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HSF adds tax partner from Allens
Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has named a new partner for its Australian tax practice, who joins from BigLaw rival Allens.
Grace Robbie
HSF has appointed Jay Prasad (pictured) as a partner for the firm’s Australian tax practice.
The global law firm also expressed that Prasad specialises in transaction tax and has experience “advising corporates, financial institutions, private equity, and other managed funds on a wide range of tax-related matters”.
With 14 years of experience, Prasad also has experience in corporate mergers and acquisitions, restructures, IPOs, capital management programs, and financing transactions.
Prasad graduated from the University of Queensland with a bachelor of laws and commerce degree. He then completed his master of law degree at the University of Melbourne.
He will start his new role in October and will be based in the firm’s Sydney office.
The news follows the firm’s appointment of a Hon Kong-based silk and a Perth-based partner in late August, 62 new senior associates back in June, its naming of 10 new executive counsel in late April, its appointment of nine new partners in the same month, its appointment of an Australian as joint managing partner of its global corporate practice in February, and its promotion of four within its alternative legal services practice in January.
The Australian head of taxation for HSF, Toby Eggleston, expressed his enthusiasm regarding Prasad joining the firm and his inclusion in their expanding tax team.
“Over the last two and half years, we have been building our tax advisory and deal capability to service the full range of our clients’ transactional needs.
“With Jay’s technical excellence and commercial acumen, his skills and experience will be an important addition to our partner-led tax offering,” Eggleston said.
The managing partner of HSF’s corporate practice in Australia and Asia, Matthew FitzGerald, also said: “Our firm’s point of differentiation is our ability to bring together top-tier tax advice that is seamlessly integrated with our market-leading M&A, infrastructure and disputes capability.
“Jay’s focus and interest in both public and private M&A complements the expertise and experience of our market-leading M&A practice.
“We anticipate that this calendar year will finish with a flurry of M&A activity, underpinned by large, complicated M&A arising from private capital deployment. This will necessitate significant tax structuring work, which Jay and our tax team are perfectly placed to execute.”
Prasad underscored his excitement for commencing his new position at HSF, saying: “I am delighted to be joining the HSF partnership as a tax partner where I look forward to working with our market-leading corporate M&A practice to help deliver on the largest and most innovative transactions in the market.”
