Founded by a group of highly experienced Partners from large law firms, Hive Legal offers a modern approach to legal advice. Underpinned by highly effective, connected thinking, we’re a dynamic team with a highly flexible approach. To each engagement, we bring an open, innovative mindset; delivering a solution tailored to the client’s specific challenge, goals and risks.

Our Team

Abigail Szabo, Lawyer

What I do: As a Graduate in the Corporate Commercial and Regulatory team, I assist with a range of matters in the privacy, general commercial contracting, and regulatory spheres. I’m particularly interested in privacy law and am currently developing my skills and expertise in this area through the graduate program. I have experience working in both law firm and in house environments, which assists my understanding of the needs of Hive Legal’s clients – to help them achieve favourable outcomes.

Why I do it: I am fascinated by the continually changing privacy and regulatory laws that we have in Australia, and I’m excited to help Hive Legal’s clients ensure they are meeting their obligations.

Adrian Faelli, Senior Associate

What I do: Corporate and commercial law with a background in workplace relations. I have experience advising on the sale and purchase of businesses, capital raising, corporate governance, goods and services arrangements and regulatory advice for clients across the technology, agribusiness, and FMCG industries.

Why I do it: I am passionate about delivering clear, useful and commercial advice. I enjoy building meaningful relationships with businesses and their people – acting as a trusted advisor for all of their legal needs.

Adrienne Trumbull, Principal

What I do: Corporate and commercial law, advising on general corporate matters as well as transactions. This includes sale and purchase of businesses, goods and services arrangements, shareholder matters and corporate governance. I bring proven experience across numerous sectors including health, consumer goods, energy, IT, agribusiness and telecommunications.

Why I do it: With a Commerce Degree alongside Law, I love being able to apply the law in a way that makes commercial sense and is easy to understand. During my time as a senior in-house lawyer, I loved building relationships across the broader business and community – something I also do through my work at Hive.

Allison Warburton, Senior Consultant

What I do: Strategic and specialist advice in energy and climate law, policy and governance matters. Having held Board and senior leadership roles in both the public and private sector, I bring insights from three decades of experience in the energy industry, across commercial, operational and policy roles. Prior to Hive Legal, I was a Commissioner at the Australian Energy Market Commission and a partner at Minter Ellison, heading up its climate law practice for ten years.

Why I do it: The operation of our energy markets is an incredible fusion of economic regulation, feats of engineering and the laws of physics. There are few sectors to challenge it for complexity and for pace and scale of transformation. Hive’s experienced energy team is at the forefront of this work and it’s exciting to be involved in such an innovative and collaborative firm.

Andrew Brookes, Principal

What I do: Commercial, regulatory and corporate law with specialist expertise in the energy sector, including electricity, gas, climate change renewables and new energy technologies. I advise a variety of energy industry participants and government clients on energy regulatory issues, energy contracting, major energy sector transactions and energy market disputes.

Why I do it: I am passionate about energy and climate policy, market and regulatory reform
and changes in energy technology. I enjoy helping clients understand and navigate the challenging and complex environment in which they operate. Hive’s innovative, highly collaborative approach, together with value-based pricing allows us the freedom to deliver highly tailored solutions for our clients which are tailored to their individual circumstances.

Anna Peddey, Senior Associate

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law with deep expertise in highly regulated industries. Across my career I have advised both private and public sector clients on contracts and procurement, commercial transactions, competition and consumer law and privacy issues.

Why I do it: As a commercial and regulatory lawyer, I have great variety in my work, which I love. I enjoy tackling both complex legal issues for clients, in addition to delivering practical, commercial solutions.

Anna Schuller, Paralegal

What I do: Aid the team in a variety of administrative and operational areas. This allows me to experience and participate in different areas of law and business operations.

Why I do it: I love Hive’s innovative and empathetic approach to law and business and appreciate the relationships it creates with clients and staff. Hive provides a supportive and collaborative environment for me to develop my skills and gain experience in the legal world.

Belinda Barnes, Special Counsel

What I do: Corporate and commercial law with a side hustle in the corporate/transactional aspects of trusts, funds and financial services. I have extensive M&A experience as well as expertise in corporate advisory, governance, restructures and general commercial matters such as goods and services arrangements. My clients have ranged from large multinationals to exciting start ups and venture capital firms to enthusiastic local charities, all spanning a variety of industry sectors including media, technology, telecommunications and financial services. I enjoy working closely with my clients so I can understand their business needs and deliver practical, useful and pragmatic advice.

Why I do it: I love building relationships with my colleagues and clients while using my legal skills and experience to help them achieve their professional and business goals. I am fortunate that I work in an environment at Hive where collaboration, creativity and innovation are highly valued – not only does it make for a great place to work, it means that my team and I have the means and flexibility to come up with the best possible solutions for our clients.

Carlie Andrews, Senior Associate

What I do: Commercial law with expertise in contractual and regulatory matters spanning various regulated industries and sectors. I have a particular interest in working collaboratively with clients to deliver commercially sound and legally robust solutions that are both innovative and practical.

Why I do it: The Hive model enables me to practice law in a highly collaborative, supportive, innovative environment with exponential benefits to our clients and team alike. This makes for an incredibly rewarding career.

Dao Nguyen, Paralegal

What I do: I provide support to the Hive team by assisting with administrative and operational tasks. My background is in HR with a focus on employee relations and my role at Hive gives me the opportunity to expand my knowledge, experience and skills.

Why I do it: Hive fosters a supportive and collaborative work culture that encourages an innovative mindset. Working within a team that shares my values gives me the confidence and support needed while I develop my skills and gain experience in the legal industry.

Danielle McCluskey, Senior Associate

What I do: Transactional law with extensive experience in commercial contracting and infrastructure projects. I assist clients with major projects and complex contracting arrangements across numerous industries. In particular, I bring deep expertise across construction, energy, IT and transport.

Why I do it: I love being part of broader commercial teams working to achieve projects of all sizes. Seeing the end result achieved after all the hard work is a great feeling. I also enjoy problem solving and creative drafting, right down to the finest detail.

Ella Cannon, Principal

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law, with specific expertise in digital health and privacy / data protection. With work spanning both the private and public sectors, I advise a broad range of clients, from start-ups to ASX-listed companies and government departments.

Why I do it: I love working within fast-changing industries, and regulatory environments. While I enjoy delving into a long and complex legal analysis, I’m equally committed to delivering practical, simple, and commercially focused solutions for my client

Frances Dunn, Special Counsel

What I do: Funds management and financial services, with expertise in platforms and the financial technology space. I bring insights from a senior in-house role at a fintech platform where I helped develop products, manage outsourcing and supplier arrangements, and care for customer and strategic relationships. Prior to that I was in the Funds, Superannuation and Wealth team at a top tier law firm assisting a range of retail and wholesale product providers with their regulatory advice needs.

Why I do it: The financial services industry presents many interesting contrasts: we see high-tech products built on the ancient legal concept of the trust, and a desire to offer services that will delight the customer as well as the regulator. I enjoy engaging with these tensions. Hive’s commitment to improving the experience creates the space required to explore and deliver better outcomes for our clients and, in turn, their customers.

Jasmine Joyce, Lawyer

What I do: As a graduate in the Financial Services team, I assist with a broad range of matters relating to funds management. With a commercial background, I am passionate about understanding and assisting our clients with technical legal issues surrounding financial services regulation. Prior to starting the Graduate program at Hive Legal, I worked across both the private and public sector with a particular interest in legal technology and innovation.

Why I do it: After working within the legal technology space at both Xakia and Josef, I know just how impactful legal innovation can be, for law firms and their clients. As a graduate at Hive Legal, I’m both driven and encouraged to put these principles into practice, continuing to improve legal processes and working with clients to deliver the law in a more efficient and valuable way.

Jay Ong, Lawyer

What I do: Corporate, commercial and regulatory law, with a focus on privacy and data protection. My relevant skillset in these complex and changing areas of law allows me to advise a broad range of private and public sector clients, from startups to ASX-listed companies and government departments – in order to help them navigate complex legal frameworks and stay ahead of the curve.

 Why I do it: I love being part of a high-performing team that not only delivers high-quality legal work, but also bespoke client experiences and an understanding of their commercial needs. I particularly enjoy working in Hive’s progressive environment, which encourages innovative thinking that enables us to evolve with our changing legal landscape.

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Jenny Taing, Special Counsel

What I do: Funds management and financial services with expertise in product development and launching managed funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Prior to Hive, I worked in product strategy at Vanguard and led the build and launch of new Vanguard funds and ETFs in Australia. I also spent time as an in-house product lawyer at Vanguard and a decade working as a lawyer at the Australian Securities & Investments Commission.

Why I do it: I enjoy bringing insights from my commercial and regulatory experience to legal practice. Hive’s commitment to meeting client needs allows me to provide clients with commercially practical and innovative solutions.

Jessica Orsman, Senior Associate

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law in Hive’s Energy and Climate Change Team. I have a background in environmental science and previously practised in planning and environment law in Victoria and New Zealand before joining Hive. Throughout my career I have advised commercial, local and State government clients on complex environmental, resource and regulatory matters. I have also represented clients in planning panel and VCAT hearings.

Why I do it: The challenge of unravelling detailed legal and technical issues and clearly communicating the story is very satisfying. But the most interesting aspect, once the issues are understood, is applying creative problem solving to find strategic solutions for our clients. I’ve chosen Hive because our business model genuinely encourages diversity, with how and by whom work is done, which is a win-win for clients and everyone at the firm.

Joanna Green, Principal

What I do: I work with clients in highly regulated industries, including the health, government and transport sectors. I regularly advise key players in these sectors across a broad range of issues including commercial, regulatory, privacy and consumer law.

Why I do it: I love that no day is ever the same, and the human element to the problems we’re solving at Hive. The challenges faced by my clients and their customers – be they patients, providers, consumers or the public – are many and varied.

Joanne Wright, Consultant

What I do: Corporate and Commercial law, covering general corporate matters and transactional work. I have extensive experience in reviewing, drafting and negotiating multifaceted contracts and advising clients on complex contractual arrangements. I have a particular interest in drafting contracts so they are client focused, user friendly and easy to read.

Why I do it: I really enjoy drafting contracts so they make sense for our clients and cut through the confusing legal jargon. Reviewing contracts is problem solving, it’s like figuring out a legal puzzle for our clients and then assisting them to understand how all the pieces go together. Working at Hive offers a supportive, collaborative and innovative environment to work and grow as a commercial lawyer.

John Malon, Principal

What I do: Funds management and financial services have been the core focus of my career. I provide strategic advice to clients and regularly engage with boards and senior management. Prior to Hive Legal, I was a partner of King & Wood Mallesons; heading up its Melbourne funds management practice for over ten years.

Why I do it: Being part of a business that prioritises client outcomes is paramount to me. Hive’s commitment to meeting the needs of its clients in a bold and innovative way encouraged me to return to work as a leading adviser in asset management and financial services.

Lachlan Butterworth, Graduate

What I do: As a law graduate at Hive, I’m in the midst of completing my rotations throughout each team. Currently, I’m gaining valuable experience in the financial services team, with upcoming rotations in the energy and climate change team, and the commercial, corporate, and regulatory team. This diverse exposure allows me to develop a comprehensive understanding of various legal aspects within these areas, ensuring that I can provide well-rounded and informed legal support to our clients.

Why I do it: Combining my commerce degree with my law degree allows me to apply legal concepts in a commercially sensible and easily digestible manner. Hive’s emphasis on innovation, creativity, and collaboration fosters a vibrant and supportive work environment. This ethos not only makes Hive an outstanding workplace but also ensures that we deliver exceptional client service. Leveraging my previous experience as a law clerk at a commercial law firm, I am driven by the chance to contribute to this innovative approach and offer valuable legal support to our clients.

Laura Bramham, Paralegal

What I do: My role involves providing support to the team by handling administrative tasks and conducting legal research. This opportunity allows me to gain valuable experience in the legal field and develop a solid understanding of business operations, both of which align with my current academic pursuits.

Why I do it: The human-centred and innovative approach that Hive employs to deliver services and build relationships is something I admire. I particularly enjoy the wide-ranging opportunities I have at Hive to work with the team across a broad range of areas. This enables me to develop my skills and passions whilst gaining invaluable insights and experience within the legal industry.

Lillie Priede, Paralegal

What I do: I am a paralegal in the Energy and Climate Change team at Hive. I assist the team on a variety of commercial and regulatory work in the energy and climate change space, as well as providing administrative and operational support across the firm.

Why I do it: I am passionate about energy and climate change and love learning about, and contributing to, the creative ways in which the law can positively impact these areas. I am grateful for the collaborative and supportive environment that Hive offers, and the many different skills I am able to practice throughout my tasks.

Lindsay Lee, Special Counsel

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law with a focus on the healthcare industry. My experience includes advising a number of blue chip clients on a broad range of issues including commercial contracts, competition and consumer law, mergers and acquisitions, franchising and corporate governance.

Why I do it: I enjoy the variety of challenges that working in this field brings, but I find the most satisfaction in providing legal advice in a way that is practical, simple to understand and commercially focussed. Being part of the Hive team with its highly collaborative and innovative working options allows me to do that in a way that focuses on delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients.

Lizanne Kleyn-De Villiers, Senior Associate

What I do: I specialise in corporate and commercial law, including general corporate matters, corporate governance and commercial transactions. My experience includes mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures, legal due diligence investigations and drafting a wide range of commercial contracts for clients across various industries.

Why I do it: I am inspired by understanding what a client wants to achieve and then making it happen. Hive’s business model allows us to do just that, by practising law in an innovative and collaborative way which prioritises client needs.

Meenal Chand, Associate

What I do: I specialise in commercial and regulatory law, with a particular focus on the health and energy sectors. I am experienced in transactional matters, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, privacy law, competition law and general corporate advisory. I am dedicated to achieving robust and innovative legal outcomes for clients in both the private and government sectors.

Why I do it:  I’m passionate about working with our clients to navigate their complex commercial and regulatory legal issues. I believe that achieving optimal strategic and practical outcomes requires open communication and a collaborative team environment. Hive’s innovative and tailored business model allows me to build personal and trustworthy relationships with our clients and provide bespoke legal services.

Melissa Lyon, Executive Director & Experience Designer

What I do: I bring design thinking and a human-centred approach to everything we do at Hive. I consult to our clients by assisting them to identify, develop and implement innovative processes, systems, strategies and ways of working. This includes working collaboratively with clients to identify ‘pain points’ and matching them with a truly multi-disciplinary set of skills (not just legal) to resolve those challenges. At Hive we use our purpose driven design thinking framework, HiveThinkP to do this.

Why I do it: I love joining the dots – creatively and in a business context. I’m motivated by bringing together what, at first, might seem to be unrelated people, organisations or things to deliver great results. I am also committed to bringing change to the legal industry by using different mindsets to help to improve the experience for clients.

Michela Alesse, Lawyer

What I do: as a lawyer in the financial services team, I assist with funds’ structuring, preparation of offering documents for both retail and wholesale funds and AFSL applications, as well as advisory work. My background is in property and litigation, gained across both the UK and Australia.

Why I do it: Witnessing the evolution of the financial services industry is inspiring. From traditional banking to fintech innovations, being part of this transformative journey allows me to contribute to shaping the future of financial services, which also has a profound impact on individuals and businesses. I find it very rewarding to help clients navigate challenges and achieve their goals in this intricate industry.

Mitzi Gilligan, Principal and Founder

What I do: Three decades of commercial and regulatory law, with a focus on energy and government. I am also one of Hive’s Founders and a Director of the legal-tech business Xakia Technologies.

Why I do it: I’m motivated by the opportunity for Hive to enact positive change in the legal industry through our innovative structure, working arrangements and pricing. Our firm is designed for today, and the future. Our model encourages innovation, collaboration and efficiency. This empowers our team to deliver higher quality outcomes for clients in a more sustainable environment. I’m excited by the role technology plays in the future of legal services and enjoy leveraging the potential offered by a strong Australian legal-tech sector.

Piper Blake, Graduate

What I do: As a Hive graduate, I assist with a range of corporate commercial and regulatory work. I have a particular interest in the energy and climate change space, and before joining Hive’s graduate program worked as a paralegal in this area, with experience in electricity, gas, carbon markets, climate change, renewables, and new energy technologies.

Why I do it: I am passionate about energy and climate change policies and enjoy contributing to the development of unique and tailored solutions for our clients in this rapidly evolving area of law. Hive’s commitment to innovation, creativity and collaboration fosters a stimulating and supportive work environment that not only makes this a great place to work, but also delivers an exceptional client experience. 

Rachel Varghese, Senior Associate

What I do: Commercial and energy regulatory law, working primarily in Hive’s energy team. My day-to-day work typically involves electricity and gas contracting and regulatory advice, with a focus on gas storage, embedded network arrangements, metering services, regulatory risk and compliance.

Why I do it: I enjoy the combination of legal work with the technical, often complex nature of energy. To me, energy matters often feel like a puzzle which requires an understanding of each individual part – the relevant regulatory framework, the technical and physical aspects of the energy sector, the client’s business, and the specific legal or commercial problem at hand. Working through the many ‘individual parts’ in order to achieve creative, robust solutions is incredibly satisfying.

Rohila Rahimi, Associate Principal

What I do: Corporate, commercial and regulatory law with a focus on the energy sector. My proven expertise includes gas and electricity contracting and regulatory advice, commercial transactions, private and public mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets, corporate governance and general corporate advisory.

Why I do it: I enjoy assisting clients in navigating and understanding their legal environment. Hive’s business model allows me to practice law in a collaborative and innovative manner that focuses on delivering the best possible value to the client.

Sandra Toma, Operations Coordinator 

What I do: My role allows me to gain across-the-board experience in different operational areas of our business by assisting in our firms day-to-day IT support and general business operations. Hive provides me with a flexible and creative environment where I can exercise my artistic and creative side which allows me to think outside the box.

Why I do it: Being able to work in an environment where no two days are the same is fantastic. I enjoy the problem-solving involved in this line of work and look forward to coming into work each day!

Shalini Uthayakumaran, Associate

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law, with a specialist focus on the energy sector. I have worked on a variety of gas, electricity and storage projects, advising on energy market, network, infrastructure and transactional matters. My experience ranges across power generation, distribution and retail aspects of Energy.

Why I do it: I am motivated by the opportunity to help address environmental and sustainability challenges by working with innovative and forward-thinking clients in the energy, resources and technology space. I strive to handle client’s legal issues comprehensively so they can focus on delivering the transition to a clean economy. Working in such a fast-changing area keeps me agile and the close connection to related technical fields means the learning journey never ends!

Sofia Bašić, Lawyer

What I do: Corporate, commercial and regulatory lawyer advising government and private sector clients on complex legal issues and risks. I have a particular interest in privacy and energy law and thoroughly enjoy supporting the team in providing advice to a broad selection of clients on requirements and obligations at both a state and commonwealth level.

 Why I do it: As a junior lawyer, I love the variety of my work and how working in a modern firm isn’t just about giving intricate legal advice, it’s also about providing broader support to our clients and truly understanding their business and how they operate.

Sonja Illic, Special Counsel

What I do: Construction, corporate and commercial law, with experience in procurement, project development, mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, with particular focus in the resources and energy industries. Having worked both in private practice and in various in-house roles, I have extensive experience in drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts.

 Why I do it: The Hive model offers a different way of doing things, for both its staff and clients alike. I enjoy being at the forefront of a firm that promotes a high level of collaboration across its teams to meet the business needs and achieve the best possible outcome for its clients.

Stacy Otis, Operations Manager

What I do: I manage our firms business operations to ensure we’re running smoothly and efficiently. Area’s include human resource management, financial management, compliance and regulatory management, and information technology management . I also lead our firms Environmental, Social and Governance committee, which includes our diversity and inclusion initiatives, along with our Reconciliation Action Plan.

Why I do it: Being able to work in a position that allows me to work in a variety of areas keeps it exciting! Most importantly, working in a forward thinking and innovative environment alongside an incredible team, that share the same values as me, is something that I truly value and appreciate.

Stephanie Karas, Associate

What I do: Commercial and regulatory law with a focus on the health sector together with other highly regulated industries. My background in general practice law coupled with my passion for innovation means I can bring a holistic skillset to the table. I have a focus on people, communication and collaboration, which is at the forefront of my approach to working.

Why I do it: I am an avid supporter of changing the way we practice law. Innovation is key and I strongly believe the demand and push to ‘do law differently’ should be embraced in all aspects of commercial relationships as it benefits all players. My goals are to assist clients to keep moving towards creating great opportunities for continuous advancement, whilst embracing change.

Susan Mi, Senior Associate

What I do: Regulatory, government, administrative and commercial law in the Corporate, Commercial and Regulatory Team. I have an extensive background in regulation, government advisory, administrative law and award-winning continuous improvement projects, having practised in Principal and Senior legal roles in both private and public firms and in-house for regulators. My previous practice also focussed strongly on litigation, dispute resolution and employment law.

Why I do it: Working in a varied, collaborative, team-focussed, flexible and continuous improvement driven firm such as Hive Legal feels refreshing and stimulating. I find value in discovering a solution to a problem (whether it be legal, strategic or operational, technical or practical), assisting clients get what they need and what they want, as well as striving to find better ways of working.

Tessa McAteer, Lawyer

What I do: I’m a graduate in the Energy and Climate Change team. I assist the team with a variety of commercial and regulatory work, including advising on gas, electricity and storage projects and energy market, network, infrastructure and transactional matters. Prior to joining Hive Legal, I worked at a government department managing renewable energy grant programs and projects.

Why I do it: Being a graduate at Hive Legal was an easy decision. Hive Legal provides the opportunity to do things differently, underpinned by culture of collaboration and innovative thinking to deliver unique and tailored solutions to our clients. I am passionate about energy and climate change issues and am driven to help clients understand and address their legal issues, which are often complex and multidisciplinary.