Brisbane – Global law firm K&L Gates has grown its corporate team with the addition of partner Tom Young and special counsel Julie Brown, who both join the firm’s Brisbane office from Norton Rose Fulbright. 

Young brings substantial capabilities supporting clients in the aviation and transport, tourism and hospitality and infrastructure and real estate sectors. Like Young, Brown uses her experience in real estate as a foundation for her work on tourism and leisure developments. 

Together, the pair brings extensive experience in the development of airports, providing regulatory advice on airport operations, airport privatisations and commercial partnerships. This experience in the aviation sector extends to emerging fields, including the commercial application of drone technologies. 

Their work in evolving areas also includes medical innovation, research and regulatory advice and support to clients in the health and life science sectors, including those in the emerging field of medical cannabis. 

“Julie and I are delighted to join K&L Gates,” said Young. “As Australia prepares to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe there will be a concentration of projects, driven by an incredibly competitive tourism sector and an influx of entertainment projects and major events. 

Working at the apex where aviation, tourism and real estate meet, we bring our experience onto K&L Gates’ global platform where a culture of innovation will support our clients, from those rebuilding from incredible adversity through to those who are seizing new opportunities.” 

Nick Nichola, K&L Gates’ Managing Partner, Australia stated: “We are excited to welcome Tom and Julie to the firm, where our international aviation industry group is particularly enthusiastic to leverage the experience of our newly appointed team. 

As Queensland grows as an Australian business hub and with the announcement that Brisbane is the preferred candidate city of the 2032 Olympic Games, this growth in our Brisbane office positions the firm to support Queensland businesses to continue to seize increasing market opportunities.” 

K&L Gates’ corporate practice is one of the most substantial in the legal industry, with more than 500 lawyers in offices on five continents assisting clients in the structuring, financing, and completion of domestic, international, and cross-border transactions. The duos’ arrival follows the addition of corporate partners in Orange County, Singapore and Charlotte.

The firm has welcomed more than 65 partners and of counsel since the beginning of 2020, including in the firm’s corporate; health care; tax; commercial litigation; energy, infrastructure and resources; environment, land and natural resources; asset management and investment funds; banking and asset finance; labor and employment; IP procurement and portfolio management; IP litigation; technology transactions; real estate; government contracts; and investigations, enforcement and white collar practices.