Maria Townsend
Maria is a Partner in HWL Ebsworth’s Sydney office. She has over two decades of legal experience with wide-ranging mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial and financing expertise. Her practice has a particular focus on the automotive sector.
Maria advises in diverse corporate and commercial transactions, including on corporate structuring, acquisitions and sales of businesses and corporate entities and commercial leasing. Her experience also encompasses corporate governance and compliance as well as a variety of banking and finance matters.
Her expertise in the Automotive Industry is well recognised and regarded with Maria having been invited to present at a number of motor industry events including AADA annual conventions and acting for most major motor dealer groups in Australia.
Experience
Maria’s experience includes advising:
- Various motor dealerships on disposals and acquisitions, both for public listed and private company groups including generational restructures, business succession and general operational matters;
- Motor vehicle distributors on matters relating to advertising and marketing of motor vehicles, Franchising Code compliance, various commercial agreements and property leases;
- Dealer Councils on franchise agreement negotiations, other commercial matters and corporate structuring matters;
- Major manufacturers on international manufacturing and distribution agreements, and establishing joint ventures between Australian companies and overseas associates as well as international companies acquiring interests in Australian entities;
- Leading lenders on alliance agreements for financial services, various supply and service agreements as well as on structuring and documentation of loans and security products;
- Various business clients on Personal Property Securities Act (PPSA) compliance. Maria was a regular presenter in the legal and business community on the PPSA and the Australian Consumer Law and continues to provide presentations and advice to client teams in this regard; and
- Various industry association bodies, charities and corporate clients in relation to corporate governance matters, AGM documentation, structuring issues and company constitutions.