Investment Funds

 
HW Funds logo
HW Funds is Australia’s leading investment funds advisory team.

HW Funds brings together the market leading capability of McMahon Clarke with Hall & Wilcox existing funds capability and strength. Our collective deep industry knowledge and broad experience mean we partner with clients at every stage of their journey to optimise wealth and create value.

With one of the largest specialist teams in the country, our pragmatic advice spans each stage of the fund life cycle – from licensing and structuring, to finance, transactions, and tax, to litigation and exit strategies. Powered by leading national commercial law firm Hall & Wilcox, HW Funds’ multidisciplinary expertise offers an integrated view of the broader marketplace, its challenges, risks and opportunities, and the implications for your business.

We establish both retail and wholesale funds across a wide variety of asset classes, including property, agribusiness, securities, fintech, hedge funds, private debt, listed funds, venture capital and private equity, significant investor visa, renewables, and other alternative asset classes. We also have experience in establishing less common wholesale managed investment vehicles, such as platforms (IDPS), hedge funds with overseas feeder structures, and capital guaranteed products.

We advise responsible entities, trustees, and promoters of managed funds throughout Australia as well as investment managers, platform operators, brokers and distributors, custodians, administrators, advisers, and other stakeholders in the financial services sector.

We are industry pioneers, registering the first managed investment scheme in Australia, and have acted on hundreds of public offers. We take an active role in key industry bodies such as the Property Funds Association, Property Council of Australia, and the Financial Services Council.

Get to know HW Funds, one of Australia’s largest investment funds teams. Our commitment to client-centricity, combined with our commercial insight and technical excellence, drives us to deliver innovative solutions across diverse asset classes. Whether its structuring funds or navigating complex transactions, we’re passionate about empowering our clients to thrive in a constantly evolving investment landscape.

How we can help

HW Investment Funds how we can help diagram

Our experience

  • Advising AL Capital Holdings, the independent investment arm of Aqualand Group, in establishing a wholesale property syndicate to assist Aqualand with its independent investment in a $600 million funding package for the construction of AURA by Aqualand, a $1 billion mixed-use development set to be the focal point of the North Sydney rejuvenation.
  • Advising Capital Property Funds on the restructure of the 601 Coronation Drive Fund, a closed-end single asset fund into an open-ended diversified property fund to enable the responsible entity One Managed Investment Funds, and investment manager Capital Property Funds, to utilise an existing investment structure whilst innovating and adapting to the property market changes to benefit investors.
  • Advising Qualitas on the establishment, capital raising and JV arrangements for various direct property and debt funds, including built-to-rent property funds.
  • Advising Arena REIT (which owns, manages and develops social infrastructure properties across Australia) on equity raisings, acquisitions and other transactions.
  • Advising a listed property fund manager on its restructure to form a stapled group listed on the ASX.
  • Acting for Newmark Capital on all aspects of the establishment of and fundraising for all of its retail and wholesale funds, including Newmark Bourke Street Mall Trust, Newmark Hardware Trust, Newmark Tooronga Property Trust, Newmark Brandon Park Core Plus Fund, Newmark Como Property Trust and Newmark Jam Factory Property Trust.
  • Advising CVS Lane Capital Partners on the restructure of the Property Finance Fund, CVS Lane’s flagship fund valued at $350 million, from a closed-ended fund to an open-ended fund.
  • In an industry milestone, advising Stara Real Estate Capital & Advisory on securing the first AFS licence in Australia authorising a person to operate a corporate collective investment vehicle (CCIV) as corporate director and also assisting Stara in making the first public offer for investment in a CCIV in Australia for the Stara Venu Hospitality Fund.
  • Advising leading unlisted property fund manager Forza Capital on establishing the Forza Debt Investment Fund in conjunction with Madigan to provide access to institutional grade commercial real estate debt opportunities offered by Madigan.
  • Advising HOPE Housing Fund Management, a not-for-profit fund manager providing shared equity as a silent partner to essential workers.
  • Advising Primewest Management (now Centuria Capital Group) in the merger of units in the Primewest Property Income Fund (PPIF) with units in the Centuria Diversified Property Fund to form a stapled vehicle, including acting for PrimeWest in closing and re-opening of the offer for units in the PPIF prior to implementation of the merger.
  • Advising Sire Custodians in establishing Australia’s first tokenised registered scheme where investors can purchase micro-shares in horses using blockchain technology which is Australia’s first tokenised registered scheme.
  • Advising Storeinvest, part of the StoreLocal Group, Australia’s largest unlisted self- storage investment group, on its partnership with leading global private markets firm Partners Group (listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange) which invested $100 million into a fund launched by StoreInvest to fund acquisitions, new development, and expansion of existing facilities.
  • Advising on the launch and ASX listing of the $300 million Gryphon Capital Income Trust, the first listed fund investing exclusively in Australian residential mortgage backed securities and asset backed securities.
  • Advising Vasco Trustees in establishing multiple retail and wholesale managed investment schemes in the property, mortgage, equities, and significant investor visa sectors.
  • Advising Centuria Group on structuring the $100 million Centuria Agriculture Fund, a stapled unlisted open retail scheme seeded with a $177 million glasshouse facility initially purchased in a joint venture with Flavorite.

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Awards and recognition

Chambers Firm logo 2023 - website
 
 
Chambers 2024

Ranked – practices and individuals

Legal 500 - Hall & Wilcox leading firm 2023 249x360
 
 
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023

Ranked – practices and individuals

Client choice awards 2020 winner
 
 
Beaton Client Choice Awards 2020

Winner – Best Provider to Financial & Insurance Services Industry

Key contacts

Sean McMahon

Partner

Co-head of Investment Funds

Sean has more than 25 years’ experience in the funds management and corporate sectors and co-leads the Hall &...

Harry New

Partner

Co-head of Investment Funds

Harry leads our financial services team and focuses extensively on financial services law and corporate advisory.