The Porto Grace Drew Team

Principal

Sera Porto-Drew

Sera has practised commercial and corporate law for 13 years with large, medium and small tier firms in Melbourne’s CBD and Dandenong, until becoming the principal of Porto Grace & Drew Lawyers. Her aim in legal practice is to provide excellent quality  legal work and advice to clients in a timely and cost effective manner in conjunction with commercial reality.
Sera’s specialist practice areas are drafting and advising on  various contracts and agreements, including but not limited  to share sales and purchases, business sales and purchases, capital raising, prospectuses, company restructures, debt and equity finance and securities, including mortgages and debentures, guarantees and indemnities, contractors and sub-contractors agreements, agency agreements, commercial rental and company valuations, commercial and retail  leases, shareholders and unit holders disputes, company constitutions, trust deeds, pre-litigation commercial dispute settlements, joint ventures, confidentiality agreements, ASIC and ASIX compliance  and funds management. 
Sera qualified as a piano teacher at the age of 16 and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree (majoring in pharmacology) from Monash University in 1994, which she studied simultaneously with law. She received her Bachelor of Laws from Monash University in 1996. Sera was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in November 1997 and the Federal and High Courts of Australia in December 1997.
Sera can be contacted on 8790 4533 or by email at spd@pgdlawyers.com.au.

Lawyers

Basmah Sohail

Prior to joining Porto-Grace & Drew Lawyers, Basmah started her career in a mid-tier suburban family law firm where she gained experience exclusively in family law dealing primarily with divorce, property disputes/settlements, child support and binding finacial agreements.
Basmah now also assists clients with varied aspects of commercial law. She has experience in transactional matters such as business sales, franchising, intellectual property and some areas of employment law.
Basmah obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2008 and now studying Master of Business. 
Basmah was admitted as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria and all Federal Courts of Australia.
She was also a volunteer for the South Port Community Service.
Basmah brings to Porto-Grace & Drew Lawyers practical experience and believes in providing quality service and efficient and effective solutions to clients with sensitivity.

Basmah can be contacted on 8790 4533 or by email at bsohail@pgdlawyers.com.au.

Practice Manager and IT Systems Manager

Matthew F. Drew 

Perception and persistence have been the hallmarks of Matthew’s approach to legal practice ever since the conception of Porto Grace & Drew Lawyers.
Matthew Drew has a strong and enduring commitment to quality, from its management systems and reporting through to the delivery of outstanding personal service to clients. In order to maintain these high standards, and allow the legal teams to concentrate on the provision of legal services, the firm relies on a Practice Manager to handle the various management functions associated with the firm.
Matthew has been working as a Practice Manager and Information Technology Manager in law firms for over 7 years. He has significant experience in the development and management of financial systems in the legal industry throughout his career.
Matthew’s keen interest in Practice Management has made it possible for him to develop a broad network of professionals that utilise each other skills and experiences to stay up-to-date with the most effective and current strategies available in this area.
Matthew’s life experiences and outgoing personality has been instrumental in the development of his strong interpersonal skills. His keen understanding of client issues coupled with his genuine empathy, has been a winning combination in the servicing of our client’s needs and providing the confidence that clients seek in often troubling situations.
Over the years Matthew has developed his managerial and IT skills, tailoring work processes to assist with the delivery of legal services, including sourcing, developing and “road testing” new software to increase efficiencies and reduce legal costs to clients.

Matthew can be contacted on 8790 4533 or by email at mdrew@pgdlawyers.com.au.