Louise McCoach

Biography

Louise is special counsel in our Banking and Infrastructure group.

She heads the Securitisation, Debt Capital Markets and Derivatives team and has over 25 years of experience as an in-house counsel and private practice lawyer in financial services. She is a leading expert in debt capital markets, securitisation and structured finance with deep expertise in derivatives.

Louise advises dealers and issuers, including major Australian trading banks and investment banks, on a range of listed and unlisted domestic, euro, global and privately placed RMBS and asset-backed securitisation transactions.

She regularly acts for banks, financial institutions and other listed corporations in their debt and equity capital markets transactions, with significant experience in issuances into the domestic, US and Euro markets.

Louise’s expertise in sustainable finance covers sustainability bonds and frameworks, as well as acting on the development of a range of ESG deposits, repos and other innovative ESG-linked fixed income products. She also advises on sustainability-linked derivatives, derivatives over environmental credits and on ACCU financing including prepayment finance structures.

Louise acts for banks, corporates and private equity in relation to all forms of derivatives including, swaps, collars, repos, securities lending and other similar instruments, as well as deal contingent hedges, stock loans, margining and security interest arrangements.

Experience

Louise’s experience includes advising:

  • Blackstone on the establishment of securitisation facilities towards the financing of the ~$8.9 billion acquisition of the shares in the Crown Group by way of scheme of arrangement.

  • David Jones Pty Limited and its subsidiaries in relation to its successful issue of $300 million Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes.

  • Anchorage Capital Partners in relation to the establishment of ~$80m unitranche facilities and ~$760m warehouse facilities for its acquisition of EL&F.

  • Credit Suisse Securities and Citibank as arrangers in connection with a Rule 144A offering of ~US$350 million second lien senior notes due 2026 and issued by Coronado Finance.

  • Equity Trustee as trustee, security trustee, back-up servicer and trust manager services in relation to ScotPac's inaugural $304.5 million public ABS securitisation.

  • Equity Trustees in providing trustee, security trustee, back-up servicer and trust manager services to a range of Scotpac equipment finance, SME and auto loan warehouse facilities exceeding $200 million in aggregate.

  • National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation on its issue of $133 million 1.4% Fixed Rate Social Bonds under its social bond programme.

  • PIUS (now Newlight Capital) on the inaugural roll out of its US$60 million Clip Notes Structure in Australia to Carbon Revolution as part of a restructure, relisting and subsequent upsizes to the original transaction.

  • ANZ in relation to its role as dealer and arranger of UFS’s debt issuance program established to support investment activities aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

  • CBA in relation to structuring and advising on carbon market derivatives and ACCU financing involving secured prepayment structures.

  • Major Australian and offshore banks in relation to the development of green and sustainability linked fixed income products including ESG-linked notes, deposits and repurchase agreements.

  • Various M&A transactions involving pre-bid hedging structures and acquisitions and sales of derivatives portfolios.

Awards and Recognition

  • Best Lawyers 2025

    Recognised for Banking and Finance Law, Derivatives, Structured Finance Law, and Debt Capital Markets Law

  • Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2024

    Ranked for Capital Markets: Debt

  • 2024 Finance Monthly Deal Maker of the Year Award

    Winner of the 2024 Finance Monthly Deal Maker of the Year Award for deals finalised between 2021 – 2023

  • IFLR1000 2022

    Recognised as a 'Highly regarded' lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt