About Michelle
Michelle Ainsworth is a senior associate in our corporate and commercial practice.
Michelle has a varied diverse practice, working for commercial clients across a range of practice areas including public and private M&A, equity capital markets, corporate governance, privacy and data security.
She has also acted on behalf of pro bono clients, including community organisations and charities. Michelle is known for her pragmatic and outcomes-focused approach to advice and transactions.
Michelle joined the firm in 2018, following a career as a news and politics journalist. She was admitted to practice in 2019 and has a Bachelor of Communications majoring in Journalism from RMIT University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.
Practice focus
Michelle’s practice focuses on the following areas:
- share and asset sale transactions for private companies
- public takeovers, mergers and acquisitions
- public and private capital raisings, including initial public offerings and ASX listings
- shareholder activism and board disputes
- stakeholder agreements, including shareholder and joint venture agreements
- listed and non-listed corporate governance, compliance and advisory
- privacy and data security, and
- general commercial and corporate advice.
Experience
Michelle has acted in a range of corporate and commercial matters, including:
Corporate and M&A
- View Media Group: in relation to its acquisition of:
- proptech firm The Today Business
- proptech business Apartment Developments Group (ADG)
- Mozo: in relation to a sale of 100% of shares in the company to Future plc
- Oxanda Education: in relation to its sale of 12 childcare centres to Affinity Education
- Kinetic Group: advised on the successful tender to operate Melbourne’s metropolitan bus franchise, including the introduction of electric and hybrid buses
- RYCO Hydraulics Pty Ltd: in relation to Milan based Manuli Rubber Industries SpA’s acquisition of a majority shareholding in RYCO, followed by the subsequent acquisition of the remaining shareholding in RYCO
- Troovo Pty ltd: in relation to a sale of its B2B payment processing technology business to Voxel Media
Capital markets
- Retail Food Group Limited: on a $47.4 million capital raising via an institutional placement, share purchase plan and debt financing
- Booktopia Limited: on a $10.9 million two-tranche capital raising and debt to equity conversion
- SEEK Group: on the establishment of $1.7b SEEK Growth Fund
- Nufarm Limited: on its $303 million equity raising
- Capital raisings for early stage companies
