Serena leads the Business and Property team at Robinson Gill Lawyers and is a highly regarded adviser in commercial property, property development, business law and private wealth matters.
With extensive Australian and international experience, Serena advises high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, business owners, developers, investors and multi-generational families on complex property transactions, business investments, succession planning and wealth structuring.
Serena has acted on significant commercial property and development transactions, including an Australian property acquisition and development project for an overseas family office exceeding $300 million in value, as well as numerous commercial property transactions exceeding $30 million.
Trusted Adviser to High-Net-Worth & Chinese-Australian Families
Serena has developed long-standing relationships with high-net-worth families, business owners, investors and overseas clients who rely on her for ongoing advice across their Australian property and business interests.
For clients with substantial or cross-border assets, Serena provides advice that considers not only the immediate transaction but also the broader ownership, succession and asset protection implications.
She advises Chinese-Australian families and overseas clients on Australian property law, foreign investment requirements, family trusts, estate planning, business succession and intergenerational wealth transfer.
Fluent in English and Mandarin, Serena is able to explain complex Australian legal and commercial issues clearly to clients from different cultural and business backgrounds. Her understanding of both Australian and Asian business environments has made her a trusted legal adviser to clients establishing, acquiring and managing assets and businesses in Australia.
Notary Public Services
As a Notary Public, Serena provides professional notarisation services to individuals, businesses and organisations requiring documents to be recognised and relied upon in Australia and overseas. She has extensive experience assisting clients with cross-border and international matters, including the preparation and notarisation of documents for overseas legal, commercial and administrative purposes. Serena also assists foreign-owned and international businesses with corporate documents, declarations, powers of attorney and other documents required for business and regulatory purposes.
Serena’s notarial practice also assists individuals with a wide range of personal and legal documentation, including proof of identity and “same person” declarations, statutory declarations, powers of attorney, certified documents and documents required for overseas use. She understands that notarised documents are often required in time-sensitive and complex circumstances and takes a careful, practical and detail-focused approach to each matter, ensuring documents are properly prepared, executed and notarised in accordance with applicable requirements.
Representative Experience
Major Property & Development Projects
-
Acted for a foreign family office on Australian real estate acquisitions with a total value exceeding AUD 300 million, providing comprehensive legal due diligence support.
-
Advised high-net-worth investors and family offices on large-scale commercial real estate investments, leading numerous acquisition and disposal transactions valued at over AUD 30 million per deal.
-
Represented foreign investors in major industrial property acquisitions and development projects, advising on option arrangements, financing structures, joint venture models and development management frameworks.
-
Provided end-to-end legal services for development projects including early learning centres, student accommodation and mixed-use commercial complexes, covering land acquisition, development structuring, financing, leasing and exit strategies.
Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Transactions
-
Advised on the acquisition of a major Australian retail enterprise with a transaction value exceeding AUD 20 million, managing complex deal structures, due diligence processes and negotiation of acquisition documentation.
-
Represented a large logistics group in its business sale and restructuring, handling transaction negotiations, regulatory compliance and settlement arrangements.
High-Net-Worth Families & Private Wealth Management
-
Designed comprehensive succession planning solutions for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, addressing business assets, investment portfolios, real estate holdings and family business succession arrangements.
-
Advised cross-border families with assets in both Australia and overseas on estate planning, coordinating with Australian and international advisors to manage multi-jurisdictional asset transmission matters.
-
Structured family trusts, testamentary trusts and business succession frameworks for entrepreneurial families to achieve asset protection and intergenerational wealth transfer objectives.
Foreign Investment & Regulatory Matters
-
Represented foreign investors in complex FIRB compliance and regulatory investigations, including historical investment reviews, variation applications and investment restructuring.
-
Provided strategic legal advice to offshore investors on Australian real estate investments, FIRB requirements and asset holding structures.
State Taxation & Dispute Matters
-
Advised developers, high-net-worth property owners and foreign investors on land tax, absentee owner surcharge, trustee surcharge and economic entitlement tax disputes and restructures.
-
Represented clients in objections and exemption applications before the State Revenue Office Victoria, addressing land tax aggregation, surcharge liabilities and complex ownership structures.
Special Asset Disposals & Insolvency Matters
-
Acted for secured lenders on high-value mortgage enforcement and mortgagee-in-possession sales, managing complex commercial risk and dispute resolution.
-
Represented bankruptcy trustees and personal trustees in real property disposals, asset realisations and distribution arrangements.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Master of Laws (Legal Practice)
- Graduate Diploma (Legal Practice)
Memberships
- Member of the Legal Institute of Victoria
- Member of the The Society of Notaries of Victoria
- Recipient of the APAC Insider Excellence Award in 2017
More from Serena.
Building Trust Through Leadership – Robinson Gill Lawyers Hosts Exclusive Roundtable
