Corporate, Commercial & Procurement

Our highly experienced corporate and commercial team have a depth of experience and expertise gained at some of the largest and most respected law firms globally. We assist early stage and small caps through to domestic and global listed companies.

Procurement

Our team have a depth of experience in providing independent Government procurement advice for business, and we are proud to act for a range of contractors to the Australian Government. . We understand Government procurement processes, but bring a unique focus from the perspective of private enterprise. We represent businesses across a broad spectrum of industries and as a Canberra headquartered Firm, we have deep local relationships across Government, business and industry.

We assist companies across the full suite of corporate and commercial advice including:

• Corporate Structuring and Restructuring;
• General Corporate and Commercial Contracting;
• Equity Capital Markets;
• Lending and Corporate Finance;
• Employment and Workplace Relations;
• Outsourced Legal General Counsel;
• Intellectual Property including IP Commercialisation;
• Corporate Governance; and
• Company Secretarial Services

Financial Services, Funds & Regulatory

Hazelbrook are industry recognised financial services, managed funds and regulatory specialists.

MANAGED FUNDS

We work with investment managers in Australia and offshore across a range of different asset classes with a particular focus on:

• Fund establishment, including fund governing documentation and investment management agreements;
• Capital raising for listed, retail and wholesale funds;
• Merger, restructure and takeover of funds;
• Fund governance;
• Fund operation including advice regarding disclosure, sales, distribution and marketing activities; and
• Regulator liaison with ASX, APRA and ASIC.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Financial services is a highly regulated area of law and subject to complex and onerous provisions as well as ongoing change. Our team are recognised specialists and have a depth of experience working in this field of law. We have extensive experience in:

• Australian financial services licence (AFSL) applications, variations and advice;
• Australian credit licence applications (ACL);
• Corporate authorised representative arrangements;
• General Compliance advice; and
• Navigating the day-to-day requirements of holding an AFSL or ACL.

REGULATORY

Hazelbrook is proud to offer advice and guidance in respect of the full range of regulatory matters including compliance with statutory obligations and development of best practice solutions.

Our team of regulatory specialists are highly experienced at navigating the Australian regulatory landscape. We help offshore and Australian businesses establish, monitor and manage their compliance with a range of legislative frameworks.

Leveraging our market knowledge and expertise, we offer a tailored Monthly Regulatory Monitoring Service as a comprehensive monthly digest, bespoke to your business risk and profile.

We also assist businesses take stock of their legal health, through a tailored legal health check. This process seeks to identify those deficiencies in documentation and processes that could leave the business vulnerable to a range of legal, commercial and regulatory risks.

Mergers & Acquisitions and Banking & Finance

We offer a sophisticated transactional practice and act for clients operating across a range of industries including agribusiness, technology & IP, biotechnology, renewables, energy and resources, pharmaceutical, industrial, IP and financial services.

Our experience includes acting on published deals for listed clients, as well as cross border transactions with foreign listed counterparties.

We have advised on takeovers and schemes of arrangements, including friendly and hostile and we advise the full range of participants, from bidders and targets through to directors, shareholders, investment banks and other stakeholders.

We seek to gain a thorough understanding of our clients' objectives, and leverage off our deep expertise and experience to deliver great transactional outcomes.

Through our partnership with one of Australia’s leading banking and finance experts with more than 20 years of experience in Australian and international finance markets, our team has advised on corporate finance, leveraged and acquisition finance, property and project finance, restructuring and distressed debt transactions.

Equity Capital Markets / IPO

We advise ASX (and other exchange) listed companies, corporate advisory firms, private equity and venture capitalists, underwriters, responsible entities of managed investment schemes and fund managers on the full range of capital market transactions, including initial public (IPO) offerings, secondary capital raisings, capital maintenance and ongoing compliance.

We work with clients to manage the full IPO lifecycle and have strong knowledge of pre-IPO fundraising, capital management and restructuring, back door listings and delisting.

We have a strong understanding of the market and its participants, achievable market terms and outcomes and the extensive compliance obligations of the ASX, APRA and ASIC.

Our team has a deep understanding of the specific requirements and approaches taken by issuers, underwriters and “cornerstone” investors in initial public offering (IPO) transactions.

We also act on difficult and strategic capital management matters, including advising listed companies looking to undertake on-market buy-backs, entitlement offers or underwritten dividend reinvestment plans.

• Conducting initial public offerings (IPOs) including managing and advising on the ASX listing process.
• Establishing and structuring listed and unlisted managed funds/ ETFs.
• Advising on the structuring of complex capital instruments.
• Executing entitlement offers and arranging equity subscriptions.
• Advising on subsequent offerings including rights issues, private placements, share purchase plans, DRP underwritings and on the establishment of share and interest sale facilities.
• Post IPO listing compliance, and ongoing regulatory compliance including disclosure requirement.

Technology, IP, Data & Privacy

Technology & IP

We advise on IP and related issues for a range of businesses from start-ups through to established and long standing businesses, and in relation to transactional and non-transactional matters including:

Structuring / advising, drafting and negotiating:

• Software licensing agreements;
• Software Distribution and reseller agreements;
• SaaS Agreements;
• Outsourcing agreements; and
• Our team provide support throughout the ICT procurement lifecycle from procurement design, negotiation and contract advice through to implementation.

Assisting with all stages of the IP commercialisation process, including:

• Assisting with IP protection including trademarking;
• Advising on and preparing sale / assignment agreements, joint venture agreements, IP licensing agreements and related commercial agreements.

Data & Privacy

An area of increasing concern and regulation for Australian businesses and Governments, we work with clients across a range of industries to provide highly responsive and tailored data and privacy support, including:

• Preparing and advising on privacy and cyber security policies, documentation and procedures;
• Assisting with privacy and data security breach preparedness and response;
• Advising on Privacy Act compliance matters, including privacy-related dispute resolution;
• Advising on digital marketing activities and compliance with the Spam Act; and
• Advising on mandatory notifications and regulatory compliance, including notifiable data breach regime.

Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Hazelbrook Legal provides commercially pragmatic strategies to assist our clients in mitigating risks at every stage of a dispute, from pre-emptive tactics and initial planning, to mediation, conflict resolution and multi-party litigation.

Our team’s depth of experience is essential to ensuring our clients’ reputational interests are protected, while also maintaining a focus on commercial risk and opportunity. Our versatile negotiators strive to secure optimal mediated or litigated outcomes, with our clients’ commercial intentions always at the forefront.

At Hazelbrook Legal, we believe that obtaining a thorough understanding of our clients’ business and building true relationships is crucial to our success; we believe that it is this approach that guides our clients to achieving the most commercial resolutions in what are often difficult circumstances.

We have developed deep and trusted relationships with some of Australia's most recognised and respected barristers and counsel, ensuring our clients are supported by a team that works hand in glove.

We have acted for clients on a range of dispute matters in various Courts including the Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court, ACT Supreme Court, NSW Supreme Court and the SA Supreme Court. Key matters have included defamation matters involving significant Australian mastheads and complex and financially material contractual disputes.