Steven Humphries

Partner Corporate Law

Steven is an M&A specialist with more than 25 years’ experience. He brings industry-leading expertise to all stages of corporate transactions, from pre-deal structuring and strategy, to due diligence, negotiation, execution and post-closing restructuring.

Other areas of specialisation include securities law and capital-raising, private equity, joint ventures, corporate governance and foreign investment matters.

Through his experience and network, both locally and internationally, Steven enables our clients to access skillsets and successfully achieve outstanding commercial outcomes. His experience and proactive approach to his work and to meeting his clients’ objectives has seen him  recognised in the 2021-2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in Australia for his expertise in Commercial Law.

Trent Le Breton

Partner Corporate Law

Trent has over two decades experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions, debt and capital raisings and general corporate law.

He has a special interest in technology and its application to the practice of law and enjoys developing new approaches to transactional services to deliver a more valuable service to his clients. It is this mindset that led him to co-found Walter Baden.

Trent provides commercially astute advice on the sale and divestiture of businesses and other corporate transactions, including secondary and exempt offers for start-ups and private companies. Clients also seek Trent’s advice on general corporate matters, such as contract preparation and negotiation.

Brian Powles

Partner Workplace Law

Brian is an innovative and client-focused lawyer, with experience in both contentious and non-contentious matters. He acts for employers across Australia in all areas of workplace law, including general protections applications, unfair dismissals, employment contracts, policies and breach of contract, workplace investigations, redundancy, restraint of trade, intellectual property disputes and discrimination. He has an intricate understanding of the industrial relations system, including modern award interpretation, complex compliance and underpayment issues, and enterprise bargaining 

Prior to law, Brian had a successful career in hospitality and was the employer of a very significant workforce, giving him client-side insights into key issues affecting employers. He brings a uniquely practical and contextual approach to advising on workplace issues. 

Jacqueline Monk

Special Counsel Commercial Law

Jacqueline is a senior commercial lawyer with both private practice and inhouse experience. She offers agile and practical legal advice for today’s fast-paced businesses, with an eye to clients’ strategic objectives. Her expertise encompasses documenting and negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements, including procurement, service, supply, distribution, manufacturing, consultancy and licensing arrangements. Jacqueline also advises Walter Baden clients on their compliance obligations in the fields of privacy, modern slavery reporting, notifiable data breaches and unfair contract terms. With her background in M&A, Jacqueline is uniquely placed to assist the corporate team with their due diligence projects, bringing clarity and valuable insights into the commercial risks and opportunities within target businesses.

Samantha Mangwana

Special Counsel Workplace Law

Samantha is an international employment lawyer with 20 years’ experience practising workplace law in Australia and the UK. She advises on grievance and disciplinary investigations, unfair dismissal and general protections matters, bonus and incentive schemes, restraints of trade, whistleblowing and discrimination issues, including sexual harassment. 

Previously a partner in leading employment law firms in London, Samantha conducted high profile whistleblowing and discrimination claims, as well as highly confidential cases – typically in sensitive negotiations and exit situations. 

Samantha then headed up a national workplace law practice in Australia, dealing with matters in the Fair Work Commission, Federal Courts, and Human Rights Commissions, across all industry sectors.  She currently advises both employers and senior employees on complex workplace disputes and strategic employment issues. 

Kien Ng

Special Counsel Corporate Law

Kien specialises in negotiated mergers and acquisitions and corporate advisory law.

A senior and respected member of the Walter Baden team, Kien is known as a legal technician with a passion for documenting and closing complex transactions.

He brings a meticulous approach to all stages of the deals he works on, including when managing large-scale due diligence and other projects.

Isabella Krstanovski

Associate Commercial Law Corporate Law

Isabella specialises in commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. She brings valuable insight from her work in both private firms and in-house positions, offering clients practical and strategic guidance that supports their goals.

Her experience includes drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial contracts, as well as advising on regulatory compliance matters. Additionally, Isabella plays a key role in transactions, managing deal timelines and conducting comprehensive deal due diligence to help identify and address legal and commercial risks effectively.

Isabella has a keen interest in privacy and data protection, and she frequently helps clients navigate the changing landscape of privacy laws and implement best practices.

Brittany Morgan

Lawyer Workplace Law

Brittany is an employment lawyer whose legal work is underpinned by a strong foundation in human resources and workplace relations. She holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources), a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), and a Master of Laws (Dispute Resolution). 

Prior to transitioning into legal practice, Brittany built her experience in human resources alongside her legal training, equipping her with a strong commercial and strategic perspective. She understands the intersection between legal risk and operational decision making, informed by firsthand experience of managing workplace challenges. 

Brittany brings a holistic approach to advising employers across all areas of employment and industrial law, and has a particular passion for HR policies, procedures, and navigating employment legislation. 

Georgia Cameron

Lawyer Workplace Law

Georgia is an employment lawyer with a Bachelor of Laws and Psychological Science. With a background in hospitality management, Georgia has a strong understanding of the human dynamics that drive workplace conflict, enabling the delivery of practical, commercially focused advice. 

Georgia has worked across multiple jurisdictions, including Federal and NSW Courts, the Fair Work Commission, and Australian Human Rights Commission. She regularly advises on a range of workplace matters, including performance management, misconduct and workplace investigations, unfair dismissal and general protections claims, employment contracts, policies, Modern Awards and Enterprise Agreements. 

In recognition of her early career achievements, Georgia was twice a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards.  

Michelle Lai

General Manager

Michelle is a former practising lawyer turned legal operations specialist. She has over 20 years’ experience in the legal profession. She has previously held roles as a lead regulatory investigations solicitor with our professional regulator and a senior commercial litigator at a national law firm.

Michelle is a specialist in getting complex and difficult things done for the benefit of the Walter Baden team and its clients. She excels at delivering projects on time and is highly skilled in communicating and engaging with stakeholders. Her meticulous, proactive and energetic approach ensures the smooth running and success of the firm’s operations. She plays a key role in helping us deliver exceptional, commercial outcomes for our clients.