Frank Poeta

Partner

Perth, Australia

Frank is a partner in our Real Estate group, based in Perth.

Frank works with a number of Australia’s largest property developers and real estate funds on some of the most significant and complex projects undertaken in Western Australia. He is also advising on the largest urban regeneration project in Australia, at Barangaroo in New South Wales.

Clients value Frank’s solutions-focused approach, combined with extensive experience and knowledge in real estate. With his strong project management and co-ordination skills, Frank helps clients to deliver innovative and multifaceted projects.

Frank is named as a leading lawyer in the current editions of Chambers Asia Pacific Global (real estate) and Legal 500 – Asia Pacific (real estate); the "Perth Real Property Law, Lawyer of the Year" in the current edition of Best Lawyers in Australia (real estate) and Perth's "Market Leader" in the current edition of Doyle’s Guide to Australia Legal Profession (property).

Background

Frank graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1994 with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours). He joined Herbert Smith Freehills in 1995 and has been in the firm’s Real Estate group since 1996. Frank is the convenor of the General Conditions Committee of the Law Society. He has provided advice to the Strata Tiles Act Reform committee on strata subdivision legislation reform and has written the Strata Titles paper for the College of Law. Frank has tutored final-year law students and gives guest lectures on commercial practice conveyancing and drafting at the University of Western Australia.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

acting on the Barangaroo South development, Australia’s largest urban renewal project since Olympic Park and the Sydney Olympics in 2000, valued at more than A$5 billion. This includes advising on all legal aspects of this major property development, including the project agreements to forward sell the T1, T2 and T3 office towers to wholesale property trusts (with equity funding from major institutional on-shore and off-shore investors), establishing joint ventures in relation to the One Sydney Harbour residential towers, subdivision of the site, ongoing precinct management, long-term titling of the site and multiple 99-year ground leases to facilitate the development and project agreements
acting for the State of Western Australia on the redevelopment of the Old Treasury Buildings site. This involved the appointment of a consortium for the refurbishment of the buildings into a high-class boutique hotel and the construction of a new 34-level office tower, and arrangements with multiple adjoining owners to create a public precinct
acting for Golden Group in relation to the A$3.8 billion Belmont Park Racecourse development, the largest urban renewal project in Western Australia. This includes advising on development and funding structures, preparing development agreements and project management agreements and providing structuring advice and documentation for the off-the-plan sales of apartments
acting for Curtin University on the Greater Curtin project, a new precinct with student accommodation, a college, serviced apartments, a hotel and associated retail shops and commercial premises to be constructed on the Curtin campus. The project involved the appointment of a consortium to construct the new buildings and then operate the student accommodation, college, serviced apartments and hotel components.
acting for Hesperia on establishing an industrial fund comprising stabilised and development industrial assets in a joint venture with GIC, with associated future investment opportunities, development management, investment management and property management arrangements and a medical fund comprising health based assets, also in a joint venture with GIC and with associated future investment opportunities, development management, investment management and property management arrangements.
acting for Mirvac in relation to The Peninsula at Burswood, the largest master planned community in Western Australia, including seven residential towers and over 1,200 living units. This involved providing titling and subdivision advice and documentation for the off-the-plan sales of apartments
acting for Woodside Energy on the agreement for lease and lease for its new head office in Perth comprising a new 55,000 square metre office tower at Capital Square.
acting for Chevron on its sale and leasing transaction for Lot 7 at Elizabeth Quay on which Brookfield Properties constructed a new 30 level premium office tower which was leased to Chevron as Chevron’s new headquarters.