Gadens' Brisbane office has appointed Norton Rose partner Cameron Cooling, who has left the door swinging for his 12-person team. 

As Cooling departs, Norton Rose Australia has today announced it will exit its high volume retail leasing business in Brisbane as part of its global strategy to focus on complex, high end work in one of its key industry strengths.

“We want to concentrate on what we do best and as a result have realigned ourselves with our core business which is the complex, high end, real estate work. This will allow us to better focus our resources and ensure we avoid any potential conflicts that can occur with this type of work,” said NRA partner and practice group leader, Wayne Spanner.

Norton Rose Group said it is committed to expanding the depth and breadth of expertise across its six key industry sector strengths - financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, mining and commodities, transport, technology and innovation, and pharmaceuticals and life sciences.

The high volume retail leasing business will be transferred to Gadens Lawyers in Brisbane.

Regarded as one of Queensland’s leading retail property lawyers, Cooling has more than 25 years in property practice and is responsible for leasing some of Queensland’s major retail developments.

Gadens’ chairman, Paul Spiro, said that the move greatly complements Gadens’ extensive national retail leasing practice.

“We see a very strong alignment between the type of work that Cameron’s team does and our operational focus in the property and leasing sector”, Spiro said.  

“Cameron and his team will also provide additional resources for our existing clients and the expanded practice positions the firm well for continued growth”.

Cooling was involved in the sale and acquisition of substantial commercial buildings and shopping centres in Queensland and New South Wales, overseen the preparation of thousands of construction and lease agreements with Australia’s major retail tenants and defended landlords before the Retail Shop Leases Tribunal.

An active member of the Property Council of Australia, Cooling has advised on the impact of proposed legislative change on the industry, including recent amendments to the Retail Shop Leases Act in 2000 and 2008.