised in relation to all matters arising from the sale of the seven Bella securitisation transactions. We also advised on the novation and valuation mechanisms in relation to a large number of derivatives exposures. It is very unusual in the Australian market for a bank to completely sell down its participation in its sponsored securitisation programme, and its full derivatives book. We also provided Australian competition law advice. The transaction was time critical and the merger parties worked extensively with the ACCC to address concerns raised in its initial market enquiries and obtained clearance for the transaction within 39 review days, without the ACCC releasing a Statement of Issues.