Toby Eggleston – profile of new Director in Melbourne office

Our Melbourne office has a new Director. On the new appointment, Toby Eggleston says he feels “excitement and a sense of relief mixed with a small amount of trepidation”. Toby explains, “It will take a little while to adjust to, but we have significant resources to draw on and I am looking forward to the challenge of taking on a leadership role in the development of the Melbourne practice”.
 
Toby began his career in corporate and commercial legal work, before moving into tax about 10 years ago. Starting with Freehills in 2000, and transitioning to Greenwoods & Freehills following the integration of the Melbourne tax practice, Toby is actively involved in corporate income tax, in particular, mergers and acquisitions and capital management. 

One of the most satisfying results to date, was on a private equity management buy out for a large bank. “The deal was challenging for a number of reasons, including complex restructuring involving a large number of vendors. It was particularly pleasing to work side by side with the Freehills corporate lawyers and the client to achieve an outcome that many doubted could be possible”, he says.

It is this challenge of dealing with constant change and finding commercial client outcomes which Toby enjoys. “Tax advice is basically complex problem solving. Each job presents its own unique challenges and issues. There is never a chance that the work will be run of the mill and mundane”, he says.

As for others moving into this field, Toby’s advice is “Don’t stop believing in your abilities and always be on the lookout for ways to improve all of your skills, both technical and ‘soft’. Tax is a complex and constantly changing area. Staying up to date is extremely important but also the ability to communicate the advice in a manner that is easily understood is a huge asset.”

Away from work, Toby maintains that “being active is a huge release after a long week. In the winter I try to go skiing at Mt Hotham as often as possible. In summer, it is down the coast to go surfing.”
 
Toby’s professional biography is available by clicking here.