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Jon Ireland

Partner
Head of Australian Investment Management and Funds practice
I'd highly recommend Jon and his team. He has a strong understanding of in-house practice, as well as of our business model. He offers practical advice on sophisticated matters.
Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2023
About

Jon Ireland leads the investment management and funds practice at DLA Piper Australia. Jon is a leading corporate lawyer, specialising in asset management, financial services law and investments. He is known for combining excellent technical knowledge of the local legal environment and global market with a solution-driven approach. 

Jon has significant experience advising fund investors and sponsors on investments, co-investment, fund raising, secondaries, mergers and acquisitions as well as fund formation across all asset classes. Jon has particular expertise advising on private capital transactions, including infrastructure, energy, real estate and private equity. He regularly assists global asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, superannuation and pension funds and other institutional clients on cross-border investment.

Jon regularly advises on day-to-day issues affecting asset managers and superannuation funds, including licensing, fund structuring, disclosure (including sustainability compliance and greenwashing), investment management, material outsourcing and distribution arrangements. Jon's experience also includes advising on the establishment and growth of the Australian operations of global groups including pension funds, fund managers and asset consultants.

Jon is also actively involved in advising on current law reforms and industry initiatives. This includes the foreign financial services provider exemptions, carbon trading and the reforms to Australia’s managed funds laws. Jon is a regular participant on government and peak industry body working groups and has experience working with ASIC and Treasury on material policy development.

 
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising on the acquisition by UniSuper, Cbus and AMP Capital of the Australian Core Retail Trust and its AUD3 billion retail property portfolio. This included advising and negotiating the sale and ongoing governance documentation. In addition, advising GPT on the subsequent acquisition of management rights for the trust.*
  • Advising Australian Ethical on the AUD2 billion merger of its superannuation fund with Christian Super. This comprised advising Australian Ethical on all aspects of the transaction, including preparation and negotiation of the core deal documents as well as markets, insurance and associated regulatory advices.*
  • Advising on due diligence and investment terms negotiations for numerous institutional investors over many years, including cross border fund investments and co-investments. Clients have included global and local asset managers, pension and superannuation funds, insurers and asset consultants. On inbound investments this has included foreign investment laws advices.*
  • Advising one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds on multiple investments and divestments.*
  • Advising a top tier responsible entity and professional trustee with its onboarding of investment managers and appointment terms. This includes documenting and negotiation of the relevant investment terms, fund formation and funds transition for changes of trustee/responsible entity.*
  • Advising an Australian state sovereign fund in relation to the disposal of North American real estate assets held through investment structures ultimately owned by an Australian unit trust. This comprised advising on the holding structure and deal execution options and prepared the unit sale documentation to cover a sale at the Australian unit trust level.*
*denotes experience from previous firm.
Languages
  • English
Education
  • University of New South Wales, LLM, 2012

  • University of Oxford, BA (Hons), 1997

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