Biography

Banks, financial institutions, alternative lenders and corporate borrowers across complex domestic and cross-border financing transactions. Ellen joined Thomsons in September 2025 from Baker McKenzie, where she was Special Counsel in the Banking and Finance practice group. She brings extensive experience acting for both sides of the lending relationship across property, construction, acquisition, fund and corporate finance.

Ellen advises on the full range of banking and finance transactions, including property and construction finance, leveraged and acquisition finance, fund finance and corporate lending. Her work covers structuring, documentation, security arrangements and due diligence for domestic and cross-border transactions. She advises both financiers and borrowers, with experience acting for major banks, alternative lenders and corporate borrowers across transactions in Australia and in the Asia-Pacific region through her prior Baker McKenzie Singapore practice.

Ellen has more than a decade of domestic and international experience in banking and finance, including time spent in Baker McKenzie’s Singapore office advising on cross-border transactions in the Asia-Pacific region. Her practice spans major bank-led facilities, alternative lending structures and complex fund finance arrangements. Her appointment to Thomsons alongside Partner Chuong Nguyen reflects the firm’s targeted investment in its Melbourne banking and finance capability across property, project and cross-border finance.

Ellen brings a Baker McKenzie pedigree and Asia-Pacific cross-border experience to a domestic practice that spans both lender-side and borrower-side mandates. Her coverage of property, construction, fund and acquisition finance across multiple transaction types gives her broad utility across the banking and finance practice. Her academic qualifications include both Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, giving her a rigorous analytical foundation to complement her transactional experience.

Ellen's experience

Property and construction finance

Advising banks and alternative lenders on the structuring and documentation of property and construction finance facilities, including project-specific security arrangements, pre-sales conditions and construction risk matters.

Leveraged and acquisition finance

Advising on financing for leveraged buyout and acquisition transactions, including documentation of senior debt facilities, security packages and intercreditor arrangements in syndicated and bilateral contexts.

Fund finance

Advising fund managers, sponsors and financial institutions on fund finance facilities including capital call, subscription line and NAV-based lending structures for private equity, real estate and infrastructure funds.

Corporate lending

Advising banks and corporate borrowers on bilateral and club lending facilities across working capital, corporate treasury and strategic funding contexts.

Cross-Border finance — Asia Pacific

Advising on cross-border financing transactions in the Asia-Pacific region, drawing on experience in Baker McKenzie’s Singapore office acting for major financial institutions and corporate borrowers across multi-jurisdictional structures.