Current practice

Richard has been a partner at Freehills since 1 July 1995. He specialises in State taxes, with a particular emphasis on stamp duties and is the head of the firm's stamp duties section in Sydney. He has extensive experience in advising on the Australia-wide stamp duties implications of large commercial transactions and in structuring those transactions from a stamp duties perspective, and plays a pivotal role in working with other lawyers within the firm.

Industry experience

Richard acts for Australian and international financial institutions, financial packagers, investment and merchant banks, telecommunications and media organisations, insurance companies, funds managers, property developers, and other large corporate organisations. He also advises on financial institutions duty and debits tax.

Professional background

Richard holds a Bachelor of Laws honours degree and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Sydney. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree. When Richard joined Freehills in 1992 he had already had numerous years of general commercial experience in another law firm and an accounting firm.

Richard has authored numerous articles and papers, and has had his work published in the Australian Law Journal, the NSW Law Society Journal and The University of New South Wales Law Journal. He regularly speaks at seminars, including the IBC Stamp Duties Symposium. He is responsible for in-house continuing legal education in the State Taxes area. Richard is a member of the Office of State Revenue/Law Society Liaison Committee and in that capacity makes submissions on new legislations and rulings.