David P. Jones
Biography
Joining the Sydney offices of Baker McKenzie in 1997 and as a graduate in 1999, David has more than 27 years of specialist experience in the fields of Real Estate and Structured Property transactions and management. With a focus on complex and large scale property, REITs, hotel and healthcare structured transactions, he also has significant experience across the full range of general commercial property.
David has regular responsibility in coordinating multi-practice and multi-jurisdictional teams for major on-shore and off-shore sales and acquisitions as well as due diligence and restructuring activities, including the real estate aspects of large scale corporate mergers and acquisition deals. He advises on property, restructuring and insolvency and hotel matters at all stages from acquisition, through management to disposal, and in relation to major redevelopment projects. David also has significant experience working with clients in preparing portfolios of assets for trade sale or public listing, both in Australia and Singapore, and works closely with our Tax, Corporate Funds, Construction, Banking and Financial Services teams in particular during this process.
David was a partner with Baker McKenzie from 2008 to 2021, serving as the Sydney head of the Commercial Real Estate Group from 2017 until 2020. In his Of Counsel role David also serves as a Business Manager to the Tax and Real Estate practice groups in Australia.
Practice Focus
Representative Legal Matters
- Advising HMC Capital in relation to its acquisition of the Australia-wide portfolio of the former Masters Home Improvement stores and sites and the subsequent redevelopment, repurposing and leasing of those sites across the country. Advising HMC Capital on sales, acquisitions, development projects, forward funding and co-ownership arrangements, together with all real estate related aspects of its 4 ASX listings covering Home Consortium in 2019 (HMC), the Daily Needs REIT (HDN) in 2020, HealthCo Healthcare and Wellness REIT (HCW) in 2021 and DigiCo REIT (DGT) in 2024.
- Acting for Ark Capital Partners in relation to its acquisition, together with capital investment partners, of Hotel X Brisbane for AUD 82 million, Melbourne Place Hotel for AUD 150 million and Mayfair Hotel Adelaide for AUD 75 million, across 2024 and 2025.
- Advising Gaw Capital Partners on the AUD 157 million acquisition of Bell City in Melbourne comprising, Hotel, Office and Student Accommodation buildings, as we as its joint venture infrastructure arrangements with Abacus Funds Management.
- Acting for over 10 years for M&L Hospitality across Australia, including on the acquisition, refurbishment and substantial expansion and redevelopment of the largest hotel in Australia, Four Points Hotel in Sydney (now Hyatt Regency), comprising head lease interests from Sydney Harbour Foreshores Authority and associated buildings, hotel business and business assets, together with adjoining retail and office space.
- Acting for Interglobal Hotels group on its acquisition of a development site in Melbourne and forward-funding for the construction of a new high-end Hotel development.
- Acting for HSBC Trinkaus on its acquisition of a 50% interest in a development site in Brisbane and investment in substantial development and pre-leasing of a 30-storey commercial office building, together with co-ownership and management documentation and negotiations, and ongoing leasing management of the building for over a decade, and the subsequent sale of its interest.
- Advising NSW Treasury and DCJ (formerly FACS) in relation to the ongoing privatisation process in the disability services sector, and the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
- Acting on all property related aspects for the NSW Government in relation to the Hunter Residences Program PPP, a first of its kind PPP for the development of 69 residences (on sites sold by the State to the private sector) to house approximately 345 residents (as transferred by the NSW Government from the Stockton, Kanagra and Tomaree Large Residential Centres).
- Assisting various sovereign wealth funds with applications to FIRB for foreign investment approval as part of diverse real estate and real estate fund investments.
- Advising the NSW Government for over a decade on the real estate aspects of the NSW Energy Reform Project, including enabling legislation, long term protection of public assets and the sale of a number of power station development sites and various planning and land title issues associated with the preparation of those sites for sale.
Professional Honors
- Ranked in Chambers Asia Pacific, 2011–2021
- "highly talented, extremely diligent and always available."
- "He has great expertise, good strategy and is able to accommodate very tight timeframes."
- "provide(s) exceptional and responsive client service"
- Lawyer of the Year – Real Property Law Sydney, Best Lawyers in Australia, 2025
- Best Lawyer – Real Property Law, The Australian Financial Review’s Best Lawyers in Australia, 2017–2018
- Recommended practitioner, Asia Pacific Legal 500, 2018
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Member, Asia Pacific Real Estate Association
- Member, ANREV
- Member, Property Council of Australia
Corporate Responsibility
David is the chair of the Baker McKenzie Wellbeing Committee and a passionate mental health advocate within the Firm and the broader community. As a running and cycling endurance athlete, David takes part annually in a range of ultramarathon and multi-day cycling charitable events both in Australia and overseas, with a particular focus on raising funds for children's health and education.
Admissions
- New South Wales~Australia (1999)
Education
- University of Wollongong (Graduate Certificate Business) (2002)
- University of Wollongong (BSc Environment) (1998)
- University of Wollongong (LL.B., Honors) (1998)
Languages
- English