Yvonne O'Byrne

Full Profile

Yvonne has substantial private practice and in-house experience having worked as in-house legal counsel and lawyer for numerous leading organisations (Suncorp Bank, Bank of Queensland, University of Queensland and Bank of Ireland) and law firms in Australia and Ireland. Yvonne is qualified as a lawyer in Ireland, England and Wales and Australia and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce (IACC).

Experience

• Commercial property fund: acting for a well-established fund in relation to their commercial structure, governance and compliance arrangements, licensing approvals, policy infrastructure and drafting of disclosure documents (FSG, PDS, SPDS).
   
• Corporate, M&A, Governance and Compliance: advising large corporations, including ASX listed entities, in connection with mergers, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and business divisions and drafting and negotiating relevant share sale and purchase agreements, exit and share transfer deeds; advising corporations and government bodies on governance and compliance obligations.
   
• Corporate Contracting: reviewing, drafting and negotiating a variety of strategic and material commercial agreements and MSAs for corporate entities, APRA and ASIC regulated entities and SMEs including broker/ third party distribution agreements, referral agreements, master service or intragroup services agreements, franchise documents, web terms and conditions, product terms and conditions, sub-contracts, collaboration agreements, IT and software licence agreements, IP assignment and licence agreements, and multi-party joint venture agreements.
   
• National Insurer Obligations Register: overseeing creation of an obligations register for one of Australia's premier insurance companies, setting out all legislation relevant to their business activities, and ensuring internal infrastructure compliance with the requirements.
   
• Product Terms and Conditions: Advising ADIs regarding and drafting Product Terms and Conditions including Consumer and Business Banking Lending Applications, Online Banking Terms and Conditions and internal policies, procedures and compliance frameworks.
   
• CPS 511 Remuneration: Advising ADIs, Insurers and RSE Licensees in connection with interpretation and operation of CPS 511 – Remuneration, including how it will operate alongside the proposed Financial Accountability Regime (FAR), the determination of APRA-regulated entities as Significant Financial Institutions (SFIs) or non- SFIs, self-assessment and pre implementation planning.
   
• FAR: Advising ADIs and other ASIC and APRA regulated entities in connection with FAR implementation and compliance including, preparing for the accountability regime, drafting of accountability statements, project plans, mapping of accountabilities, consulting with executives and directors, development of reasonable steps through improved governance, risk, controls and other frameworks and considering deferred remuneration obligations.
   
• Digital and Regulatory Project Lead: Acting as lead legal representative whilst in-house lawyer on bank projects including digital projects, regulatory projects and projects relating to the introduction to market of new and/ or variations to financial products and services – successfully delivering responsive and solution focused advice to the business on a variety of matters to meet the needs of stakeholders.
   
• Reputable situations/ breach reporting regime: Advising APRA and ASIC regulated entities (banks, insurers, superannuation entities) regarding potential and actual breaches of regulatory obligations and remediation of incidents (including in connection with largescale and systematic breaches) having regard to a range of legislation.