Paula has deep expertise in finance law, including highly structured cross border transactions, real estate financing, syndicated and bilateral facilities, corporate finance, asset finance, acquisition finance, financing for distressed borrowers and also has broader legal expertise advising on corporate and commercial law.

Paula has a sophisticated client base including financial institutions, non-bank lenders, developers, sponsors, ASX listed corporates and high net worth individuals. Paula regularly acts on high profile transactions including most recently acting for a senior financier and mezzanine financier in the restructuring and refinancing of the Public Hospitality Group.

In recognition of her skill and expertise, Paula has won numerous industry accolades, including Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year for four consecutive years (2020-2023) and numerous awards at the Australian Law Awards and Women in Law Awards.

In 2023, Paula travelled to the USA to participate in the Women in Leadership program at the prestigious University of Virginia’s Darden Business School, having won the Women in Banking and Finance/Turks Legal scholarship to attend this program.

Paula also spends significant time assisting those in need, including the Australian Red Cross, Starlight Children’s Foundation and various indigenous communities on a pro bono basis.  In 2016, Paula set up and Chaired the Melbourne branch of the Women in Loan Markets Australia (a subcommittee of the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association) to support and connect women across the finance industry.

Having spent her career predominantly in top tier law firms and financial institutions, Paula not only brings strong legal technical expertise to matters, but a strong practical and commercial approach to achieve effective cost-efficient outcomes for clients.  As a result, Paula has been invited to serve secondments and stints with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, ANZ, Westpac, HSBC and most recently served as General Counsel of an Australian developer (at their request) focusing on real estate transactions.

“Paula is the lawyer you always want working with you! She is business minded, adept at spotting risks, a self starter who needs little direction to complete work and produces well thought out and thorough work product.  In addition, she is personable and the kind of lawyer that you don’t mind being stuck in a conference room in negotiations for weeks on end.  I suspect Paula would be great at client development based on her combination of legal and people skills.  A great lawyer, who is enjoyable to work with – who could ask for more?” General Counsel of a US corporate (a client of Paula’s).