DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Allens

Banking & Finance

8 ranked lawyers

Band 1

Australia

Asia-Pacific 2022 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Lawyers

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What the team is known for

Allens is noted for its leading full-service practice with top-tier domestic and international bank clients, as well as global corporates and funds. Market-leading acquisition finance practice with notable strengths in the areas of defence and logistics acquisitions, and very well regarded for property financing and large syndicated corporate financing. Prominent in asset finance and leasing, operating across all major asset classes, notably including aircraft and automotive. Leverages its alliance with the global Linklaters network to further assist clients.

Strengths

The team wins praise for its commerciality, a client saying: "They hit the substantive issues quickly and don’t get bogged down with issues that don’t matter."

Another client comments: "They are excellent from a client care perspective and are responsive and approachable. They never make us feel like we are second best, even though we know that they are managing matters for numerous other clients at the same time."

Work highlights

Allens acted for Madison Dearborn Partners on the AUD700 million leveraged finance for its acquisition of APM.

Notable practitioners

Alan Maxton is one of Australia's leading figures in corporate and asset finance, a client commenting: "Not only is he an expert in his field but he is calm under pressure, reliable and well regarded. He has a deep understanding of our business, our requirements and our challenges, and we feel confident with him by our side."

Jo Folan heads the property finance practice and is known for representing borrowers, lenders and sponsors on significant mandates. "She’s a pleasure to deal with and has great attention to detail as well as keeping the bigger picture in mind," comments a client, adding: "She provides tremendous reassurance to us."

Mark Kidston is a respected acquisition finance practitioner who also handles property financing matters. "He's a very senior partner with lots of experience," appreciates one client, who adds: "They way he runs his team is that he's personally involved in all our projects."

Renee Boundy specialises in asset finance and handles a range of matters including aircraft, airport and automotive financing. A client says: "She's practical and pragmatic in her approach, highly supportive from a client perspective and able respond quickly to our needs."

Tom Highnam is active on corporate and acquisition finance, and is particularly noted for his work in the funds finance area.

Department Information

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Overview

Allens has one of the largest and most dynamic groups of banking specialists in the region, with incredible bench strength – we have more specialist partners in this area than any other top tier firm in Australia. We are one of the few firms to feature on every major legal panel in the Australian finance market and advise some of the world's leading financial institutions, as well as regularly act for a large number of corporate borrowers from a range of industries.

Our practice extends across project finance, acquisition and leveraged finance, securitisation and debt capital markets, asset finance and corporate and property finance. We consistently work on the highest profile financing transactions in Australia, offering a highly commercial service. We regularly lead the charge on financings involving new and innovative structures and alternative sources of funding.

Already the leading banking and finance firm in Australia, our presence in Asia continues to strengthen through our international alliance with Linklaters where we can service the banks, their clients and our own corporate clients, in multi-jurisdictional transactions and with multi-level funding arrangements.

Our approach is to apply a commercial and practical rationale to transactions. We have a focus on efficient and responsive service, enabling our clients to get deals done when opportunities arise.