Industry
Private Equity
Transaction, diligence and portfolio advisory for private equity sponsors and management teams.
Sector Overview
How we support private equity clients.
Private equity investors face an environment where deal origination is harder, diligence standards are higher and the quality of post-acquisition execution increasingly determines returns. Sponsors need advisers who can move quickly through diligence, deliver genuinely commercial insights and then support portfolio companies through the holding period.
Corson Fiske works with private equity sponsors on the full transaction lifecycle — from target screening and commercial and tax due diligence through to execution, 100-day planning and exit preparation. Our integrated capability means portfolio companies benefit from a single adviser across tax, legal and advisory matters.
We also advise management teams on MBOs, management buy-ins and transactions where independent counsel is critical.
Capabilities in this sector
- Commercial and financial due diligence
- Tax due diligence and structuring
- Legal due diligence coordination
- Transaction structuring and documentation
- 100-day plans and value creation
- Portfolio company advisory
- Exit preparation and vendor diligence
- MBO and management team advisory
Client Situations
When clients engage us.
The issues that bring clients through our door tend to fall into familiar patterns.
A target is in due diligence
Commercial, tax and legal diligence needs to be delivered quickly and to institutional standards.
A portfolio company needs support
An operational, tax or legal issue has arisen at a portfolio company that requires senior support.
Exit preparation is underway
A sponsor is preparing an asset for sale and needs vendor diligence and process support.
A management team is negotiating with sponsors
An MBO or management rollover is being negotiated. Independent counsel is required.
Outcomes
What you can expect.
- Due diligence that surfaces issues before they become problems
- Transaction structures optimised for tax and commercial outcomes
- Portfolio companies supported through the holding period
- Exit-ready assets that attract competitive bids
Why Corson Fiske
Experience where it counts.
Clients engage Corson Fiske because they need advice they can act on — delivered by senior practitioners who understand both the technical detail and the commercial consequences. Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in this sector.
Our integrated structure means tax, legal, accounting and advisory questions are resolved within a single firm. For clients operating across Australia, Asia, New Zealand or Asia, our office network in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore and Auckland provides consistent advice across jurisdictions.
Our Approach
A refined four-phase method for every engagement.
Corson Fiske applies the same disciplined framework to every matter, regardless of scale. The phases below are not a marketing device — they are the actual structure our partners use to move clients from uncertainty to resolution.
Phase One
01
Understand
A confidential partner-led briefing to establish the facts, commercial drivers, timing pressures and stakeholder dynamics.
- Confidential scoping conversation
- Document and data review
- Stakeholder mapping
- Initial risk identification
Phase Two
02
Analyse
Structured technical and commercial analysis of every realistic option, with a clear view of risks, costs and likely outcomes.
- Technical legal and tax analysis
- Commercial modelling
- Risk-weighted options assessment
- Precedent and market benchmarking
Phase Three
03
Recommend
A written partner recommendation in plain English — not a list of caveats. We stand behind our advice and explain our reasoning.
- Clear written recommendation
- Implementation sequencing
- Stakeholder communication plan
- Contingency and fallback positions
Phase Four
04
Execute
Hands-on delivery of the agreed plan with partner oversight, regular milestone reporting and clear handback at completion.
- Implementation leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Milestone tracking and reporting
- Completion review and handback
Get the right advice from Corson Fiske.
Confidential, no-obligation initial consultations with a partner who specialises in this sector.