I am an Australian lawyer. I commenced practice in 2002, I was a partner at Best Hooper until 2017, and was a partner at Pointon Partners until early 2020.
My core practice is land and building law. Over the last two decades, I have been lucky enough to be involved in advising and acting for clients in matters involving many difficult concepts and factual backgrounds.
Building and Construction Law:
- Building Act matters (Protection Work disputes, Building Notices and Orders, Building Appeals Board, illegal building works).
- Domestic building defect claims.
- Advising Owners Corporations or individual lot owners in relation to damage to, or the proposed development/alteration of common property.
Land and Property Law:
- Compulsory Acquisition. Acting for claimants in compulsory acquisitions by Victorian Government Authorities (Land Acquisition and Compensation Act), and by Federal Government Authorities (Lands Acquisition Act).
- Crown Land. Advising in relation to transactions involving Crown Land and Crown Leases.
- Fencing, boundary and Adverse Possession claims.
- Easements, Covenants and Roads. Interpreting and advising clients of their options in relation to easements, covenants, roads and other issues affecting land titles and subdivisions (particularly land which is the subject of a proposed development application).
- Planning & Environment matters in the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
- Trespass. Trespass and nuisance claims (e.g. noise allegations including those under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act; claims relating to trespass including by an encroaching building, crane, ground anchor or tree).
Public Law:
- Judicial Review applications (AAT, Supreme Court, Federal Court).
I act for a wide range of clients including individuals, small and large corporations, trustees, government agencies and councils.
Notable cases:
My experience has included some interesting cases. Some are noted below:
- Kudlicki v Director of Housing [2019] VBAB 41 (Protection work, damage to adjoining property)
- 160 Leicester Pty Ltd v City of Melbourne, VBA, EPA [2019] VCC 1430
- Janney v Steller Works Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 363 (Injunction, trespass relating to crane oversail in Elwood)
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources v Stella [2016] VSC 260 (Self Managed Super Fund affected by compulsory acquisition);
- Hoskin v Greater Bendigo City Council [2015] VSCA 350 (special leave application to the High Court dismissed on 15 June 2016 – see Hoskin v VCAT [2016] HCASL 132) (the Bendigo Mosque case);
- Yu v Minister For Health [2013] FCA 261 (the Kilmore Pharmacy case);
- Chapman v Plenty Views Pty Ltd [2009] VCC 1271 (Golf Balls from adjoining driving range causing nuisance).