Brendan is a planning, environment and resources lawyer specialising in renewable and traditional energy, climate change litigation, land access, property, water entitlements, native title and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
He is a highly experienced First Nations lawyer advising on future act agreements, extinguishment reports and native title proceedings.
Brendan advises clients across New South Wales and Queensland on regulatory and environmental approvals throughout all stages of energy projects. He has strong expertise in navigating complex planning and licensing frameworks.
Brendan has been listed in Best Lawyers from 2018 to 2026.
Experience
- Advising clients of resource projects in both New South Wales and Queensland for applications for mining leases and environmental authorities.
- Acting for Waratah Coal (part of the Mineralogy Group) on the Galilee Coal Project Queensland Land Court proceedings for a mining objection hearing. This included groundbreaking climate change litigation relating to the impact of climate change on the human rights of Queensland including sea level rise in the Torres Strait.
- Acting for the holder of offtake agreements in relation to their financing of heavy metals mining projects.
- Acting for the charter party of a floating LNG vessel in relatin to the long term berthing of the vessel for domestic NSW gas supplies.
- Acting for owners and developers regarding biodiversity credit agreements.
- Acting for various clients including port authorities in relation to contamination.
- Acting for a quarry operator in relation to Class 4 enforcement Land and Environment proceedings brought by a local Government authority seeking to enforce planning laws against a quarry operator.
- Drafting and negotiating a range of voluntary planning agreements for local and regional development.
- Acting for a range of clients on various property matters including acquisition and sale, redevelopment and subdivision of properties.
- Advising on a range of planning and environmental matters including seniors housing permissibility and biodiversity impacts.
- Acting in Class 1 merits appeals in Land and Environment Court for a range of clients seeking planning approval for developments ranging from a $90 million subdivision through to local alterations and additions.
- Advising on incident management and response to safety and environmental matters including responding to clean up notices and show cause notices.
- Acting for defendants in environmental prosecutions by the NSW EPA.
- Advising on matters relating to funding of growth State infrastructure contributions.
- Advising clients on the requirements for controlled activity approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cth).
Best Lawyers in Australia 2017-2026
Planning & Environment Law
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022-2025
Environment and planning
- Member, Law Society of NSW