Dan Simmonds is the managing principal of Harwood Andrews Lawyers. He provides independent trusted advice and solutions to businesses with a particular emphasis on family owned businesses.
Dan is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a specialist in business law and is the chair of the Law Institute of Victoria’s Business Law Specialisation Committee. He is also accredited by Family Business Australia as a Family Business Advisor. He is a committee member of the Deakin University School of Law Academic Advisory Board and a member of the University Vice Chancellor’s Community Leaders Group.
Dan’s principal areas of practice are:
• Business structures
• Business succession
• Family business
• Intellectual property
• Partnerships
• Trust advice
• Franchising
• Business transactions
• Business contracts
• Agribusiness
Dan’s deep understanding of commercial matters brings a distinctive approach to his clients. He works closely with business owners to understand and achieve their desired commercial objectives.
Dan’s capacity to understand and interpret an organisation’s financial performance helps to deliver clearer advice and execute outstanding outcomes for clients.
Dan assists accountants on the advice that they provide to their clients in relation to business structures, business succession and business strategies. Dan is particularly involved in advising family businesses on their growth and succession issues.
Dan became chairman of partners of Harwood Andrews Lawyers in 1994 and in 2007 became the firm’s managing principal.
He regularly presents to clients, accountant groups and family business networks on matters such as family business succession, family constitutions, unit holder and shareholder agreements, business succession planning and business structuring.
Dan’s other positions include:
• Chairman of the judging panel of the Geelong Advertiser Geelong Business Excellence Awards
• Chairman of the Salvation Army Geelong Region Area Advisory Committee
• Member of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce Public Finance Committee
• Board member of Kardinia Health Ltd, a company established to construct and operate the General Practice Super Clinic located in Belmont Victoria
• Board member of the Committee for Geelong