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Adam Smith

Socio
About

Adam is a tax partner specialising in income tax, GST and stamp duty. He also provides advice on land tax, council rates, FBT, payroll tax, and employee share schemes.

Adam has extensive experience advising on the tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, divestments, corporate structuring, financing arrangements, property developments and transactions. His clients are in industries such as technology, 
intellectual property, insurance, financial services, wealth management, energy, 
infrastructure, real estate, and retail.

Adam is a prominent tax underwriting specialist. He has advised insurers on hundreds of M&A deals, and is a leading advisor on specific tax policies. Insurers value Adam’s strong technical capabilities and commercial approach, along with his unrivalled understanding of the underwriting process and the concerns of underwriters.

Adam has been named by Legal500 as a "next generation partner" who is "developing a reputation as a leading tax advisor", noting that “he is commercial, astute, driven and goes above and beyond for clients’ needs.”

Adam currently sits on the State Taxes Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria.

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising Sumitomo Chemical Company on its AUD1b. acquisition of Nufarm Limited's crop protection business in Latin America.
  • Advising Vestas Wind Technology on the income tax and GST issues arising from the AUD415m. receivables purchase arrangements with Deutsche Bank and Banco Santander to support the construction and financing of the Ryan Corner Wind Farm, the Hawkesdale Wind Farm and the Berrybank 2 Wind Farm.
  • Advising General Motors on tax issues relating to its withdrawal from the Australian market.
  • Advising Stanmore Resources Limited on the transaction documents for its acquisition of an 80% interest in BHP Mitsui Coal (BMC) for USD1.35b.
  • Advising Melbourne Racing Club in relation to the structuring of its AUD1b. commercial and residential development in Melbourne, as well as providing stamp duty, GST, land tax and council rates advice for the project.
  • Acting for United Green on their acquisition of a 95% stake in the Rodds Bay 300MW solar farm, including structuring advice, advice on FIRB tax conditions, and technical analysis on income tax, GST, stamp duty and land tax.
  • Advising Pearson (Penguin Group) in relation to the Australian tax aspects of its AUD4b. worldwide merger with Bertelsmann (Random House).
  • Advising all of the major warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurers operating in the Australian and Asian markets. Assisting to underwrite hundreds of insured M&A transactions.
Education
  • University of Melbourne, Masters of Law, 2011
  • Australian National University, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (with Merit), 2007
  • University of Canberra, Bachelor of Laws (Honours), 2006


    University of Canberra, Bachelor of Commerce in Banking & Finance, 2006

Awards

  • Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Next Generation Partner

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Law Institute of Victoria

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