Current Practice

Chris Colley is a Director with Greenwoods & Freehills Pty Limited. Chris joined Greenwoods & Freehills Pty Limited in September 1997 and undertook a secondment with Debevoise & Plimpton in New York between December 2001 and July 2002.

Industry Experience

Chris has been involved in a wide variety of matters in his time at Greenwoods & Freehills.  This has included advice in relation to mergers and acquisitions, cross border leasing, international bond issues, securitisation, property development, and structured investment products as well as management of taxation compliance matters for a number of corporate groups.

Recently, Chris has provided comprehensive tax advice in respect of the takeover of Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) by Woolworths and its joint venture partner and also in respect of the acquisition of the Travelodge Group by NRMA and James Fielding and the acquisition of Alstom Australia’s rail assets by the United Group.  This has included advice in respect of the structuring of the transactions, the drafting of agreements and analysis of the ultimate tax consequences.  He also advised in relation to the re structuring of a securitisation of real property rent receivables including successfully obtaining a private ruling from the Australian Taxation Office.

Chris has provided advice over a number of years to entities in the Government sector.  In relation to cross border leasing transactions, Chris has been involved in advising Westrail during the restructuring of its Freight Rail business and Queensland Treasury Corporation in relation to the substitution of assets subject to a cross border lease.  He has also assisted in advising the State Rail Authority of NSW and the NSW Treasury Corporation in connection with the cross border lease of the Millennium Trains and other rolling stock.

Chris has also been involved in Queensland Rail’s consideration of financing options for coal mine spur lines, in matters connected with the proposed Darwin to Alice Springs rail line and in the restructuring of the University of Queensland’s research and development arrangements.

Chris has been involved in the provision of advice regarding goods and services tax in a wide variety of contexts.  This has included cross border and domestic leasing, international share and futures broking, settlement of litigation, securitisation of mortgage, lease and other receivables and various property development transactions.  Chris provided comprehensive GST advice in respect of the development of the Olympic Village leading up to the 2000 Olympic Games.

Chris has also been successful in obtaining a number of positive GST private rulings for government and non government clients in relation to leasing and financing issues.  He has developed a particular expertise regarding the analysis of the GST consequences of complex multi-party transactions.

Professional Background

Chris holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) degrees from the University of New South Wales.  He was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1998.