Narin Xavier de Saini
Narin Xavier de Saini is the Director and Co‑Founder of Ascenta Law, where he blends years of business experience with sharp commercial and corporate expertise — all turbo‑charged by his obsession with tech and his inability to leave any system, workflow or gadget un‑tinkered.
He’s worked across Australia and New York, acted for award‑winning start‑ups, advised multinationals, and supported executives navigating everything from M&A deals to new‑market launches — as well as unlisted public and private companies. Narin has led teams through day‑to‑day business needs, acted as a trusted sounding board to executives, negotiated agreements, and provided strategic legal guidance for joint ventures, sales and acquisitions, and new‑market entry.
Outside the office, Narin is powered almost entirely by food and electric‑guitar chaos. He eats with the enthusiasm of a man who believes every meal might be his last, and he plays guitar with the unhinged commitment of a rock‑gremlin who thinks he is Slash’s long‑lost cousin. If there’s a plate or a guitar within reach, Narin is already halfway to joy — and we’ve genuinely considered adding “mandatory solo compliance” and “snack‑based risk mitigation” to the Ascenta policies.
Our Team
Ascenta connects you with the legal team that has been hand-picked by your key Ascenta Adviser. The aim is to make the transition from advice request to support seamless.
We aim to build a team that is best suited to advise and execute. We mix specialists for deep expertise and general legal and business advisers.
Christine de Saini
Christine de Saini is the Director and Co Founder of Ascenta Law, known for fusing commercial clarity with a creative spark that lights up every project she touches. Before building Ascenta from scratch, she worked in corporate finance at Patersons Securities, compliance at Ernst & Young, and within boutique M&A and financial planning firms — giving her a front row seat to capital markets, business succession and the emotional circus behind every major transaction. When she’s not designing client experiences or untangling complex commercial stories, Christine is elbow deep in prosthetics, glitter and delightful chaos. She’s a SPFX artist for touring performers and produces vaudeville shows across Melbourne — immersive spectacles powered by storytelling, community and just the right amount of mischief. Every show kicks off with Narin de Saini blasting electric guitar riffs like he’s opening for a ACDC tour. Christine proves daily that strategy can sparkle, creativity can be structured, and life is better when you refuse to stay in one lane.
Michele Mier-Wolff
Michele Mier Wolff is an internationally experienced commercial and legal executive with more than 20 years’ experience across Australia, Europe and Asia Pacific. She has held senior General Counsel roles in APAC, EMEA and global organisations, including serving as General Counsel for a Fortune 500 company, following an earlier career in private practice. Her background spans industries including chemicals, renewables, manufacturing, industrials, workforce solutions, professional services and technology, where she’s led complex transactions, M&A, strategic contracting, governance and risk. Having lived and worked extensively throughout Switzerland and Europe, she brings a sharp international perspective to cross border commercial and regulatory challenges. At Ascenta, Michele focuses on trusted client relationships and delivering practical, commercially grounded solutions. Outside of work, she transforms into a rodeo loving adventurer and devoted Dachshund mum to Benjamin and Winston — two tiny tyrants who are absolutely convinced they’re in charge of Ascenta’s board of directors, which they believe they chair.
David Shaw
David Shaw brings over 20 years of expertise in construction and engineering law, mergers and acquisitions, IT law, risk management, dispute resolution, negotiation and corporate governance. He’s the guy you want in the room when things get complex, technical or politically spicy — and the guy you want at the barbecue when the stakes are delicious instead of high. Outside the legal trenches, David builds biomes for fun (yes, actual living biomes) and is widely regarded as the best smoked meat cook you’ll ever meet — or meat, depending on how hungry you are. His blend of sharp legal thinking and slow cooked creativity makes him one of a kind, both in practice and around the fire.