Current PracticeBruce has a wide range of experience in commercial transactions and specialises in franchising matters.
Bruce's current practice includes:
- sales and purchases of business/private mergers, acquisitions and divestments;
- franchising, licensing and distribution agreements;
- commercial leasing;
- due diligence, structuring and acquistion advice;
- private capital raisings and share subscriptions;
- business ownership or relationship agreements (shareholders agreements, partnerships and joint ventures); and
- general commercial agreements.
ExperienceBruce has been involved in a number of private transactions including:
- advising Boost Juice founders Janine and Jeff Allis, in the sale of a majority stake in Boost Investment Group to US-based private equity firm The Riverside Company;
- advising Canon Australia on a $31 million agreement with CSG Communications Pty Limited for Canon's Multi-Function Device dealership in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth;
- advising Telcoinabox on its franchise structure and international expansion;
- acting for numerous landlords, tenants, franchisors and franchisees in drafting and advising on commercial leases;
- acted for Reward Advantage (Development) in relation to a $450 million joint venture development in Tannum Waters, Queensland;
- acting for PPC (UK) in the acquisition of the OSA Group;
- advising WH Greenhams & Sons on proposed acquisition of the Tasman Group;
- advising 333 Capital in potential acquisition of a minority interest of large retail franchisor;
- advising Metcash Limited in relation to franchise and alliance documentation;
- acting for the vendors in a $35 million sale of shares in a plumbing contracting business to Hastie Group Limited;
- acting for AXA Australia in acquiring all of the shares in ipac (Dublin) and in acquiring a number of financial planning businesses;
- acting for Monash College Group in acquiring ISPC internship business;
- acting for Franklyn Scholar in its capital raising and acquisitions of three separate RTOs;
- acting for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in relation to the Community Energy Australia fuel distribution agreement; and
- numerous joint ventures, shareholders agreements, unitholder agreements and other commercial contracts.
QualificationsBruce has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University and has partly completed a Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne. He became partner in 2005.
Bruce is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, the Franchise Council of Australia and the Property Council of Australia. |