Rodd Levy

Partner

Melbourne, Australia

Rodd brings his deep experience and knowledge gained during over 35 years in practice to assist clients achieve their commercial objectives.

He is a market-leading M&A lawyer, with particular expertise in company takeovers and schemes of arrangement. He is a recognised thought leader in the area and is the author of the well-known book, Takeovers Law & Strategy (6th Edition, 2022). He also teaches the post-graduate course on company takeovers at the University of Melbourne (since 2000) and lectures in the MBA course at the Melbourne Business School (since 2008). Rodd was a member of the Takeovers Panel, the main dispute resolution forum for takeovers in Australia, from 2007 until 2019.

Rodd advises boards of directors on a diverse range of issues including:

mergers and acquisitions
takeovers and takeover defences
corporate governance
strategic sales processes
demergers and corporate restructurings

He is a member of the Corporate and M&A Law Committee of the International Bar Association.

Background

Rodd graduated from the University of Melbourne with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degrees. He joined Freehills in 1984 and became a partner in 1989.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

Rodd has been the prime legal adviser in a large number of significant takeover bids, takeover defences and other transactions. Key ones include:

Newcrest’s recommended $26 billion merger with Newmont, the third largest public company M&A transaction in Australian corporate history
Hotel Property Investments response to the unsolicited takeover bid by Charter Hall Retail and Hostplus
Special board adviser to Alumina Ltd in relation to the proposed merger with Alcoa Inc
Integral Diagnostics proposed merger with Capitol Health by scheme of arrangement.
Diatreme Resources scrip bid for Metallica Minerals.
Pact Group’s response to the takeover bid by Kin Group, a company controlled by the Pact Group Chairman
Crown Resort’s $8.9 billion acquisition by Blackstone by scheme of arrangement.
Tabcorp’s $10 billion demerger of its lotteries business, The Lottery Corporation
Alliance Airlines’ proposed sale by scheme of arrangement to Qantas
ANZ Bank/1835i Group’s recommended takeover bid for Cashrewards
Japara’s sale by scheme of arrangement with Calvary
Amcor’s US$6.8 billion merger with Bemis Company Inc and concurrent redomiciliation to NYSE via scheme of arrangement
Healthscope’s $4.4 billion scheme of arrangement and simultaneous takeover bid by Brookfield
The Reject Shop’s successful defence of the on-market bid by Allensford
Adamantem and Liverpool Partners public to private acquisition of Zenitas by scheme of arrangement
Mitula sale by cash and scrip scheme of arrangement to LIFULL of Japan
OZ Minerals successful $440 million takeover bid for Avanco Resources
Integral Diagnostics’s successful defeat of the hostile bid from Capitol Health
Tabcorp’s successful $11 billion combination with Tatts Group.
Aconex $1.6 billion acquisition by Oracle by scheme of arrangement
Pacific Brands' $1.1 billion acquisition by Hanesbrands Inc by scheme of arrangement
Toll Holdings $6.5 billion scheme of arrangement with Japan Post
Vision Eye Institute’s response to Pulse Group’s hostile bid and the subsequent recommended bid from Jangho
Dimension Data’s acquisition of Oakton by scheme of arrangement
Treasury Wine Estates’ response to unsolicited indicative acquisition approaches from private equity firms

Corporate advisory

Rodd has extensive experience in advising clients and directors on a range of difficult matters, including:

directors’ duties and board issues
contentious general meetings
proxy contests

Rodd has advised companies at the highest level on sensitive board issues. In particular, he advised Coles Myer in the proxy contest with Solomon Lew, the largest and highest profile ever conducted in Australia.