Julie is a dual French and Australian qualified lawyer with extensive experience working with both Australian and foreign corporations as well as Australian Federal and Queensland departments, agencies and government owned entities. She provides advice on investments and operations in Australia and across the Pacific region (having worked in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea). Before joining Keypoint, Julie was the Managing Director of Brisbane-based Océanie Lawyers. Earlier in her career, Julie was a lawyer with Blake Dawson (now Ashurst) and a partner at Holding Redlich.
Julie’s specific focus is on commercial and corporate law; mergers and acquisitions; energy and resource projects; and construction and tourism projects. She is bilingual French-English and has specialist knowledge of French, Australian and Pacific Islands businesses and cultures. She is therefore ideally poised to assist both French companies investing in Australia, and Australian companies investing in the Pacific region and other French speaking markets.
Julie is a certified NAATI translator from English into French with 10 years’ experience as an English-French and French-English legal translator.
Julie is also actively involved in the Australian, French and Pacific Island business communities. She is:
- The French-Australian Chamber of Commerce’s Federal Director and Queensland Chapter Secretary.
- A member of the executive committee of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council.
- A member of the executive committee of the Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council.
Julie joined Keypoint in 2019 and is based in Brisbane.
Expertise
- General corporate and commercial law
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Corporate governance
- Landowner negotiations
- Water, resources and energy
- Construction
- Tourism
- French-English and English-French legal translations
- Government
Experience
Australian experience
- Advising a Federal government department on its commercial routine operations (including drafting and advising on capital works funding agreements and other grant agreements).
- Advising a French agroscience company on the purchase of agroscience companies in Australia and New Zealand (including undertaking due diligence, negotiating the share sale agreement and completing the purchase) and related restructure.
- Assisting an Australian retail food brand franchisor with negotiation of the termination of a franchise agreement governed by Australian law with a New Caledonian franchisee.
- Advising a Queensland government owned entity on construction agreements in relation to Australian water infrastructure projects.
- Advising on corporate governance and compliance issues under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the ASX Listing Rules.
New Caledonian and French Polynesian experience
- Advising a multinational company on the liquidation and deregistration of its New Caledonia subsidiary.
- Advising a world class financer in relation to the purchase of a major 5-star resort in French Polynesia.
- Advising a major company specializing in rubber surfaces for industrial operations on corporate matters regarding its operations in New Caledonia.
- Advising Australian individuals on the sale of shares in a New Caledonian gaskets, seals and associated products company including reviewing share sale and purchase deed, commercial lease and company conversion documentation.
- Drafting and advising on New Caledonian, Papua New Guinean and Solomon Islands’ purchase and sales terms and conditions for a significant machinery supplier.
- Advising a New Caledonian semi-governmental agency on management contracts to be entered into with a multinational operator regarding a hotel and resort in New Caledonia.
- Advising a multinational power and automation company on general commercial, contractual and employment issues in relation to its New Caledonian subsidiary.
- Advising a multinational engineering, architectural and environmental services company on a services contract to be entered into with a multinational mining company operating in New Caledonia.
- Advising a multinational engineering, project and construction management services company on general commercial, corporate contractual and employment issues in relation to its New Caledonian subsidiary.
- Advising an Australian multinational company on a construction project in New Caledonia including drafting a minor works contract.
Papua New Guinean experience
- Advising a Papua New Guinean landowners’ group on mining compensation agreements to be entered into with a multinational mining company, including reviewing and drafting all relevant agreements.
- Advising a Malaysian company regarding the acquisition of shares in a Malaysian energy company with Papua New Guinean assets.
- Advising Papua New Guinean parties on setting up a joint venture between Fijian partners and Papua New Guinean partners in the tourism sector.
- Advising on corporate governance and compliance issues under the Companies Act 1997 (PNG) and the POMSoX Listing Rules.
Solomon Islands’ experience
- Advising a Canadian company on its merger with an Australian agribusiness company in relation to assets located in the Solomon Islands.
- Advising an Australian company on a mining project in the Solomon Islands, including land access and tenure issues.
Ni-Vanuatu experience
- Advising a major Australian bank on the sale of its Vanuatu branch, including advising on land, employment and other legal issues.
- Advising a French multinational energy company in relation to its investment in a geothermal project in Vanuatu.
Other experience
- Advising on the merger of 2 Australian ASX listed companies by scheme of arrangement including the Ivory Coast aspects of the transaction.
- Advising an Australian ASX listed company on its mining rights in Burkina Faso and reviewing the relevant mining documentation.
- Advising on the acquisition of properties in France and the incorporation of related real estate investment companies for Australian clients.
Recognition
Julie has a Master of Laws from the University of Law, Economy and Sciences, Aix- Marseille France; a Master of Laws from the University Robert Schuman, Strasbourg, France; and a Master of Laws from the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Career
| 2019 | Keypoint Law | Consulting Principal |
| 2018 – 2019 | Oceanie Lawyers | Managing Director |
| 2016 – 2018 | Holding Redlich | Partner |
| 2009 – 2016 | Oceanie Lawyers | Managing Director |
| 2009 – 2010 | Gladstone Area Water Board | Corporate Counsel |
| 2009 | Queensland Water Commission | Principal Policy Officer |
| 2007 – 2008 | Blake Dawson (now Ashurst) | Lawyer |
| 2006 – 2007 | Norman Waterhouse | Solicitor |
| 2003 – 2004 | Blake Dawson (now Ashurst) | Paralegal |