From complex disputes and off-the-plan sales to options, strata, building issues and AML/CTF compliance, conveyancers are navigating an increasingly demanding risk environment. This conference takes a practical look at the developments affecting day-to-day practice, including recent NSW court decisions, misleading or deceptive conduct in property marketing, building and strata risks, easement disputes and conflicts of interest. Hear from leading practitioners on what the latest cases and regulatory changes mean in practice, where problems are emerging and how to better protect your clients and your practice.

Presenters

Paul Denny, Principal, Bowral Conveyancing
Paul has had a wealth of experience in the conveyancing world, starting his career in Adelaide in 1978. He established himself as one of the most trusted conveyancers in South Australia, quickly building up a high reputation with real estate agents and clients alike. It wasn’t until 1993 that conveyancing was recognized as a profession in NSW – until then, only solicitors were permitted to engage in property transactions. Seeing the opportunity, Paul decided to relocate his business to Sydney and became the very first licensed conveyancer in NSW. Paul opened his first office in Lane Cove, and over the last 20 years he has continued to build Paul Denny Conveyancing.


Allison Benson, Principal, Benson Legal
Allison has represented clients at all levels of court proceedings — including the Court of Appeal and before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). Her litigation background spans contractual claims, interpreting lot property and common property, by-law interpretation, common property maintenance, repairs and loss claims, unit entitlement re- allocations, compulsory management matters, management rights disputes, building defect matters and levy recovery. Since the 2015 strata law reforms she has also been active in strata renewal work, guiding owners corporations and lot owners through this complex process. Allison's approach is pragmatic and straightforward — focused on her clients' needs and the cost-effective resolution of every matter. Allison is a Fellow of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers and regularly writes and presents on strata law.

David Jury, Partner, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
David has practised in building and construction industry for 25years and has particular expertise in adjoining land owner issues including proceedings under section 88K of the Conveyancing Act. David’s clients include, Contractors, Developers and specialist subcontractors. David provides advice on tendering, project delivery, contract administration and dispute resolution including processes under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act.


Sydney Jacobs, Barrister, Mediator & Expert Determiner, 13 Wentworth Chambers
Sydney Jacobs is a barrister, accredited mediator and a Bar ADR Expert Determiner, with a longstanding specialist practice in easement, covenant and real property disputes. He is widely briefed in matters involving the creation (e.g. by long user), interpretation and validity of easements, their enforcement and imposition by applications under s 88K of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW). Such disputes might concern rights of carriageway, stormwater, other utilities, crane swing and rock anchors. These matters involve both Torrens and Old System land. An LL.M graduate of the University of Cambridge, Sydney practices broadly in commercial equity and property law, with experience across partnership and corporate disputes, building and construction matters, strata disputes, leasing, and contracts for the sale of land, including off-the-plan sales, rescission and termination, specific performance, relief against forfeiture, recovery of deposits, and notices to perform or complete. He is also briefed in disputes involving options, rights of first refusal, and restraint of trade. For 20 years, Sydney was the sole author of Commercial Damages and Injunctions: Law and Practice, and a contributor to Commercial & International Arbitration (Thomson Reuters). His practice is characterised by doctrinal depth and practical, outcome-focused advice, informed by extensive experience in complex property and easement disputes

Michael Osborne, Principal Lawyer, Osbornes Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Property Law
Michael Osborne is the principal of Osbornes Lawyers and has been in private practice for nearly 30 years. Osbornes Lawyers is a speciality legal practice focusing on commercial and business law, with particular expertise in real property. Michael is an accredited property specialist, chair of the Advisory Committee for the Law Society of New South Wales for the specialist accreditation scheme in property, a member of the Property Committee of the Law Society. Michael has extensive practical experience in most aspects of property law, including options, sales, acquisitions, strata and community title, and commercial and retail leasing. He particularly specialises in property development - structuring and documenting the acquisition and sale of the site and the associated work: joint venture or shareholder agreements, building contracts, development management agreements, financing and security, leasing, advice on stamp duty and GST, and off the plan sales. In the period 2011 to 2013, Michael served as a member and alternate chair of the Minister for Fair Trading's Experts' Committee on retirement village contracts to draft the standard retirement village contract. That document is now comprised in schedule 2 of the Retirement Villages Regulation 2009.

Katelin Whitley, Principal, Bestic Law
Katelin Whitley is the principal of Bestic Law located in Sydney and the Hunter Valley and practices primarily in succession, trust, and property law matters. She was admitted to practice in 2001 and was recognised by the NSW Law Society as an Accredited Wills and Estates Specialist in 2011 and as an Accredited Property Law Specialist in 2021. She works on both simple and high-level estate planning and acts on estate administrations including for large and complex estates. She has considerable experience advising and acting on contested estate litigation including lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence cases, family provision claims, construction of will litigation, and application of the Forfeiture Act. Katelin has represented estates, applicants, and beneficiaries. Katelin has completed her Master of Laws at the University of Sydney and Master of Forensic Mental Health in the UNSW School of Psychiatry. She has been lecturing in the College of Law Wills & Estates Master of Applied Law program since 2017, is a member of the Law Society NSW Property Law Committee, and was a member of the Law Society NSW Accredited Wills & Estates Specialists Committee from 2012 to 2022. Katelin is also a Notary Public.


Dominic Maley, Partner, Maclarens Lawyers
Dominic Maley was made a partner of Maclarens Lawyers in 2015. He is a Casual Academic at WSU, where since 2017 he has been the sole lecturer in Professional Practice and Building Law, and more recently he has taken up positions at the university teaching Building Law (under grad), Construction Law (post grad) (Course Coordinator), and the Expert Evidence modules of Construction Claims. He is also a Casual Academic at UTS, where he is the Course Coordinator in the following subjects: Property Transactions, Contractual Documentation, and Construction Law. Dominic has built up a large practice in option contracts, conveyancing, easements, retail and commercial leasing, and property law related litigation.

Christopher Conolly, Consultant, Colin Biggers & Paisley
Christopher Conolly is a consultant at Colin Biggers & Paisley and has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial property law including agreements for lease, project development agreements, subdivisions and options. As an accredited specialist in property law Christopher regularly advises on complex property transactions such as in leasehold transactions, contaminated land, compulsory acquisitions, public positive covenants and planning agreements. His clients include government departments and authorities, aged care providers, urban and regional developers and corporations. Christopher is the author of the 'Options' section of Practical Legal Guidance by LexisNexis and, with Gary Newton, "Land Acquisitions" 7th Edition 2017.

John Nguyen, Founder,
John Nguyen is the Founder of AML Partners, an Australian AML/CTF compliance firm helping businesses meet their obligations under AUSTRAC’s Tranche 2 reforms. Before founding AML Partners, John spent more than 10 years in AML compliance roles at Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ and Suncorp, with a period at Ernst & Young. Inside those institutions he saw first-hand how AML compliance works when it is treated as an ongoing risk management function rather than a one-off project. That experience shapes everything AML Partners does. John founded AML Partners to make AML compliance simpler, faster and more practical for Australian businesses. The firm offers a fully outsourced compliance service for real estate agencies, conveyancers, buyer’s agents and other property businesses, and manages program documentation, risk assessments, staff training, customer screening and regulatory reporting on behalf of its clients. Its FlowAML platform supports onboarding, screening and monitoring, so that agencies can keep their focus on serving customers while the compliance work is run by specialists. AML Partners now supports more than 300 Australian businesses, bringing the standards of mature, regulated environments to a sector meeting AML obligations for the first time.

Hannah Wilcox, Barrister, Eight Selbourne Chambers
Hannah was called to the Bar in 2025. She accepts briefs in all areas of law. Immediately prior to coming to the Bar, Hannah practiced in commercial litigation at Clyde & Co. Previous to that, she was the Associate to the Honourable Justice Rein in the Equity Division of the Supreme Court. Hannah has a broad practice, with a particular interest in general equity, commercial law, family provision & probate, property law, family law, migration, contract law, insurance law, and international law. Hannah holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws from the University of Sydney, and a Masters of Maritime Policy from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security (ANCORS) at University of Wollongong. She has a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours from the Australian National University (ANU). Hannah is currently completing a PhD on the international law of the sea.