Foreign investment partner Marcus Clark will help to lead the new office
Two lawyers from MinterEllison have joined Johnson Winter & Slattery (JWS) to launch the firm’s Canberra presence.
David Moore and Mellissa Lai will work alongside JWS foreign investment/M&A partner Marcus Clark to lead the new office. The team is looking to build up its foreign investment, M&A and trade regulation offering.
“Foreign investors are confronted with an increasingly complex regulatory environment and that has changed the scope of their legal requirements. Given our firm’s strong focus on inbound investment, it is a logical step to build out a team in Canberra with three of the leading foreign investment/M&A lawyers in the Australian market,” managing partner Jeremy Davis said. “The development will enhance our position as a go-to firm for foreign investors looking to navigate complex foreign investment, competition, tax and trade-related issues.”
Moore brings to the table experience from his time at the helm of MinterEllison’s foreign investment and trade group. His clients include offshore organisations and their on-short portfolio companies, JWS said.
He has tackled matters involving foreign investment, M&A and other regulatory and commercial/procurement regimes in relation to entering and growing in the Australia market.
Meanwhile, Lai has handled M&A, real estate and infrastructure projects associated with Australia’s foreign investment, foreign relations and foreign influence-related rules. She has also worked on matters involving export controls, customs matters, sanctions laws, free trade agreements, government engagement, procurement rules and lobbying rules.
Clark, Moore and Lai are slated to guide JWS’ corporate clients through working with the government, especially those in defence and tech. They will receive support from the firm’s corporate and regulatory groups.
