TRAILBLAZERS – LEADERS JASON BETTS Partner HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS
MARK BAKER-JONES Partner DIBBSBARKER As more and more organisations recognise that climate change is an issue requiring urgent attention, Mark Baker-Jones gets busier. Widely known as a leading adviser on climate legal risk, Baker-Jones’ expertise is highly sought after by diverse clients, ranging from ASX corporates to local councils. He is an active advocate for action to deal with climate change, and his passion extends from his desk to his personal life, with his family of six living a car-free lifestyle. Baker-Jones is chair of the Queensland State Government climate change adaptation partnership, a visiting fellow at QUT, and has presented at world-leading conferences and forums, including in association with UNESCO and the United Nations Environment Programme.
Jason Betts is one of Australia’s premier class action specialists and has acted extensively in shareholder claims, corporate distress liability issues and regulatory investigations and prosecutions. He acted for the Metcash parties in Fostif v Campbells Cash and Carry, widely regarded as one of the most significant litigation funding cases in Australian history. In 2012, Betts co-authored the second edition of Class Actions in Australia, a leading text on class action law and practice, and this year has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as one of the two pre-eminent commercial litigators in Sydney.
JOHN EAGLETON Senior associate KING & WOOD MALLESONS In one of the few industry firsts, John Eagleton acted for a consortium comprising of the Benevolent Society, Westpac and CBA on the $10m Social Benefit Bonds in cooperation with the NSW Government. Following the success of the project and the formation of a new specialist office, the Office of Social Impact Investment, Eagleton led KWM’s collaboration on a thought leadership project with the NSW Government to create a suite of social benefit bond documents that are to be freely available for use on new projects, allowing an affordable platform to access what was previously an inaccessible funding source. His innovative work and tireless passion for this sector will assist the engagement between the non-profit and private sectors on further social impact investment projects.
STUART BYRNE Partner CLAYTON UTZ Equity capital markets partner Stuart Byrne has led the ECM group through a stellar first half of 2015, leading the deal teams launching IPOs for a range of clients. His highlights include advising software solution provider MYOB on its IPO and ASX listing, giving the company a market capitalisation of $1.9–$2.3bn – the largest IPO to have launched in the Australian market so far this year. He also advised Amaysim as issuer on its proposed $210m IPO and ASX listing, altogether giving the company a market capitalisation of $518m.
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