Hugh Paynter, a dispute resolution lawyer, has become a partner of Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney.
Paynter has acted in major, high-value tax disputes that have dealt with a range of issues and industries, such as for National Australia Bank in litigation with more than A$900 million ($922 million) at stake concerning international hybrid capital raisings (the $1 billion ExCaps and $450 million TrUEPrS), involving general deductibility, Part IVA (anti-avoidance) and transfer pricing issues; Lend Lease in its successful defence of a $95 million Part IVA and capital gains tax dispute concerning its A$365 million Westpac warrant transaction and the Cross City consortium in a A$60 million land rich stamp duty dispute involving significant valuation issues.