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Cathy Russo
managing principal lawyer - brisbane, commercial
meet Cathyabout Cathy
about Cathy
Cathy Russo has earned a reputation for being a relentless commercial lawyer and seeing a matter through, no matter what. Whether Cathy is working with a large private lending group on a multi-million dollar loan transaction or structuring a new acquisition for a business operator, she never loses sight of what’s most important and keeps the client’s best interests top of mind.
“I don’t want to be known just for my technical skills and for providing great service. My goal is also to become a vital part of my client’s business and to support them as they grow.”
Cathy provides a full range of commercial services acting for private owners through to multinationals including share and business purchase and disposals and associated due diligence, structuring and shareholder documentation. In 2026 Cathy was recognised as Banking & Finance Partner of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Awards.
Areas of Expertise
- Assets
- Asset protection
- Commercial contracts
- Due diligence
- Joint ventures and partnerships
- Not for profit
- Private/mezzanine lending
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Shareholders and partnership agreements
- Structuring advice
industries
- Accountants
- Banking & Finance
- Not for profit
- Professional services
awards
leadership positions
Board Member- Spinal Life Australia
Board Member- Macpherson Kelley Foundation
recent experience
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early growth stage fintech
Cathy acted for an early growth stage fintech and provided services across the whole of their legal requirements. This included restructuring and equity raising in the operating entity, internal corporate governance, shareholders/subscription and option agreements, a $33M working capital facility which involved warrant deeds and intercreditor/ subordination agreements along with associated due diligence reviews on internal facility documents including review of compliance with the National Credit Code and associated Legal Opinions.
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lending restructure and staged facility
Cathy acted for a private lender on the restructure of its lending model to loan note subscription facilities and subsequent $76.8M staged facility to a Queensland property development group. This included structuring advice, corporate and property due diligence, drafting loan note subscription and security documentation, and redocumentation of cross-collateralised securities, all delivered within tight timeframes.
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hospitality portfolio sale
Cathy acted for a large hospitality operator in the sale of six venues, including landmark sites, within an accelerated eight-week timeline. The matter involved coordinating multiple assets and stakeholders, managing due diligence and negotiating complex terms, including late-stage revisions and securing a critical permit to occupy shortly before completion.
