Pete is a Special Counsel specialising in environment, planning and compulsory acquisition and has over 17 years of experience in a broad range of environment and planning law advisory and litigious matters. Pete has worked with key public and private sector clients in the infrastructure, renewable and non-renewable energy, mining and resources, waste management, and property development sectors.
He has extensive experience in compulsory acquisition and valuation of land matters, acting for both dispossessed owners and acquiring authorities and has advised public and private sector clients on heritage (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultural heritage) and Aboriginal land claim matters, as well as responses to regulatory investigations and enforcement action, responses to environmental incidents, and advice with respect to contaminated land. Pete has also advised clients with respect to Federal environmental legislation and native title issues.
Pete has assisted with environment and planning due diligence for major projects in both the public and private sectors, with a focus, more recently, on renewable and energy-transition/energy storage projects, including advice on environment, planning, regulatory and third-party risk and advice on environment and planning risk and liability provisions in transaction documents.
Pete is an experienced environment, planning and compulsory acquisition litigator and has instructed Junior and Senior Counsel in complex environment, planning and compulsory acquisition proceedings in the Land and Environment Court of NSW and the NSW Court of Appeal, including criminal prosecutions, merit appeals, judicial review proceedings with respect to environment and planning approvals and decision-making and compulsory acquisition matters. Pete also appears as a solicitor as required in interlocutory hearings before the Land and Environment Court of NSW.
