Ed Paton

Ed’s practice covers private mergers & acquisitions (both local and international), with particular specialism in mid-market deals in Australia, distressed M&A and inbound international transactions. Ed has significant experience running large projects including company establishment, corporate restructures and succession for large family groups.

Ed has advised on over 200 M&A transactions including acting for buyers and sellers across a range of sectors in share sales, business & asset sales, due diligence projects, private equity MBO transactions and venture capital transactions. His clients include, public and private companies, local and international businesses, professional services firms, administrators and other insolvency professionals.

Ed has extensive industry expertise in Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Retail, Automotive, Bus Transport, Agribusiness, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Aged Care & Retirement living, Professional Services, Financial Services, and Insurance, and has particular sector expertise in Private Equity & Venture Capital, Insolvency and Family business.

Ed is a non-executive director of a third generation family manufacturing business in the automotive, industrial and defence sectors, with operations in Australia and Thailand. He served for four years on the Victorian Committee of Family Business Australia and three years as Chairman of the FBA advisor executive committee. He has also served on the advisory committee for a family owned national retail clothing chain.

Ed leads Hall & Wilcox's South East Asia desk, co-manages their international law firm network and sits on the board.