Property & Projects

Expert legal advice and experience are givens. We understand the business objectives of our clients and work with them to achieve those objectives. We provide commercially realistic advice based on our specialist knowledge of the property industry.

We deal with all aspects of real estate transactions.  Our expertise covers:

• ownership and development structuring and finance
• due diligence and acquisition
• development and construction including sustainability
• major projects and infrastructure
• planning and environment issues, bio-diversity
• land titling, subdivision and governance
• leasing, liquor licensing, asset and building management
• off-the-plan sales and development leasing
• retirement living
• agribusiness and rural industries including water law

We have a thorough understanding of direct and indirect taxation issues and other government regulatory requirements relating to the acquisition, development and ownership of property.

Like other firms, we pride ourselves on our technical competence and experience. We are different because:

• we are commercially aware and able to ‘see the deal’. We can pick the issues in the context of the client’s objectives to know when and how best to compromise and to ‘make the call’.  This delivers value.
• we are committed to our clients. Our client's business is our business. This means that our clients trust and respect our advice, leading to our many long term client relationships.
• we are dedicated. There is clear communication amongst the team which is doing the work.  Dedication to service means consistent advice, decisiveness, responsiveness and cost effectiveness.

About us

We built an expert property law practice over 20 years ago. Unlike other firms, our group did not develop as an add-on to other core practice areas.  Instead it is one of our focused practice groups with a clientele, personnel and reputation envied by rivals. Our Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane offices each has a purpose-built Property & Projects group.  We also have a network of trusted agents in all other jurisdictions, enabling us to deliver our services nationally.

Our clients

We act for developers and landowners, superannuation funds, managed investment schemes, listed and unlisted corporations, banks and non-bank financiers, Government Departments and statutory authorities, local and overseas investors.

Our context

It is one thing to know a client's business, but without understanding the ‘environment’ in which the business operates, that knowledge is flawed. We understand the whole property environment including the physical, jurisdictional, regulatory, economic and sectoral elements.  We also understand the motivations of each stakeholder such as buyer, seller, agent, developer, financier, tenant, property manager, insurer, officer, shareholder or unitholder. We have the legal, managerial and interpersonal skills to operate in the total property environment to the best advantage of our clients.

Service delivery

Our Partners are ‘hands on’, so that clients have access to the person they know and trust. We have a no-nonsense personalised approach. We have effective teams, because each member understands both the big picture and their role in it, eliminating duplication and over servicing.

Our Partners and Lawyers are well-connected in the property industry holding representative positions with many industry bodies.  This evidences our interest in the property sector and helps ensure we are at the forefront of regulatory decisions impacting the sector.

Cost effectiveness

We are committed to delivering services at a realistic cost, a goal reached in partnership with the client.  We clarify the client’s objectives, agree upon the scope of work, who will do it and how, provide cost estimates, regularly report on fees incurred and deliver transparent and detailed accounts.