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Michael Parshall

Partner

Sydney

Parshall Michael
Michael Parshall

Partner

Sydney

Michael is one of Australia's leading corporate lawyers with more than 20 years' experience in public and private M&A, capital raising, foreign investment and corporate advisory and governance matters.  He is widely recognised for his skill in developing deal structures, is rated in all leading directories and has strong relations with all key regulators.  He works across a range of sectors for significant listed and unlisted clients and private equity and private capital financial sponsors.

Michael has been a pioneer of a number of firsts in M&A transactions including: the first (legal) pre-bid through 20% takeover threshold (rules since changed) (Brookfield-Multiplex); the first listed structure to adopt see-through voting (Canwest-Ten); the first design of scheme proxy to crash through "takeover-proof" constitution (Advance-St George); the first Australian cross-jurisdictional equity swap (Liberty Media in relation to the News Corp reincorporation, leading to the News Corp rights plan being invoked); the first (and second) corporatisation of a listed stapled security via schemes of arrangement (MMG and Asciano); the first three (out of only four in the Australian market) cut-off reinsurance schemes of arrangement.

Related articles

Highrise buildings

News: 30 November 2023

A&O advises the underwriters and bookrunners on the debt financing for InVivo Group’s takeover of United Malt Group to form the world’s largest maltster

Our cross-border team in Paris and Sydney has advised a group of global bank underwriters and bookrunners led by Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB) in connection with the debt…

Read more A&O advises the underwriters and bookrunners on the debt financing for InVivo Group’s takeover of United Malt Group to form the world’s largest maltster

News: 07 December 2022

A&O launches its inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan

Read more A&O launches its inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan

Publications: 12 January 2022

How are government national security probes affecting technology transactions across the world?

Read more How are government national security probes affecting technology transactions across the world?

Publications: 13 October 2021

Restructuring, liquidation and solvent dissolution options in Australia

Read more Restructuring, liquidation and solvent dissolution options in Australia

Experience highlights

Office

Sydney

Level 25, 85 Castlereagh Street
Sydney
NSW 2000

View office →

Qualifications

Professional

Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2010

Admitted as a solicitor, New South Wales, Australia, 1989

Academic

Master of Laws, The University of Sydney, 1993

Bachelor of Laws, The University of New South Wales, 1989

Bachelor of Commerce, The University of New South Wales, 1989

Other noteworthy experience

Advising:

  • A multinational telecommunications company on the AUD1.9 billion Austar – Foxtel merger.
  • PTT Company Limited on its AUD540 million scheme of arrangement to acquire Straits Resources Limited following the demerger of its metals business into a separate ASX listed company.
  • RP Data Limited on its AUD250 million scheme of arrangement when it was acquired by CoreLogic, Inc.
  • SAB Miller in relation to its AUD12.3 billion of arrangement scheme to acquire Foster's Group Limited.
  • Illyria in relation to the proposed restructure of national free to air broadcaster, Ten Network, via a deed of company arrangement as part of a dual administrator/receiver led sales process.
  • Pendal Group (formerly BT Investment Management) in relation to its GBP209 million acquisition of J O Hambro Capital Management, its AUD 232 million entitlement offer and AUD 780 million sell down by Westpac in the company.
  • A public display advertising company on the AUD308m sale of its 50% interest in Australian Radio Network and the separate AUD268 million sale of its Adshel interests to APN (now HT&E).
  • ING Groep NV on the AUD1.8 billion sale of its 51% shareholding in the ING - ANZ Australia Limited and ING (NZ) Holdings Limited to ANZ, establishing the AUD3.75 billion ING/ANZ joint venture, the AUD4.5 billion sale of its white labelled residential loan book, the AUD765 million sale of its general insurance businesses to QBE, the private acquisition of Oasis Asset Management and FSP group.
  • A financial institution on its AUD1.55 billion sale of its wholesale banking and corporate leasing businesses to Westpac Banking Corporation.
  • Clydesdale Bank on its AUD5.5 billion demerger from NAB, its listing on the ASX and LSE and the associated IPO by NAB.
  • MS&AD on the acquisition of its 15% interest in and strategic alliance with Challenger Group Limited.

Pro-bono

  • Advising indigenous Karrkad-Kanji Trust on a range of issues relating to supporting the Traditional Owners of a number of Indigenous Protected Areas in Arnhem Land.

Recognition

Awards

Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Law, Sydney

Best Lawyers Australia, 2020 edition