BEST HOOPER - Key Persons
Amelia joined Best Hooper Disputes and Litigation Team in September 2022 bringing a range of property law experience to the practice.
Having completed her Bachelor of Laws from Deakin, Amelia was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria in March 2021, where she joined a boutique law firm as a member of the Planning and Environment team. Prior to admission Amelia was a Senior Paralegal working with a highly regarded barrister for some years with a focus of property litigation matters before the Supreme and County Courts.
Amelia works across a range of contentious property law matters including within the following areas:
Adverse possession
Boundary encroachments and fencing disputes
Private nuisance, including water run-off and noise interference
Restrictive covenants
Easements
Roads and public highways at common law
Building disputes
Owners Corporations matters
Amelia grew up in regional Victoria, moving to Melbourne to pursue Law. Amelia is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria
Amelia has over four years of experience in all areas of Law be it Property Development and Subdivisions, Purchase/Sales, Leasing, Wills & Estates or Family Law.
Amelia's experience is primarily in the following areas:
Sales and purchases of residential, commercial, industrial and rural real estate including off the plan sales;
Small and large-scale land subdivisions, consolidations and property developments;
Sales and purchases of commercial and rural real estate;
Drafting of bespoke contracts of sale and deeds of agreement ;
Review, advices and negotiations of contracts of sale;
Retail shop, Commercial and Industrial leases and licences;
Liquor licensing;
Sales and purchases of businesses; and
Estate Administration, Probates, Part IV Claims and Mediations (Estate Litigation)
Andrew is a planning lawyer and former commercial architect. Admitted to practice law in 2017, Andrew holds a Juris Doctor (hons) from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Architecture (hons) from Deakin University.
Andrew's practice includes providing strategic and practical advice in various planning matters and appearances before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Planning Panels Victoria. In 2024 Andrew was recognised as ‘One to Watch' by Australia's Best Lawyers Award.
Andrew is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association.
Andy is a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Best Hooper.
He joined the firm in 2021, bringing with him a robust range of dispute resolution experience gained from having worked in an international law firm, an Australian national firm and at the Australian Government Solicitor. Andy has acted in a broad span of dispute matters for local and international companies, property developers and individuals, as well as a number of Commonwealth departments and ministers. His varied experience gives him a commercially-savvy and technically-astute approach to working with clients to achieve desired outcomes.
Andy can assist you with general and complex commercial litigation and disputes across all Victorian Courts and Tribunals. He primarily works on disputes relating to:
The sale and purchase of land, including contract rescissions, instances of non-disclosure by vendors in the vendor statement, and matters concerning alleged misleading and deceptive conduct;
Commercial and retail tenancies;
Caveats;
Easements;
Roads and public highways;
Trees, including local tree law permits;
The development of land;
Owners corporations;
Subdivisions and amendments to plans of subdivision;
Domestic building defects and breaches of warranties;
Domestic building contracts;
Protection work, including dilapidation surveys, adjoining property access, the recovery of assessment costs, and insurances;
Report and consent;
Building notices and building orders;
Flows of water, or interferences with flows of water, or leaks, from one property to another;
Adverse possession claims;
Fencing and boundaries;
Joint ventures;
Shareholder oppression; and
General and commercial agreements.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor in the Planning Team
Chris is a solicitor in the Planning team at Best Hooper and joined the team in 2022.
He has broad experience advising, and advocating on behalf of, local government and developer clients in respect of a broad range of planning and environment matters, with particular experience in planning enforcement and liquor licence applications. Chris also has significant experience in advising local government clients in respect of governance matters broadly and brings an intricate understanding of the local government sector to his practice at Best Hooper.
Job Titles:
- Group Counsel and Development Director
- Special Counsel
Daniel has served as Group Counsel and Development Director for leading family offices in Australia, playing an instrumental role in their success. Daniel provides legal, commercial and strategy advice to developers, contractors and high net worth family offices.
Dominic's career in law began in 1990. He joined Best Hooper in 1999 and since 2001 has been a partner practising in our Planning and Environment group. He has extensive experience in town planning, liquor licensing and land development. Dominic was ranked in the "Recommended" category of the 2018 edition of Leading Planning and Environment Lawyers published by Doyles.
His practice includes advising on the Local Government Act 1989, the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998.
Edward holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) from Monash University.
Edward grew up in regional Victoria, and with this foundation, he established laneway ‘pop-up' bars in Warrnambool and Geelong. He also co-founded a Young Professionals Network for the region and was subsequently nominated for the Victorian Young Achiever Awards.
Upon graduation, Edward began his career as a graduate with an international bank before moving into their legal services division for three years as he completed his Masters qualification. In 2016, Edward undertook a secondment in the UK House of Commons as a parliamentary researcher for Stephen Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
Upon his return to Australia, Edward joined Best Hooper within our Planning and Land Development Team and includes the provision of legal advice and advocacy on behalf of developer clients at VCAT and Planning Panels Victoria. In 2022 Edward was recognised in Doyle's Guide as a Rising Star in Property Law and backed up this impressive recognition by again being recognised in Doyle's Guide 2023 as a Rising Star and as ‘One to Watch' by Australia's Best Lawyers Awards.
Job Titles:
- Lawyer
- Member of the Law Institute of Victoria
Eli was admitted to practice in August 2018 and has since practiced in the Planning & Environment space.
Eli has a broad range of experience in planning and environment and can assist you with matters in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Planning Panels Victoria and any other planning related matter.
Eli is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association
Eliza joined Best Hooper's town planning practice in February 2018 as an Associate Lawyer.
Having been admitted to practice in December 2013, Eliza has extensive experience as a town planning lawyer, prior to which she gained experience as a property and commercial lawyer.
Elsie joined Best Hooper in 2022 as a lead conveyancer in our Property and Transactions Team.
Elsie completed a Bachelor degree in Accounting in 2014 but always had a keen interest in property and has always worked in the property industry. She became an independently qualified conveyancer in 2018 but brings with her over 4 years of experience in that field. Her accounting background, organization and attention to detail are all skills that she draws on daily to handle conveyancing and property transactions smoothly. She is also fluent in Mandarin.
As part of the Property and Transactions Team, Elsie mainly assists in the following areas:
Sales and purchases of residential and commercial real estate including off the plan sales;
Pre-Contract reviews and advices;
Purchasers caveats and s27 deposit releases;
Small and large-scale land subdivisions and property developments;
Arranging settlements through Property Exchange Australia (PEXA) and Duties Online (DOL) portals.
Emily has been a member of Best Hooper's town planning practice since November 2015.
Emily regularly appears as an advocate in planning proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Planning Panels Victoria on behalf of applicants and developers. She also advises and appears for defendants in planning and building criminal prosecution matters in the Magistrates' Court as well as in applications concerning liquor licences before Liquor Control Victoria.
With qualifications in environmental science and family ties to central Victoria, Emily has a particular focus on land use and development applications in regional and rural Victoria and matters involving contamination and environmental issues.
Emily was recently named as ‘One to Watch' by Australia's Best Lawyers Awards 2024. Emily is a member of the Urban Developers Institute of Australia's North East (Bendigo) Chapter, the Victorian Planning and Environmental Lawyer Association and the Law Institute of Victoria.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Head of Our Budding Property Law
Giancarlo Romano is head of our budding Property Law and Transactions Team following his promotion to Principal Lawyer in July 2020 after joining Best Hooper in 2017.
He draws on over 13 years of experience in property law primarily representing vendors, purchasers and small to large-scale developers in both Queensland and Victorian jurisdictions. Giancarlo has managed the transactions of over $1billion of property in the past five years alone and also has vast experience in childcare, commercial and retail shop leasing.
He was admitted to practice in 2012 in the Supreme Court of Queensland with Bachelor degrees in both Law and Business (Accountancy) from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and formerly practiced as Partner of a boutique property practice in Queensland. He is admitted to the High Court of Australia and is a Member of both the Queensland Law Society and Law Institute of Victoria. He was also recognised as a Finalist in the 2020 Australian Law Awards for Senior Associate of the Year in 2020.
Giancarlo has expertise in practice in the following areas:
Sales and purchases of residential, commercial, industrial and rural real estate including off the plan sales;
Small and large-scale land subdivisions and property developments;
Retail, Shopping Centre, Commercial and Industrial leases and licences;
Childcare leases, agreements for lease and joint venture agreements;
Legal due diligence for property acquisitions
Business Sales and purchases;
Finance arrangements and securities;
Easements, Subdivisions and Owners Corporation advices;
Giancarlo represents many developers, both private individuals and proprietary corporations and credits his success to his ability to provide intuitive, cost effective and efficient solutions for his clients. He believes in building trusting relationships with clients built on a desire to continuously exceed their expectations and add value to their business at all stages of the property ownership lifecycle.
Helen's expertise spans over 8 years of experience across a diverse range of legal matters.
Helen has acted for developers, high net worth individuals and small to medium enterprises in a number of corporate environments (both legal and non-legal) which enables her to balance commerciality with empathy.
In practice since 1966, Ian is pre-eminent as an advocate in town planning, land compensation and related jurisdictions practising principally in the planning jurisdiction of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, before rezoning and environment effects Panels and the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Doyle's Guide has most recently recognised Ian as a Leading Lawyer in Doyle's Guide 2023 as well as being recognised as one of the preeminent leading Planning and Environment lawyers in Melbourne by Doyle's Guide (2017-2023). He is also ranked amongst the Best Lawyers in Australia (2017-2024). His expertise has been recognised by his past appointments as consultant solicitor to the Ministry of Planning and Environment, Local Government arbitrator, part-time Chairman of the Land Valuation Board of Review, lecturer, a seminar speaker and by taking silk in 2001.
Ian was a partner of the firm until 2001 and senior partner until 2006. He remains with the firm as Special Counsel.
Job Titles:
- Managing Principal
- Member of the Urban Development Institute of Australia
Joel's practice at Best Hooper focuses on offering value to landowners and developers at all stages of the property development lifecycle. The core of this practice is facilitating project delivery in Victoria's new towns and suburbs, being the Greenfields. While this involves both experience in delivery and client-focused resolutions, Joel's focus is always with a solid understanding of commercial considerations while adopting a quasi-project management role.
Core clients range from high-net worth families with variable development experience, to experienced developers, to publicly listed companies. He also regularly acts for owners' corporations in relation to management of properties and the treatment of common property. The service provided depends on the client's requirements including total project management, facilitation on a particular stage or complex strategic advice.
Joel's principal areas of practice include:
Compulsory Land Acquisition and Compensation.
Planning Compensation from Public Reservations (including Loss on Sale Claims).
Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC).
Public Infrastructure Works and Projects.
Water, Sewerage and Gas Infrastructure.
Precinct Structure Plans and Development Contributions.
Section 173 Agreements.
Land Access and Construction Agreements.
Private Acquisitions of Easements or Removals of Rights of Way.
Development Project Management and Advice.
Protection Works.
Adverse Possession and Boundary Disputes.
Road and Laneways including Claims or Discontinuations.
Subdivisions and Owners Corporations.
In addition to his advisory and representative role, Joel is an experienced litigator, and regularly represents clients in a range of jurisdictions including:
Building Appeals Board (BAB).
Planning Panels Victoria (PPV).
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Magistrates' Court of Victoria.
County and Supreme Courts of Victoria including Court of Appeal.
Joel has completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Melbourne Business School, which gives him a unique insight into a client's commercial priorities.
Joel is a member of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Property Institute of Australia and the Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Special Counsel
John was admitted as a partner in 1993, bringing to the firm expertise and experience acquired in a legal career which commenced in 1976.
He appears regularly as an advocate in the town planning jurisdiction and has extensive experience in town planning law, Local Government law, environmental planning law, property development and liquor licensing.
He is a fellow of VPELA, a former President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) and the Chair of the UDIA planning committee.
John was recognised in Doyle's Guide in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 as a Preeminent Lawyer. He is also ranked amongst the Best Lawyers in Australia (2017-2023 eds). He has also been recognised with The Best Lawyers in Australia Award every year since 2017. In 2024 he was recognised as the Best Lawyer in Australia for Land Use and Zoning Law in Melbourne.
Jonathan was admitted to practice in 2013 and is a full-service property lawyer with specialised expertise in complex acquisitions (by agreement and compulsory process), developments and infrastructure arrangements acting for both private clients and acquiring authorities. Jonathan has comprehensive experience representing private clients, local & state government bodies and statutory authorities in large scale project work. He has an in depth understanding of government landholding policies and guidelines, infrastructure requirements and provides advice to clients on statutory processes for the acquisition of land.
Jonathan's principal areas of practice include:
Compulsory acquisition acting for acquiring authorities & private landowners in large acquisition projects.
Roads including advice on ownership, adverse possession, reservations & discontinuation.
Easements and covenants including drafting & negotiating complex easement terms together with deeds of agreement.
Infrastructure arrangements and advice under the Water Act.
Acquisitions by agreement including residential, commercial & rural land.
Disposals including preparation of contracts, EOIs, tenders & land exchange agreements.
Leasing (landlord & tenant), including commercial, retail, community, crown land & telecommunications leasing.
Licensing including drafting & negotiating construction access, early works, and grazing licences.
Complex subdivision & consolidation including plans under s 22, 35 & 24A of the Subdivision Act.
Jun originally joined Best Hooper's town planning practice in August 2019 as a law graduate, having completed his Juris Doctor at Monash University in 2018. He also holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Melbourne.
Prior to returning to Best Hooper in April 2023, Jun practiced as a planning and environment lawyer with a national law firm. Before coming to the legal field, Jun practiced as a town planner for over 10 years with an inner-city council and held the position as the Planning Appeals Coordinator.
Lauren was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 2021 and joined Best Hooper in 2022 in the Land Development team.
Lauren has three years of experience in the legal industry in which she gained broad commercial legal experience before joining Best Hooper.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Science from the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Lauren is developing her skills and building on her experience by working closely with senior members of the land development team.
Lauren primarily assists in the following:
Compulsory Land Acquisition and Compensation claims;
Subdivision and Owners Corporations matters;
Adverse possession claims;
Boundary disputes; and
Complex property advice.
Lauren also has experience in succession planning and estate matters.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal Lawyer
Maliq Maideen is a Principal Lawyer in the Property Law and Transactions Team.
With almost two decades of extensive experience across all aspects of commercial and residential property transactions, Maliq has a proven track record of achieving successful outcomes for clients in a wide range of real estate matters. He has acted for a vast range of clients from start-up businesses to national institutions in all aspects of property transactions. Maliq has also acted for retirement village operators in the sale and purchase of retirement village and aged care facilities in Victoria and provided advice regarding regulatory compliance with retirement village and aged care legislation.
Maliq has expertise in the following areas:
sales and acquisitions of various types of property assets all across Australia;
built form and greenfield property developments, including acting for developers in off-the-plan sales;
acting for both landlords and tenants in retail, commercial and industrial leasing;
property joint venture and development agreements;
property due diligence and complex contract of sale negotiations;
acting for licensed venue operators on liquor licensing matters;
sale and purchase of retirement village and aged care facilities and advice on regulatory compliance; and
business sales and purchases.
He is personable, versatile and dedicated to offering clients strategic and commercially focused advice. He believes in building lasting and trusting relationships with clients and understanding each client's business so he can provide them with tailored, straightforward advice to assist them in successfully achieving their objectives in each stage of their property ownership cycle.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Solicitor in the Land Development and Compulsory Acquisition Team
Matthew is a solicitor in the Land Development and Compulsory Acquisition team at Best Hooper, having joined the team in 2024.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Law Institute of Victoria
- Principal Lawyer
Robert joined the team at Best Hooper in 2019.
Robert completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 2008 and has since completed a Master of Commercial Law at the University of Melbourne with First Class Honours.
Robert was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2009 and has since grown his general commercial litigation practice with a focus on property, including matters relating to adverse possession, building disputes, owners corporations, flows of water, leasing, the building appeals board, and general law land disputes. Robert brings sharp legal and strategic thinking to complex disputes, combined with a commercial outcomes-based approach to deliver outstanding results for his clients. Robert acts for landowners, developers, builders, local governments, high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients in a variety of disputes across all State and Federal Courts and Tribunals.
From 2014 to 2016, Robert worked in London at the prominent global US law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. During his time in London, he worked on a range of large-scale ‘mega' litigation files, including the multibillion-dollar class action launched against the Royal Bank of Scotland. Upon his return to Australia, Robert worked as a general commercial litigator at a national mid-tier firm before making the move to Best Hooper.
Robert's principal areas of practice include:
Rescission and contractual disputes related to the sale and purchase of land;
Disputes relevant to the Sale of Land Act (including deposit and section 27 disputes);
Misleading and deceptive conduct claims;
Caveat disputes;
Disputes and appeals conducted in the Building Appeals Board (including protection works, building notices and orders etc);
Water Act disputes;
Judicial review matters;
Commercial and retail tenancy disputes;
Owners Corporation disputes;
Covenant and easement disputes;
Public highway and road matters;
Building and construction disputes;
Fencing and boundary disputes and adverse possession claims;
Debt recovery and statutory demand matters;
Oppression and partnership proceedings and other complex commercial litigation matters in the various State and Federal Courts.
Robert is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and is entitled to practice in both the Victorian and Federal jurisdictions.
With a bachelor degree in both town planning and law (with honours), Romy joined the firm's town planning practice in March 2010. Romy acts predominately for private developers.
In 2015, Doyle's Guide ranked Romy in the top ten "Rising Stars" in the Planning and Environment Jurisdiction throughout Australia. Since then (2017-2022), Romy has been consecutively recognised as a recommended ‘town planning and development' lawyer by Doyle's Guide. Most recently, Doyle's Guide recognised Romy as a Leading Lawyer in the 2023 and 2022 guide.
Romy has also been included in the 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024 editions of Best Lawyers in Australia for her Planning and Environment law work.
Job Titles:
- Principal Lawyer
- Team Leader of Our Compulsory Acquisitions Team
Sebastian Greenway joins Best Hooper on 3 July 2023.
Sebastian is the Team Leader of our Compulsory Acquisitions Team. Sebastian draws on over a decade of experience in land acquisition and compensation, property law, litigation and dispute resolution when advising his clients.
His primary focus is in acting for claimants (landowners, tenants and businesses) impacted by compulsory land acquisition. Sebastian has built a successful practice advising clients ranging from ASX listed companies and high net worth individuals to private individuals and not-for-profit organisations.
Sebastian understands that each property and person may be impacted by a compulsory acquisition differently. In light of this, he aims to provide tailored and specific advice to his clients, taking into account their individual circumstances.
Sebastian's most recent experience includes acting for landowners in relation to the following projects:
Suburban Rail Loop
North East Link Project
Melbourne Airport Rail
Yan Yean Road (Stage 1 and 2)
Multiple Level Crossing Removals
In addition to acting for landowners, Sebastian has also built a highly sought after practice advising businesses (both SME and large) affected by compulsory land acquisition. Sebastian guides his business clients through the process of relocating their business, or if the business cannot be relocated, seeking compensation for its destruction/extinguishment.
Sebastian's recent experience in assisting businesses includes:
relocation of a luxury panel beating business;
relocation of an historical timber and demolition yard;
relocation of one of Australia's largest industrial machinery distributors
relocation of a wholesale bakery into two separate locations;
reconfiguration of a large garden nursery, including relocation of its soil and sand yards;
destruction/closure of a long-standing dry cleaning business in operation for over 70 years;
In addition to his compulsory acquisition work, Sebastian can assist clients with rating/valuation disputes and general property, tenancy and contractual disputes.
Sebastian believes in building trusting relationships with clients, which he does by providing practical and straightforward advice. If you are impacted by a compulsory acquisition, please contact Sebastian for an obligation-free, confidential discussion.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution Team
Sengul is a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Best Hooper.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association
Tania joined Best Hooper in 2000 after completing a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts at Monash University. Tania has been a partner of the firm since 2006 and practises predominantly in town planning law, property law and land compensation.
Tania is a member of Victorian Planning and Environment Law Association (VPELA), Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) and the Law Institute of Victoria.
Tania has been recognised as a Leading Lawyer by Doyle's Guide 2023 and as a Preeminent Lawyer by Doyle's Guide 2022. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, Tania was recognised as one of Melbourne's recommended Planning & Environment Lawyers, and in 2019 & 2021 as a leading Planning & Environment Lawyers, by Doyle's Guide, adding to this impressive list of recognitions Tania was recognised in the Best Lawyers in Australia list in 2019 and most recently in 2023 and 2024 for her work in Land Use and Zoning Law and Planning and Environmental Law.