Recognised as a leading lawyer in Competition / Antitrust in Chambers and Legal 500, and both Competition and Regulatory areas in Best Lawyers, and ranked as one of the top young antitrust practitioners globally in Global Competition Review’s 40 under 40. I have been described in directories as having 'very good strategic skills' and being '"an obvious choice" to work with', "personable, with a sharp mind and quick in understanding legal issues and applying law to the commercial reality", "extremely easy to work with, 'a quality 'which helps get transactions through", "a real class act when it comes to competition law". "very responsive and clear practical advice on procedural as well as substantive aspects". and "always on top of the details, provides great and clear advice, and possesses a good understanding of the Australian role in the wider global process."

I have deep expertise in complex competition issues in domestic and global M&A transactions, both through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) informal clearance process and in merger authorisation applications and associated litigation. In the M&A sphere, I work regularly with overseas counsel to navigate through Australian aspects of multi-jurisdictional regulatory filings, and partner with MinterEllison’s foreign investment team to provide an integrated offering to secure transaction regulatory approvals in Australia.

In addition, I have significant experience in managing and responding to ACCC investigations and enforcement action for potential competition and consumer law breaches, including significant and sensitive cartel allegations and immunity applications, other competition law issues, as well as ACCC sector inquiries. Clients also turn to me for my experience in advising on a wide range of consumer protection and regulatory issues, including misleading and deceptive conduct, advertising & promotions, unfair contract terms, unconscionable conduct, consumer guarantees, product safety, and product recalls.

Career highlights

Working closely with overseas law firms to manage Australian competition aspects of high profile, complex global and multijurisdictional M&A transactions, such as:

• Kustomer's US$1 billion acquisition by Facebook (Meta)
• Cargotec's proposed merger with Konecranes.
• VMWare on its US$61bn acquisition by Broadcom.
• iRobot on its acquisition by Amazon.
• Siemen's proposed EUR 15.4 billion global mobility merger with Alstom.
• AT&T's US$85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner, and WarnerMedia/Discovery.
• Vista on its acquisition of Citrix, among other acquisitions.
• Baring on its US$2bn acquisition (together with CPPIB and GIC) of Virtusa.

Advising on competition aspects of complex, high profile domestic and trans-Tasman M&A transactions including advising:

• CrownBet in contesting Tabcorp’s $11 billion bid for Tatts, one of the most complex, contested, and high profile merger clearance matters in Australia.
• Toll Holdings on the sale of its coastal shipping business to Sea Swift, including merger authorisation proceedings in the Tribunal.
• Qantas on its acquisition of Trip-A-Deal.
• thl on its acquisition of Apollo, and associated divestiture package
• Kraft Heinz on its acquisition of Cerebos Pacific Limited's food and instant coffee business.
• Albemarle on its JV transactions with Mineral Resources Ltd.
• Warrnambool Cheese & Butter in relation to Murray Goulburn’s bid for WCB and associated merger authorisation proceedings in the Tribunal.
• Carter Holt Harvey / Rank Group's on its strategic divestment of two particleboard board operations to Borg Panels, sawmill and export woodchip operations to OneFortyOne Plantations, and four sawmills to AKD Softwoods, among other disposals.
• Arrow Pharmaceuticals on its merger with Apotex to create Arrotex.
• Vail Resorts on its acquisition of Mt Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts.
• Elders Ltd on its acquisition of AIRR Holdings Ltd by way of scheme of arrangement.
• Viva Energy (Shell Australia) on its acquisition of the remaining 50 per cent interest in Liberty Oil Holdings, acquisition of Westside Petroleum and Shell Aviation Fuel business
• Affinity Equity Partners / Scottish Pacific on its proposed acquisition of CML Group.
• Only About Children (Bain Capital) on its acquisition of various childcare centres.
• Think Childcare on its acquisition by Busy Bees Early Learning Australia.
• Select Harvest on its acquisition of Piangil Almonds.

Managing large, novel cartel and regulatory investigations, litigation and authorisation matters for domestic and international clients, including:

• Qantas on its application for ACCC authorisation of its alliance with Emirates.
• Qantas on its application for ACCC authorisation for Jetstar's Pan-Asia strategy.
• Juno/Natco on their application for ACCC authorisation of a patent settlement with Celgene.
• Cryosite in the ACCC's first 'gun-jumping' proceedings (noting MinterEllison did not advise on conduct that was the subject of proceedings).
• Unlocked in proceedings against Google for misuse of market power, including successfully obtaining an interim injunction - first case involving new Australian misuse of market power prohibitions.

Other recognition

• Shortlisted by GCR in the GCR Global Awards for 'Regional Firm of the Year – Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa)' in 2020, 2021, 2022
• Shortlisted by GCR in the GCR Global Awards ‘Merger Control Matter of the Year – Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa’ in 2018 (Tabcorp / Tatts) and in 2017 (Toll / Sea Swift), winner of ‘Innovation in Expanding Clients’ Business’ award at the 2017 FT Innovative Lawyers Awards Asia.