Our Key People

Matthew is the founder of Rouse Lawyers. He leads the firm’s Corporate & Commercial team. Matthew specialises in mid-market mergers & acquisitions. These businesses tend to be larger private or family owned businesses.

Matthew also practices in general corporate advisory with much of his experience being with clients in emerging technology or organisations with substantial intellectual property.

David oversees our Tax and Litigation and Dispute Resolution teams which focuses on acting for and protecting the interests of private clients.

David has extensive tax and structuring experience combined with an extremely strong litigation background, which provides a unique specialist service to Rouse Lawyers’ private clients.

Drawing on nearly 15 years post admission experience, Peter specialises in mid-market mergers and acquisitions with a focus on the seller’s side. He provides timely and pragmatic advice while developing relationships with our clients and a detailed knowledge of their businesses, so he can deliver the best value for their businesses on their exit.

With over 20 years of experience practising almost exclusively in estate planning law, Lucie advises clients on all aspects of estate planning, from simple to complex.

Adopting a practical, insightful and empathetic approach to each client’s individual situation, Lucie ensures that clients have peace of mind that their intended beneficiaries will inherit as planned. Lucie helps clients navigate their individual situations to achieve their estate planning goals with a tailored and strategic estate plan.

Catherine practices in intellectual property, branding and franchising with a strong understanding of trade mark and franchise law. With a wealth of experience in this domain, Catherine is competent in assisting clients protecting, defending and commercialising their brands and intellectual property rights and in the preparation, drafting, interpretation and enforcement of franchise agreements.

Chris’ experience in property and commercial law, has honed his skill in crafting agreements, negotiating commercial outcomes, and growing and managing property portfolios establishes him as a valuable asset.

Chris’s unique approach lies in not only safeguarding his clients’ legal interests but also in meticulously addressing challenges through a commercially-focused lens.

Matthew is a Commercial Lawyer with a wide range of expertise and experience in business sales, restructuring, franchises, finance documentation and technology. He takes the time to understand his client’s business and give them exactly what they are looking for.

Nav specialises in mergers and acquisitions and works closely with Peter Rouse. He brings an international perspective having previously worked at firms in Europe in which he advised both buyers and vendors. Clients benefit from Nav’s responsive and thorough approach, helping them to protect their interests and navigate complex contractual issues with precision and effectiveness.

A lawyer with a keen interest in property and commercial law, Alex has a knack for collaborating with clients, brokers, agents and lenders to ensure transactions are smooth, efficient and timely, delivering peace of mind to all involved. Clients range from large corporations eyeing strategic commercial real estate acquisitions to first-time home buys and seasoned investors.

Tim Hennessy is a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic advisor, currently serving as Chairman of the Board at Rouse Lawyers. With over three decades of leadership experience, Tim has founded, scaled, and sold multiple businesses across various industries.

In 1987, Tim launched Active Apparel Group, growing it from a small textile start-up into a global manufacturing and distribution business with over 2,300 employees and annual revenue exceeding US$100 million. He led a successful exit of the textile division and remained with the manufacturing arm until 2020.

Today, Tim sits on the boards of several companies across the legal, distribution, renewable energy, construction and civil, and health and wellness sectors. He also contributes to various advisory boards, lending his expertise in corporate governance, financial management, sales, marketing, and strategic planning. His leadership centres on building strong, accountable cultures to support growth and change.

With over 40 years of legal experience, Steven Stoddart brings deep expertise in commercial, healthcare, business, and property law to his consultancy role with Rouse Lawyers. His background in taxation supports his practical approach to complex legal and financial matters.

Steven is known for building long-term client relationships and regularly advises on commercial transactions, franchising, and healthcare businesses, including pharmacy agreements and regulatory compliance.

Having spent time on the “client’s side of the desk”, he brings a pragmatic, solutions-focused mindset to his work, backed by extensive experience with State and Federal authorities.