Don’t let yourself or your client be exposed! Stay vigilant and informed across recent amendments to strata legislation, the Home Building Act, FIRB, and the government’s recent steps to adjust land use planning policies. Get proactive and avoid costly errors by unpacking purchaser rights, vendor liability, and contract claims intricacies. From breaches in regulations to missed opportunities and disputes, neglecting these crucial aspects can jeopardise any conveyancing transaction.

Presenters

Kevin Tang, Barrister, Eighth Floor Wentworth Chambers
Kevin commenced his career as a solicitor in the large firms in Sydney practising in commercial litigation. Prior to coming to the Bar, he was a Judge's Associate to the Hon PA Bergin AO SC in the Equity Division of the NSW Supreme Court. Since coming to the Bar in 2013, appears regularly in commercial and equity matters in the Supreme Court NSW, and takes a particular interest in real property, corporations, wills and trusts. He has acted for charitable trusts, for religious institutions in ecclesiastical/canon law matters.  Kevin is a member of the Eighth Floor of Wentworth Chambers. Outside of those areas he has appeared in appellate courts and in other jurisdictions.


Andrew Grima, Partner, Bartier Perry Lawyers
Andrew Grima is a Partner at Bartier Perry. Andrew has significant experience and expertise in all facets of retail and commercial leasing, including: assisting and advising both landlords and tenants in their negotiations; drafting leases and other related transactions; assignments, surrenders and enforcement of obligations. Andrew also has extensive experience in major leasing and construction projects. Andrew approaches his legal matters in a practical way -getting to the real issues at hand by bringing clients together to communicate with each other about their concerns. By getting the parties to the table quickly, Andrew finds that they are able to move past the legal fog to identify the real issues. This means matters are usually resolved quickly and efficiently, allowing his clients to focus on running their businesses. Andrew has acted for clients across a range of industries with regard to leases for premises of various sizes including national franchisors, retailers and distributors, local subsidiaries of foreign companies, ASX listed companies, local councils, government departments and government related entities, universities and SMEs. He has also acted on behalf of landlords in negotiating and drafting leases of sites to telecommunications carriers for the purposes of providing telecommunications facilities. Depth of experience and exposure to a wide range of clients and sectors provides Andrew with the expertise to resolve your legal needs. In addition to his legal and economics and accountancy degrees, Andrew is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a sound understanding of the financial and governance issues affecting companies. Andrew also has experience in commercial securities and has acted on behalf of major clients such as financial institutions, a listed pharmaceutical company and numerous manufacturing and supply companies with regard to drafting and registering securities and related transactions. In keeping with the firm's core values, Andrew has a strong commitment to the community. He regularly presents to peers and clients in his particular areas of expertise with a strong emphasis on providing training for other lawyers and his clients' in-house teams.


Aaron Gadiel, Partner, Mills Oakley
Aaron is a well-known planning and environment law specialist - with more than 20 years' experience in land use planning and development regulation. Aaron provides practical advice to facilitate urban development and to overcome red tape. He is also an experienced litigator - representing property developers and landowners in Land and Environment Court proceedings on a daily basis. Aaron regularly negotiates major planning agreements with local councils and state government agencies. Aaron advises and represents property developers, certifying authorities and public sector organisations. Aaron was a member of the Law Society’s Environmental Planning and Development Committee from 2009 to 2016.


Ian McKnight, Special Counsel, Pobi Lawyers
Ian McKnight is a Practice Group leader and widely regarded as a doyen of strata law in New South Wales. His standing has been earned over the course of a 43 year career bestriding property law and strata management. Unique amongst property lawyers, Ian is a genuine specialist. Strata and community title law is not a part time pursuit, it forms the core of his day-to-day legal practice. He brings firsthand experience of the strata challenges to his advice from his time as a director of a corporate strata management firm. A sought after keynote speaker, Ian provides regular education sessions to the Real Estate Institute of Australia and on occasion to Strata Community Australia. He publishes widely on the subject of strata law. Ian counts among his clients strata managing agents, owners corporations, developers, building managers, property professionals, real estate investors and regulators.


Lisa To, Partner, Bartier Perry
Lisa To is a Partner in the Private Clients Team at Bartier Perry Lawyers and has over 20 years' experience specialising in federal and state taxation, superannuation, trusts, estate planning and business succession planning. She is a SMSF Specialist Advisor with the SMSF Association and a Chartered Taxation Advisor (CTA) with the Taxation Institute. Lisa holds a double degree in law and accounting and Masters of Tax from the University of Sydney. Lisa sits on the NSW Law Society and Revenue NSW liaison committee. She has significant experience in property transactions involving foreign acquisitions, property development and entity structures. Lisa manages all stages of tax and SMSF disputes, reviews, audits, private ruling applications, and objections with the ATO and State Revenue authorities.


Jennifer McCosker, Partner, K&L Gates
Jennifer is a partner in the Real Estate team at K&L Gates. Jennifer advises on private and public real estate, corporate real estate and private equity transactions including acquisitions, disposals, real estate finance, leasing and development matters. She has a particular focus on sales and acquisitions for commercial, retail, industrial and mixed-use properties, real estate finance, property due diligence, commercial and retail leasing, and large-scale development and construction projects.


Christina Tohme, Lawyer, K&L Gates
Christina is a lawyer in the Real Estate team at K&L Gates. Christina has experience in a variety of property related matters. She has acted for some of Australia's leading landlords and tenants, Real Estate Investment Trusts, large property development companies and government entities. Christina has worked closely with clients in expanding their leasing portfolio's across multiple jurisdictions in Australia. In particular, she has assisted in drafting, negotiating and providing advice to clients in relation to their commercial, industrial and retail leasing assets. Christina also has experience in large scale capital transactions, mixed-use developments, strata and residential property development work and preparing high level due diligence reports for landlords and lenders.


Harry Woods, Barrister, Tenth Floor Chambers
Harry maintains a diverse practice, regularly representing clients across a broad spectrum of commercial law matters. His extensive practice extends to acting in general commercial disputes, building and construction, administrative law, employment and industrial law, consumer law and trade practices disputes, as well insolvency and bankruptcy matters. He has also developed expertise in judicial and merits reviews of decisions involving applications pursuant to the National Health Act for approvals to supply pharmaceutical benefits. Appearing predominantly in New South Wales, and occasionally interstate, the jurisdictions in which Harry has gained experience includes the Federal Court of Australia, including the Full Bench of the Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Cth), Fair Work Commission, Supreme Court of New South Wales and New South Wales Court of Appeal, District and Local Courts of New South Wales, Industrial Relations Commission (NSW) and the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) including the NCAT Appeal Panel. A hard-working and approachable barrister, Harry’s commercial and strategic approach is to also consider the cost and financial position of the client when providing advice and/or representation. Complementing his litigation practice, Harry has an appreciation for the variety of ways in which disputes can be resolved and has appeared as both counsel and mediator in disputes and his strong commercial and legal mindset sees him providing practical, cost-effective and efficient advice.


Allison Benson, Principal, Kerin Benson Lawyers
Allison is a strata & community titles lawyer who has provided general advice, acted in disputes, including building defect disputes, and worked with clients in preparing and enforcing by-laws and strata management statements since 2008. From 2012, Allison has acted exclusively on behalf of owners corporations, associations and lot owners in respect of providing advice and acting in strata and community association disputes and also in respect of building and construction disputes.


Tony Di Francesco, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Called to the bar in 2007, Tony practices generally in commercial, building and construction and real property disputes. Prior to coming to the bar Tony practiced as a solicitor at Home Wilkinson Lowry (now HWL Ebsworth) from June 2005 – June 2007 and Michell Sillar Attorneys from 2000-2005.