Mills Oakley further strengthened its corporate offering with the recent hire of Gaurav de Fontgalland to its headquarters. The practice fields four skilled practice heads, one in each of its national offices: Tony Symons (Melbourne) is known for his ability to guide founders through full or partial exits to financial or corporate buyers; Gavin Douglas (Sydney) deals primarily with cross-border transactions; Tim Cox (Brisbane) specialises in private equity and joint ventures; and Simon Panegyres (Perth) has expert knowledge of the natural resources sector.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Mills Oakley has a strong team across the board, with partners out of top tier firms who know what they are doing.'
  • 'Very strong and knowledgeable team. Always went the extra mile to ensure there were no loose ends. Was billing according to the initial engagement letter and stuck to the price.'
  • 'The two defining aspects of dealing with the team are (1) the focus on client service and (2) the level of partner contact. When combined, they make it a real pleasure to work with.'
  • 'Tim Cox's commitment to client service is above and beyond.'
  • 'What sets Mills Oakley's M&A division apart is their unique ability to seamlessly combine legal expertise with a deep understanding of business dynamics, resulting in strategic solutions that drive value and empower clients in rapidly evolving markets.'
  • 'Tony's professionalism and integrity are exemplary. He operates with the utmost ethical standards, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility and accountability in all his interactions.'
  • 'Unbelievably practical service - clear, concise, commercially relevant advice. The team listened to our objectives and risk profile and had these in mind at all times.'
  • 'Great transparency and forecasting around costs and cost changes (due to our requests), there were no costing surprises. The resulting outcome for the business was beyond our expectations.'

Key clients

  • Zero Carbon Investek AG
  • Auctus Investment Group Limited (ASX:AVC)
  • Australian Pacific Coal Limited (ASX:AQC)
  • WAM Leaders Limited (ASX:WLE)
  • WAM Capital Limited (ASX:WAM)
  • WAM Global Limited (ASX:WGB)
  • iSelect Limited (ASX:ISU)
  • Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Limited
  • Naked Brand Group Inc
  • ELMO Software Limited (ASX:ELO)
  • Eurofins Scientific SE (EPA:ERF)
  • PPK Group Limited (ASX:PPK)
  • Lux Group Ltd (owner of Luxury Escapes)
  • Linfox Armaguard Pty Limited
  • Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ)
  • Capral Limited (ASX:CAA)

Work highlights

  • Advised Zero Carbon Investek on its acquisition of QNI Resources.
  • Advised Auctus Investment Group with respect to the sale of the Pet Fund's interest in PETstock to Woolworths.
  • Advised Australian Pacific Coal on a fully underwritten rights issue.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Tony Symons, Gavin Douglas, Tim Cox, Simon Panegyres

Other key lawyers

Gaurav de Fontgallan