Michelle Eastwell

Partner

Qualifications: LLB(Hons)/BCom

Industries

Practices

Michelle is an experienced corporate lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and alternative fund raisings, based in Brisbane. In addition, Michelle works closely with her clients to assist with corporate governance issues and regulatory compliance, in particular ASX Listing Rules and Corporations Act matters. Michelle works with clients to negotiate significant commercial agreements and provides commercial advice on business critical matters.

With clients across a range of sectors, Michelle works with companies listed on the ASX and other stock exchanges as well with unlisted companies, including emerging businesses. Michelle has a specific interest in the technology, financial services and biotech sectors. Michelle prides herself on the relationships she has with clients and is committed to working alongside her clients in the long term and contributing to their growth and success.

Michelle’s expertise includes:

  • capital markets. Advising on equity capital raisings, via private placements, entitlement offers and share purchase plans as well as debt and hybrid raisings encompassing various forms of convertible securities.
  • stock exchange listings on the ASX as well as TSX (Toronto) and AIM (London). Working closely with clients and their advisors during the entire listing process and initial public offering and taking a lead role in managing the overall transaction team.
  • mergers and acquisitions. Advising on various forms of mergers and acquisitions both domestic and cross border, whether by way of a share or asset sale, takeover or merger on both a friendly and hostile basis. Advising on structure and tactics, leading due diligence investigations, negotiating transaction documents and navigating regulatory hurdles.
  • regulatory advice and compliance. Advising on regulatory compliance issues, particularly in respect of the Corporations Act and the ASX Listing Rules as well as matters relating to financial services, products and licencing within Australia. Advising on emerging areas of law such as equity crowd funding and token offerings.
  • equity incentives. Advising on employee ownership plans and implementation for listed and unlisted companies.
  • corporate governance advice. Assisting on implementing corporate governance policies and advising on corporate governance matters.
  • company secretarial assistance. Assisting company secretaries with compliance matters including drafting ASX announcements, reviewing annual reports, preparation of notices of meeting and attendance at board, committee and shareholder meetings.
  • contract negotiation and review. Drafting and advising on a wide variety of commercial contracts including shareholders agreements, joint venture agreements, share sale and asset sale agreements, services agreements, manufacturing and distribution agreements.

Experience

  • Advised Spirit Super, an Australian industry super fund, on its joint acquisition, with US infrastructure investor Stonepeak, of GeelongPort.
  • Advised Upstreet on the establishment, structuring and promotion of a share rewards program for shoppers offered via a registered scheme known as the Upstreet Fund.
  • Advising on the sale of Energy Infrastructure Management Pty Ltd, a Queensland based infrastructure services company owned by AGL Energy and Arrow Energy to ASX Listed Verbrec Limited (formerly LogiCamms Ltd).
  • Advising New York based funds on equity investments and debt facilities with numerous ASX-listed companies across a variety of industries including biotech, health and resources.
  • Advising various ASX-listed companies on capital raising activities including share placements, rights issues and share purchase plans, including First Growth Funds Limited, Xped Limited, Xanadu Mines Ltd, Bowen Coking Coal Limited, Genetic Technologies Limited, Carbon Energy Limited, Stanmore Coal Limited, Renascor Resources Limited, Cudeco Limited and Bow Energy Limited as well as advising underwriters on capital raisings.
  • Advising ASX listed Strata-X Energy Limited (now Pure Hydrogen Corporation Limited) on its scheme of arrangement with ASX listed Real Energy Limited.
  • Advising ASX listed Elementos Limited on its acquisition of the Oropesa Tin Project located in Spain from TSX-V listed Eurotin Limited via a Canadian plan of arrangement.
  • Advising ASX listed Australian Pacific Coal Limited with respect to multiple debt and equity capital raisings to acquire the Dartbrook Coal Mine in the Hunter Valley from Anglo American.
  • Advising various companies on their ASX listings and IPOs, including via reverse takeovers.
  • Advising Food Connect Shed and Seabin on their equity crowd funding raises.
  • Advising REACH Australia on its Australian accelerator program. REACH Australia is a growth accelerator created by Second Century Ventures, an early-stage technology fund backed by the US National Association of REALTORS®, focused on technology companies in real estate and adjacent industries.
  • Advising a peak national health body on a variety of structuring, governance and commercial matters.
  • Advising a leading national accounting firm on all manner of commercial contracts.

Awards and recognition

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022
Recommended – Corporate and M&A
Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession 2023 & 2024
Leading Corporate Lawyers (Queensland)
Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession 2020-2024
Leading Business & Commercial Lawyers (Queensland)

Professional Membership

  • Queensland Law Society
  • Women on Boards

Latest thinking

Capital Markets | 14 Mar 2024

Reminder: is your cleansing notice compliant with the Corporations Act?

We have observed in the market some listed companies are continuing to use outdated templates to prepare their cleansing notices, making them technically non-compliant with the Corporations Act.