Takeovers in Australia: What the International In-House Lawyer Might Want To Know

July 2013

Abstract

This paper addresses why the issue of takeovers’ regulation in Australia should be of interest to the in-house lawyer internationally, and what are some key features which the international in-house lawyer should be aware. The potential impact of this issue extends well beyond those in-house lawyers who are takeover specialists. In-house lawyers should not assume that prudently they might leave transactional work in respect of a major takeover in Australia to the “big end of town” in specialist law firms and investment advisers. With Australian company takeovers and analogous transactions, legal requirements exist of a unique nature which should be of interest to the in-house lawyer, who might not prudently abdicate their attention to such matters to takeover specialists.

Author

Dr Steven Stern

Adjunct Professor, College of Law & Justice, Victoria University, Australia

Dr Steven Stern has an extensive background in in-house practice within Government, corporations, regulatory authorities and universities. He previously worked direct to D J Rose QC, former Acting Solicitor-General and Chief General Counsel of the Commonwealth of Australia. He previously also was the Director, Legal Advice & Review Branch/General Counsel at the National Companies and Securities Commission/Australian Securities Commission, the body which preceded the current corporate regulator in Australia, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. He has had experience in framing legislation to protect the executives of energy sector companies from extraterritorial liabilities in respect of their companies’ international trading activities.

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Takeovers in Australia: What the International In-House Lawyer Might Want To Know

Abstract

Author

Company

College of Law & Justice, Victoria University

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