Navigate the major Environmental Law Reform in Victoria. Sweeping legislative reform is reshaping Victoria’s environmental law landscape, with significant implications for approvals, compliance, enforcement and judicial review. This timely and practical session is designed for environmental and planning lawyers who need to understand not just what has changed—but how the reforms will operate in practice. Led by leading experts in environmental and public law, the program will unpack the key elements of the new framework, examine transitional and implementation issues and explore the practical consequences for advising clients across the public and private sectors.

Presenters

Jess Kaczmarek, Principal Lawyer, S&K Planning Lawyers
Jess is a lawyer and a qualified urban planner. She is an experienced advocate who routinely represents clients at Planning Panels Victoria and in disputed proceedings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Jess is valued by her clients for her pragmatic approach to dealing with complex problems. She is clear thinking and direct in the advice she gives and remains focused on the outcomes her client are seeking to achieve. Jess has particular expertise in strategic planning law (including Precinct Structure Plans, Development Contributions Plans and Infrastructure Contributions Plans), major infrastructure projects approvals, Aboriginal cultural heritage and native vegetation law. Her statutory planning experience includes advising developer clients in relation to major retail and mixed-use commercial developments, site specific controls and other incorporated documents and Ministerial call-ins. Doyle’s Guide recognised Jess as a Planning and Environment Rising Star in 2018 and 2019 and as a recommended Town Planning and Development Lawyer (Victoria) in 2020 and 2021.

Andrew Iser, Partner, Holding Redlich
Andrew has extensive experience as a planning lawyer across a wide range of property developments and planning law scenarios. Before admission as lawyer, Andrew was a commercial architect for over 15 years. Andrew regularly appears before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Planning Panels and Ministerial Advisory Committees, and advises in relation to planning matters, including residential, industrial, mixed use and commercial developments, staged subdivisions, planning scheme amendments, precinct structure plans, cultural heritage management plans and existing use rights. Andrew also has considerable experience negotiating and drafting section 173 Agreements on behalf of landowners and developers. Andrew brings a deep understanding of the commercial exigencies of private development of varying size and complexity. In 2024 and 2025, Andrew was recognised as ‘One to Watch’ by Australia’s Best Lawyers Award.

Eliza Minney, Partner, Best Hooper Lawyers
Eliza is a Partner in our Planning Team, with a practice that focuses on large scale redevelopments in Urban, Brownfields and Greenfields sites. Having been admitted to the profession in December 2013, Eliza has extensive experience as a town planning lawyer, prior to which she gained experience as a property and commercial lawyer. Eliza has extensive experience advising and managing consultant and expert witness teams from conception of a project to issue of a permit through VCAT, Panels or Advisory Committees and has successfully managed some of the largest projects in our planning team (with great success). Eliza was recognised as a Recommended Lawyer by Doyle’s Guide 2023 and 2024 and is a board member of VPELA and is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria. Eliza is outcome focused, a strong strategic thinker and prides herself on the depth of her case strategy from initial engagement.

Megan Schroor, Principal Lawyer, S&K Planning Lawyers
Megan is an experienced lawyer who advises developers and landowners in a range of planning and environment matters including project approvals, enforcement, restrictive covenants and compulsory land acquisition and compensation. She has particular experience in obtaining approvals for freeway service centres, service stations and residential developments. She also specialises in negotiating and drafting agreements between landowners, developers and statutory authorities. She routinely represents clients at VCAT and coordinates projects involving counsel, designers and experts from a range of fields. Megan is known for her attention to detail and her ability to build rapport with clients. She quickly understands her clients’ key concerns and works hard to help them achieve their commercial objectives. Complex matters which require detailed analysis and clear strategic solutions are Megan’s particular strength. Doyle’s Guide recognised Megan as a Planning and Environment Rising Star in 2017 and 2019 and as a recommended Town Planning and Development Lawyer (Victoria) in 2020 and 2021.