Stephen Giles
Partner
Stephen Giles is a corporate and commercial partner based in Melbourne and Sydney, but with extensive international experience. Recognised as the leading practitioner in the field of retail, distribution and franchise law, Stephen is national head of the Australian Retail Trade & Distribution Group and a leader in our global Retail and Brands International Business Group.
Stephen’s particular expertise includes the application of competition laws to product distribution, pricing and supply issues faced by manufacturers, franchisors and suppliers. He also has extensive transactional experience in mergers, acquisitions and international commercial negotiations, and in providing legal and strategic advice for companies seeking to leverage their brands and expand internationally. Stephen’s client list features many leading international brands, including ANZ, Australia Post, Boost Juice, Luxottica, Pandora, Priceline, Yum Brands and around 200 other retailers and franchisors.
Stephen has served for over 12 years on the board of the peak industry body, the Franchise Council of Australia, handling industry regulation and government relations. He has written numerous publications, including the authoritative text Franchising Law & Practice, and is a regular speaker at conferences in Australia, Asia and the US. In 2009 he was inducted into the Australian Franchising Hall of Fame, and was ranked in the top 10 most respected international franchise lawyers by the International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers.