Natalie Breen joins Norton Rose Australia as an Australian partner, the firm announced today, but will be sent to Singapore to service local and global clients in the real estate sector who invest and transact in the Asian region. 

Breen, a former Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Minter Ellison lawyer, has joined the commercial, real estate and disputes practice.

She was previously a senior in-house counsel at Challenger,  and has also worked in-house at Stockland.

She has offshore real estate transaction expertise, having acted on listings, acquisitions, disposals and other transactions, particularly across Asia and Europe, the firm said.

“Based in Singapore, but as a partner with the Australian firm, [her] role is of strategic importance to Norton Rose,” said Peter Trevaskis, global head of real estate, Norton Rose Australia.

“She strengthens our ability to service local and global clients in the real estate sector who invest and transact in the Asian region. At the same time, her appointment provides a home-ground advantage to those clients based in the Singapore region who transact out of Asia, particularly in locations where we have a strong real estate capacity – namely the Middle East, UK, mainland Europe, Canada, South Africa and Australia,” he said.

The new Norton Rose partner said Australian real estate is an attractive destination for off-shore capital. 

"This role capitalises on Norton Rose's global capability in real estate and provides ‘on the ground’ expertise to both local and global clients who are investing and transacting in Australia and other parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East.”