Maddocks is proud to announce the appointment of three new partners - Elizabeth Lilley, Trent Chugg, and Lindsay Sheather - bringing the firm’s partnership to 96, the largest in its 140-year history.

Each new partner brings a strong commercial practice, reflecting the firm’s continued focus on delivering exceptional legal services across real estate, banking, and M&A/corporate.

• Trent Chugg (Banking & Finance Melbourne): Trent advises extensively in real estate finance, mid-market acquisition and leveraged finance, complex corporate finance, and debt restructuring. Trent advises both institutional and private lenders across a broad range of sectors including residential and commercial property developments, healthcare, schools and not-for-profits, and hospitality.  His practice provides high-level technical expertise to both lender-side and borrower-side clients.
• Elizabeth Lilley (Corporate Melbourne): Elizabeth (“Libby”) specialises in mergers and acquisitions for private equity funds. She has extensive experience in private equity and founder transactions, roll-up strategies and international M&A.  Libby’s appointment further strengthens Maddocks leading national private equity team, having worked in both our Sydney and now Melbourne offices.  Prior to joining Maddocks Libby worked in London and has expertise on large, complex, multijurisdictional cross border M&A matters.
• Lindsay Sheather (Real Estate Sydney): Lindsay has 20 years of experience in commercial real estate transactions and advisory work. She specialises in the acquisition and disposal of commercial and residential assets, distressed property transactions, and leasing. Lindsay assists clients including councils, government departments, property developers, property trusts, and listed companies.

Commenting on the appointments, David Newman, CEO of Maddocks, said:

“These appointments mark a significant milestone for Maddocks and reflect the strength of our commercial practice. Elizabeth, Trent, and Lindsay each bring deep expertise and a strong client focus that will help drive our continued growth and success.

As we approach our 140th anniversary on 1 August, this moment is a powerful reminder of the legacy we’ve built and the exciting future ahead.”

The promotion of three new partners follows Maddocks recent additions to the firm this year including Wolfgang Hellmann (Competition Melbourne), Joseph Monaghan (Environment and Planning Melbourne); Olivia Hillier (Employment and Safety Sydney) and most recently Larissa Toozoff (Construction Canberra).