Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Professional Skills
Skills for Drafting and Responding to Planning Submissions and Appeals
Effective drafting can significantly influence the outcome of planning matters. This practical skills session examines how to prepare clear and persuasive planning submissions and appeal documents, as well as how to critically assess and respond to arguments raised by other parties. Gain practical techniques for identifying the key issues, structuring submissions, presenting evidence and arguments effectively, and strengthening your advocacy in planning disputes.
Presented by Mark Cowan, Special Counsel, Cooper Grace Ward
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Chair
Breellen Warry, Partner, Maddocks; Leading Town Planning & Development Lawyer – New South Wales, Doyle's Guide 2025
Presenters
Mark Cowan, Special Counsel, Cooper Grace WardMark brings 20 years of experience in resolving planning, environment and land access issues, working across private practice and in-house government and commercial roles. Mark is a special counsel in Cooper Grace Ward’s planning and environment team. He delivers commercial results for clients by combining 20 years of specialist legal expertise in planning, environment and land access, with his broader experience as former legal counsel and environmental planner in local government.
Breellen Warry, Partner, Maddocks
With over 18 years’ experience, Breellen specialises in all areas of planning and environmental law. Breellen advises local and State Government clients, in addition to a range of private sector clients, including within the development industry, waste and education sectors. As well as working in private practice in Sydney and London, she has worked as an inhouse counsel for a number of government agencies in NSW and in the UK, as well as being seconded to NSW Government agencies. Breellen also has a particular interest in waste regulation, contamination, biodiversity conservation, climate change, environmental markets, pollution and heritage matters. Breellen has been recognised in the Doyle's Guide as a Leading Planning & Development Lawyer – New South Wales since 2020 and in the 2021 and 2022 Editions of Best Lawyers for Planning and Environmental Law. She is recommended by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023) Guide for her work in Native Title.
