Peter Smith joins as new Partner

Johnson Winter & Slattery (JWS) has bolstered its Restructuring and Insolvency (R&I) practice with the hire of new Partner Peter Smith, who joined the firm’s Brisbane office this week.

Peter is one of Australia’s top Restructuring, Turnaround and Insolvency lawyers and one of Queensland’s leading corporate litigators. He joins the firm from Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was most recently head of its Australian Restructuring, Turnaround and Insolvency practice.

This announcement follows closely on the heels of Bruce Adkins and Stuart Clague joining the firm’s Brisbane office last month.

Johnson Winter & Slattery Partner Joseph Scarcella said this latest appointment adds to the firms’ regional footprint.  

“We have one of Australia’s strongest R&I practices. Our expertise is increasingly sought after to advise on many of Australia’s most complex and high profile liquidations and restructures. Peter will further strengthen our capabilities and give our clients a platform in QLD to support their requirements in this area.”

Peter has built a strong reputation for his work advising on corporate restructures and corporate collapses, major strategic corporate disputes, investigations and remedial matters to a significant cross section of ASX100 listed companies. He is known in the market for providing highly commercial and results focused advice.

Peter is a strong champion of change, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. He co-lead the introduction of Herbert Smith Freehills’ Australian LBGTI network, being the first network for the law firms and was a partner champion for Diversity & Inclusion more generally. He was on the Board of LawRight (formerly QPILCH), an independent not-for-profit community legal centre helping vulnerable people by increasing their access to justice. Peter continues to sit on the Queensland committees for ARITA and the Turnaround Management Association.

Peter said that he was looking forward to joining the team.  “Johnson Winter & Slattery is unique in the market for the strength of its commercial expertise and “hands on” approach from partners. I’m looking forward to working with the team to strengthen the firm’s R&I offering in the Brisbane market and continue the expansion of the Brisbane office.”  

Peter’s experience includes:

• advising the Board of Mackay Sugar throughout the company’s successful restructure that was implemented over an 18 month period
• acting for the Department of Environment and Science to a test case commenced by the Liquidators of Linc Energy seeking directions as to whether the property of the company should be applied to fund substantial rehabilitation costs in priority to claims of priority creditors
• acting for the US based major shareholder and financier of Cockatoo Coal, which was successfully restructured under consecutive deeds of company arrangement and creditors trust with a funding injection of $100,000

Peter is recognised as a Leading Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioner by Chambers Asia-Pacific and was named 2020 Brisbane Lawyer of the year for Insolvency and Reorganisation by Best Lawyers.

-ENDS-

About Johnson Winter & Slattery

Johnson Winter & Slattery is an independent national Australian law firm with over 60 partners and offices across Australia. We advise major Australian and international corporations and investment funds on their most challenging transactions and disputes across Australia and surrounding regions. Working closely with clients, knowing their business, and appreciating their commercial objectives, we tailor our approach to deliver cost-effective commercial outcomes.

Media contacts:  

Daya Knapton, Communications Manager E: Daya.Knapton@jws.com.au T: +61 2 8247 9638

Kate Potter, Business Development Director E: Kate.Potter@jws.com.au T: +61 2 8247 9659

 

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