
Kate Jefferson
Biography
Kate is a partner in Baker McKenzie’s Sydney Office.
Kate is also Co-Head of the Firm's Australian Healthcare & Life Sciences Group and a member of the Firm's Asia Pacific Mergers & Acquisition Steering Committee.
Kate has over 19 years' experience as an M&A and ECM lawyer, advising clients on complex, high profile and cross border mergers and acquisitions and capital market transactions.
Kate is listed as a recommended lawyer by Asia Pacific Legal 500 that 'comes in for praise' and is recognised as being ‘commercial and attentive'. Kate has been selected as a finalist for Corporate Partner of the Year 2021 – Australian Law Awards.
Practice Focus
Kate's practice includes advising on public company takeovers and schemes of arrangement (including defence strategies and takeover panel proceedings), private company acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures and alliances, equity and debt capital raisings (both domestic and international), carve-outs and reorganisations and ASX Listing Rule requirements (including corporate governance and compliance matters).
Kate is highly experienced in all aspects of corporate legal transactions, particularly healthcare, technology and renewable energy transactions.
Representative Legal Matters
Notable Corporate Transactions
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Advised Suez S.A. on its proposed disposal of its Australian waste management business to Cleanaway Waste Management Limited (AUD 2.5 billion)
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Advised Suez S.A. on its partial sell down of its interests in Aquasure (the Victorian Government Desalination Plant)
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Advised Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation on its acquisition of Colonial First State Global Asset Management (AUD 4.1 billion)
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Advised Abertis Infraestructuras SA on its bid for the toll road network owned by the Queensland Government (AUD 7 billion)
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Advised Washington H Soul Pattinson & Company Ltd on an activist shareholder dispute with Perpetual Limited and Carnegie Group (<AUD 1 billion)
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Advised Altamont Capital Partners on its recapitalisation of Billabong and acquisition of Dakine brand from Billabong (AUD 395 million)
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Advised Corporate Express Australia Limited on its takeover by Staples Inc. (AUD 1.1 billion)
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Advised Macquarie Infrastructure Group on an Entitlement Offer to fund its acquisition of certain tollroads in France (AUD 2.2 billion)
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Advised Sydney Road Group on its spin-off from Macquarie Infrastructure Group and listing on ASX (<AUD 1 billion)
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Advised Asahi on the acquisition of Cadbury Schweppes' Australian beverage business (~AUD 1 billion)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Fellow, Financial Services Institute of Australasia
- Member, Law Society of New South Wales
Admissions
- Federal Court of Australia~Australia (2011)
- High Court of Australia (2011)
- New South Wales~Australia (2000)
Education
- University of Sydney (LLM) (2010)
- Securities Institute of Australia (Graduate Diploma Applied Finance and Investment) (2007)
- University of Newcastle (LLB and Diploma in Legal Practice) (1999)
- University of Newcastle (BComm) (1997)
Languages
- English
Previous Offices
- New York