Frances I. Gordon KC

Dessie has always had a passion for immigration law, which has guided her career across Europe and Australia. She founded Assent Migration Lawyers with the vision of providing highly personalised, expert visa and immigration services. Under her leadership, the firm has received multiple awards for excellence over the years. Dessie is an active member of the Law Institute of Victoria and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Migration Law Reform Committe, contributing to the advancement of the p...

Edward is a Principal in the business law area at Sladen Legal, with a particular focus on equity, trusts and succession. The focus of his dispute practice is on protecting vulnerable beneficiaries and others negatively affected by the decisions of the incumbent controllers of estates and trusts. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in the County Court and Supreme Court in matters relating to: The removal and replacement of executors and trustees of estates and trusts; Applications for jud...

Elizabeth (Liz) specialises in all aspects of trade mark protection including selecting, searching, applying for and prosecuting trade mark applications (local and international). Liz has an extensive opposition and non-use practice and has exceptional knowledge and expertise in running opposition matters through to Hearing in the Trade Marks Office. Liz started the firm working in Davies Collison Cave Law Pty Ltd in 2000, working in all areas of IP litigation for 10 years before moving to th...

Harry is the lead partner of the Hall & Wilcox financial services practice .Harry's practice focuses extensively on financial services, corporate advisory and general corporate and commercial work. Harry has represented a number of listed public companies, large private companies and government organisations. His clients include all types of financial services businesses, including responsible entities, financial planners, superannuation funds, investment advisers, insurance brokers, corp...

Adele Katzew is our Head of Family Law, a Principal, and Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Family Law. Adele’s strength is helping people feel comfortable whilst they're dealing with the legal complexities and emotional strain of separation and divorce . She achieves this by helping clients identify and get a positive outcome, sorting things out on their behalf - and most importantly, providing people with as much certainty as possible when their lives may feel out of t...

Cath is an experienced corporate lawyer with significant national and international experience in mergers and acquisitions. Cath specialises in founder exits, inbound multinational acquisitions, and acquisitions and disposals for Australian corporates. With over 20 years of national and international experience, Cath has advised on deals across the pharmaceutical, health, childcare, civil construction, industrial, and technology sectors. Cath's clients include founders and owners, start-ups, ...

Rory has over 10 years’ experience in planning and environmental law and was recognised in 2016 as a “Rising Star” in Planning and Environment, and again in 2018 as a Recommended Town Planning & Development Lawyer in the Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession . Rory has a focus on major projects and infrastructure and large scale infill and growth area development projects. He has experience in development approvals across a broad scale, compulsory land a...

Lisa has over 25 years’ experience across all types of property developments and transactions including acquisitions, disposals and legal due diligence. Lisa acts for various Victorian Government departments and statutory authorities, listed and unlisted corporations and superannuation funds. She is also well-versed in transacting Crown land through her work with the Victorian Government. Lisa has extensive experience in residential, mixed use and commercial developments, including acqu...

Alasdair McLean is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Alasdair, who practices law in Melbourne, Australia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alasdair is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ian has extensive experience in a wide range of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law disputes and transactions covering all intellectual property regimes including patents, copyright, trade marks and related competition law issues, with a particular emphasis on strategic intellectual property litigation. Recently Ian’s practice has involved major national and multi-jurisdictional patent litigation in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, and resources/metallurgical sec...