Not Your Average Law Firm

Alexander Papafotiou is Director at Cadena Legal and has been with the firm since 2023. Alex heads the commercial law team. He brings with him his vast expertise in commercial, property and corporate law in Australia and globally. Prior to joining Cadena, Alex established and ran Crypto Law Group, which specialised in providing advice to crypto businesses and projects in areas such as international and domestic entity formation, regulatory compliance and legal documentation.

Spending much of his schooling in Athens and the UK, Alex is proficient in English and Greek and speaks conversational Spanish, giving him an advantage when working with international organisations. With a keen interest in technological advancement, Alex is currently exploring the automation of legal processes via blockchain technology and is an active member of the LexDAO Legal Engineering Guild.

Yash Latchan is an Associate in the tax team at Cadena Legal who is focused on his practise in Australian & international tax areas of law. With a background in commerce and law, Yash brings a commercially focused and pragmatic approach to delivering tax advice. Having previously worked in the tax and legal divisions of both Big 4 and reputable mid-tier multidisciplinary international firms such as PwC and BDO, Yash has gained valuable experience in providing advice to a diverse clientele including multinational corporations, SMEs, not-for-profits, government entities and individuals.

Yash thrives on solving complex problems and is committed to furthering his understanding of taxation laws and their application. Together with his personal interests in the crypto and digital assets space, Yash's goal is to demystify technical concepts and help clients navigate through the opportunities and challenges within this landscape.

In his free time, you can find Yash either ticking off his bucket list or spending time with family and friends.

Cadeau Makazanyo is a Lawyer at Cadena Legal in the tax team, who brings a strong background in client relations and administrative support. Her interest in problem solving and strategic thinking make her a valuable addition to the Cadena tax team, and she continues to develop her knowledge in all areas of the legal field. Passionate about contributing to the community, Cadeau has volunteered with the Rwandan Association of Queensland and the International Programs Unit for the Federal Court of Australia.

Luke Langton is the Growth & Partnerships Manager at Cadena Legal, bringing with him years of experience within sales, marketing & strategic growth. Prior to working with Cadena, Luke was instrumental in launching Hawke’s Brewing Co and was the National Sales Manager for Naturally Driven, achieving national distribution of its range of products. A keen investor in crypto, Luke continues to develop his passion through attending conventions such as Aus Crypto Con and Coinfest Asia. Outside of work, you can find Luke surfing in Bali, spending time with his kids and enjoying the best wine Brisbane has to offer.

Tara Cooper is a Director (Operations) with Cadena Legal and heads up the operations team, with a strong focus on keeping people front and centre within the systems and structures that create a sustainable business.

With a diverse background covering operations, advocacy and executive management, in the public, private and NFP sectors, Tara brings a deep understanding of the key foundations that ensure positive growth and strategic outcomes for individual team members and the firm as a whole. 

A firm believer in the benefits of women in leadership, Tara is the Co-Chair of the Women of DECA working group, an advisory group to the Digital Economy Council of Australia, and has spoken at industry events supporting greater representation in the crypto, blockchain, and technology sectors.

In her free time, Tara enjoys travel, fitness, and immersing herself in culture – from art and theatre, to food, wine and fashion.   

Gabrielle Wearne-Norman is Executive Assistant to Harrison Dell at Cadena Legal, providing high-level administrative and operational support to help keep the firm running smoothly behind the scenes.  

Working closely with Harrison and the team, Gabrielle supports the day-to-day rhythm of the business while assisting with wider operational needs. She is a trusted point of support, valued for her reliability, attention to detail, and steady approach in fast-paced environments.   

Holding a Bachelor of Business Management and with a background in client services, Gabrielle brings an organised and thoughtful approach to her role. She enjoys supporting others and contributing to a positive and efficient working environment.  

Outside of work, Gabrielle enjoys staying active, spending time with family and getting outdoors to recharge. 

Christian Borg is a Lawyer in the Tax team at Cadena Legal, bringing with him a strong mix of technical tax expertise and practical government experience.  

Before joining Cadena, Chris spent several years working within the Australian Taxation Office, where he was involved in tax law interpretation, international tax matters and Class and Private Rulings. This background gives him valuable insight into how tax law is applied in practice, allowing him to help clients navigate complex and uncertain tax issues with confidence.  

Chris thrives on tackling technically challenging matters and is known for his ability to distil complicated issues into clear, practical advice clients can rely on. His key interests are international tax structuring, cross-border investments and the cryptocurrency space, where evolving regulation and novel structures require careful, forward-thinking tax analysis. 

Outside of work, Christian enjoys travelling abroad, cooking, camping with friends and family.  

Brodie Dell is Cadena Legal’s Operations Specialist, focusing on streamlining systems and processes to improve efficiency and output, for the benefit of our team and clients.

Prior to working with Cadena, Brodie held leadership positions in Early Childhood Education centres, using her Bachelor of Education and management skills to create safe and positive environments for children to experience learning and development opportunities. She also managed day to day operations and compliance of these services, finding sticking points and implementing processes to alleviate these, while also raising her young family.

Brodie’s ability to identify, isolate and reconstruct issues within frameworks is highly valued, and her commitment to excellence within the internal and external experience of all stakeholders in the firm is clear through her attention to detail and process of implementation of firm wide approaches.

In her free time, Brodie enjoys getting into nature, art and playing with her children and pets.