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Lawrence Mendes

Lawrence Mendes

Partner
Baker & McKenzie

Biography

Lawrence is a partner in the corporate practice group in Sydney and advises private equity sponsors, funds and large corporations on public and private M&A transactions.

He also has particular focus on private capital transactions spanning the full spectrum of the fund life cycle from leveraged buy-outs, bolt-on acquisitions and exits.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advising various private equity sponsors on transactions across multiple sectors including the financial services, IT services, IT infrastructure, healthcare, food, energy services and Australian defence sectors such as advising:
    • on the acquisition of a leading mining consulting business by way of scheme of arrangement (2026)
    • a European private equity sponsor’s c. AUD 500 million bid for a division of a large Australian foods business (2025)
    • on the sale of a large industrials business with operations in Australia and the United States to a consortium of private equity investors from Australia and Europe (2025)
    • an Australian private equity sponsor on its acquisition of an Australian seafood processing business with operations in Australia and South-East Asia (2025)
    • a US private equity sponsor on its acquisition of an Australian national security business (2025)
    • a US private equity sponsor on its bid for a AUD 1 billion+ division of an Australian bank
    • a UK private equity sponsor on the proposal to acquire AUD 1 billion+ investments, insurance and superannuation solutions business through a competitive auction process
    • various other non-platform investments by sponsors through bolt-on acquisitions and continuation fund investments (e.g., the MotorOne continuation fund)
  • Member of the team advising a consortium of owners on the sale of a significant data centre platform for c. AUD 24 billion (2024).
  • Advising Suez (now Veolia) on the sale of its Australian waste management assets to ASX-listed Cleanaway under a dual structure for USD 2.4 billion / AUD 500 million (2021/2022).
  • Advising ASC Group on the sale of ASC Shipbuilding to BAE Systems Australia and arrangements in relation to the construction of nine future frigates (this transaction was awarded "Property, Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year").
  • Advising Mitsubishi UFJ Trust on its acquisition of Colonial First State Global Asset Management from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for AUD 4 billion.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Law Society of New South Wales - Member

Admissions

  • New South Wales~Australia (2008)
  • High Court of Australia (2008)
  • Federal Court of Australia~Australia (2008)

Education

  • University of Sydney (LLB) (2007)
  • University of Sydney (Bachelor of Commerce Major in Finance and Accounting) (2005)
  • University of Sydney (Merit Scholarship recipient) (2003)

Languages

  • English

Previous Offices

  • Chicago
Baker & McKenzie, an Australian Partnership, is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.