Corporate & Commercial

Les Lewis

Director

Les has specialised in corporate and commercial law for 30 years. He has led innumerable transactions for both private and public companies and is experienced in all aspects of transactional work, including dealing with regulatory bodies such as ASIC and FIRB.

Les has extensive corporate advisory experience and has assisted many directors, shareholders and investors through difficult and stressful crises.

In addition to his corporate work, Les specialises in asset protection and succession planning, both for corporate and individuals with complicated and complex structures.

Les was a partner of Fluxman Rabinowitz (a leading commercial practice in Johannesburg) and joined Freehills when he immigrated to Australia in 1987. Les, together with Mark Morgan, established Morgan Lewis in 1996.

Doug Hayter

Senior Associate

Doug specialises in commercial litigation, and is admitted to practice as a solicitor in England, Wales and New South Wales.

Doug has over 10 years experience handling a wide range of commercial disputes, ranging from general corporate disputes to trust, banking, insurance, employment, franchise and construction litigation. Doug has extensive experience with alternative dispute resolution.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis Doug worked for DLA Piper (formerly known as Phillips Fox) and Middletons in Sydney, separated by a stint with AO Hall Advocates in Guernsey.

Doug has been recognised for his work in: Chambers UK 2010 which said Doug is “…widely regarded as efficient and diligent”; Chambers UK 2009 described Doug as “One to Watch” and said “…his energy and enthusiasm abound when he gets his teeth into a case”; and The Legal 500, 2009 said Doug “… impresses with a sound commercial eye”.

Affiliations and Memberships

Member: Insolvency Practitioners Association

Member: Law Society of New South Wales

Member: NSW Civil Litigation Committee

Yukio Hayashi

Special Counsel

Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, Yukio has a bachelor of laws from the University of New South Wales. In 1979, Yukio became the first Japanese lawyer to be admitted to practice in Australia.

Yukio worked in the commercial groups at Baker & McKenzie and then Freehills, where he became a partner in 1984. While at Freehills Yukio specialised in providing corporate and commercial advice to Japanese companies. In 1996, he established his own firm, Yukio Hayashi & Associates. In 2010, Yukio joined Morgan Lewis as Special Counsel.

Cyrus Aftasi

Solicitor

Cyrus completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce at Monash University before joining Morgan Lewis. He has worked across the firm’s departments before settling in commercial litigation and dispute resolution.

Clients benefit from Cyrus’ “can do” attitude, practical outlook and commitment to achieving excellent results.

Abraham Schwarcz

Solicitor

Abraham holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2010.

Abraham joined Morgan Lewis as a law graduate in 2009 in its commercial litigation and dispute resolution division and settled in the commercial division in 2010.