About Jessica
Jessica Wills is a senior associate in the firm's commercial and private clients practice.
She has a diverse practice, advising public and private corporations, high-net-worth individuals and families, and has a passion for assisting charities and other not-for-profit organisations.
Jessica acts for clients in a range of commercial transactions, as well as personal and family-business succession planning, philanthropy and charitable giving.
Jessica joined the firm a graduate in 2017 and was admitted to practice in 2018.
Practice focus
Jessica’s practice focuses on the following areas:
- commercial and corporate advice
- stakeholder agreements, including shareholder and unitholder agreements
- business and succession planning
- estate planning
- philanthropy and charitable giving, including establishment of special purpose philanthropic entities and private and public ancillary funds and advising charities and other not-for-profits in relation to commercial and governance matters and tax concessions
Experience
Jessica has acted on a range of matters including:
Corporate and M&A
- Nufarm: in relation to the sale of part of its South American business to Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited for $1.18 billion
- ARMA Group Holdings: in relation to its acquisition by Credit Clear
- carsales.com: in relation to its acquisition of Transport Ventures Group
- Evantage Group Holdings: in relation to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and
- Apotex Inc: in relation to the merger of its Australian business with Arrow Pharmaceuticals.
Private clients
- various private businesses: in relation to:
- business acquisitions, restructures and sales, and
- structuring and implementation of appropriate business vehicles and advising on and documenting shareholder, unitholder and joint venture agreements.
- high-net-worth individuals and families: in relation to:
- documenting and implementing complex family partitions
- asset and business succession control and protection, and
- succession documentation for trusts and companies.
Charities and not-for-profits
- Global Citizen: in relation to its landmark registration dispute with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission heard by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- various not-for-profits and charities active in the poverty alleviation, housing, education, environmental, health promotion, cultural and arts sectors: in relation to corporate structuring and incorporation, charity registration and tax concessions, and commercial agreements, and
- various public and private ancillary funds: in relation to establishment, ongoing governance and compliance, and sector law reform.