Our Services

We are specialist legal advisors to the local government industry. Our core practice is the provision of legal advice, court representation and other legal services to Councils and the Local Government Association of Queensland ("LGAQ") on town planning and general local government issues.

The firm's services are more specifically grouped as follows:-

Planning & Environment Group

  • Planning: Appeals and advice; Scheme reviews; Prosecutions and injunctions.
  • Environment: EPA appeals and advice; EPA prosecutions and injunctions.
  • Administrative and Industrial: Freedom of Information; Judicial Review; Disciplinary processes; Anti-Discrimination (including sex discrimination).
Group members are David Kevin, Robert Livingstone-Ward, Michael Quirk, John Butt, Kristie Taylor, Terry Law, Elizabeth Hussey, Reggie Hopson, Michael Cerruto, Mandy Sultana, Wendy Fearn, Laura Browne and Casey Sheilds

Commercial Litigation Group

  • Liability Litigation: Advice and litigation in the defence of public liability and professional indemnity claims against local governments.
  • Commercial Litigation: Local law prosecutions; Land Court hearings; Infrastructure construction disputes; Contract and commercial disputes; Debt recovery; Rating powers litigation; Land and Resources Tribunal hearings; and Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission matters.

Group members are Mark Williams, John Butt, Kristie Taylor, Darius Isaacs,  Peita Crombie and Tiana Keller

Advisory Group

  • Contract and Commercial: Waste management contracts; Reusable water agreements; Enterprise agreements & operating structures; Tender & contract documentation; Property acquisitions & resumptions; Construction contracts & contract administration.
  • Specialist Advice: Specialist advice on all local government legal issues; LGAQ Legal Opinions Service.

Group members are Tim Fynes-Clinton, John Woods, James Neilson, Mark Freudenberg, George Fletcher, Karyn Wernham, James Hastie, Kym Bayliss, Lesley Devine, Mandy Gray and Karlene Sheldrake.

Administration Support Group

The Administration Support Group provides additional essential accounting and administrative support to the firm. Group members are Tim Fynes-Clinton, Richard Caskie, Tanya Moore,  Daniel Powell, Azra Hadzic