Lander & Rogers

COMPULSORY ACQUISITION | The NSW Land and Environment Court has clarified how to value open space land in compulsory acquisition cases under the Just Terms Act. The decision in Inner West Council v Transport for NSW, offers valuable guidance on specific use characterisation and comparable sales for constrained land, providing key insights for councils and authorities navigating land acquisition claims. For advice on land and acquisition matters, contact our environment and planning experts Tom White and Alexander Beale. Read our detailed analysis here: https://lnkd.in/g5GDm9hS

VISA REFORMS | A new Workplace Justice visa, which commenced on 1 July 2024 as a two-year pilot, provides strengthened protections for temporary visa holders by enabling them to remain in Australia for a short period to pursue a workplace exploitation claim against their employer. Employers of visa holders should be aware of this visa and the way in which it operates, as well as the steps they can take to minimise the risk of a workplace exploitation claim. Workplace relations & safety experts Tony Woods and Sophie Donaghey explain more. https://lnkd.in/g8YXy-yX #employmentlaw #employer #employee #workplace #workplacerights

SPOTLIGHT ON PRIVACY | Privacy compliance is set to be front-of-mind for organisations in 2025, with the Senate recently passing the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (Cth) to implement the first tranche of recommendations from the Attorney-General’s Privacy Act Review Report. Notable reforms introduced by the Bill include: - a new statutory tort to address serious invasions of privacy - a mandate for the Information Commissioner to develop a Children’s Online Privacy Code that covers online services likely to be accessed by individuals under the age of 18 years - greater transparency for individuals affected by automated decisions - a new mechanism for the Minister to prescribe a "white list" of countries and binding schemes with adequate privacy protections to better facilitate cross-border data transfers - stronger enforcement powers for the OAIC - new criminal offences to outlaw doxing. To view an update on the incoming reforms from privacy experts Matthew McMillan and Juliana Hasham, visit: https://lnkd.in/ghq37jRx #privacy #legalreform #privacylaw 

LEGAL HUMAN | Justin Moses on law as a compassionate practice. On the latest episode of the 'Legal human' podcast, Anthony Kearns sits down with Justin Moses, General Counsel of Cancer Council NSW. With over 30 years of in-house legal experience at Westpac, Justin now applies his expertise in the for-purpose sector, serving as General Counsel at Cancer Council NSW and previously at the Australian Indigenous Mentoring experience (AIME). Justin reflects on the importance of compassion in the delivery of legal services and why its role is key to the enduring value of human lawyers. Tune in to gain valuable insights on how compassion can enhance your legal practice and client relationships. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/g3vkzGg7 #LegalHuman #InHouseCounsel #LegalPodcast #ProfessionalGrowth #LegalPractice

ATTENTION STARTUPS | The LawTech Hub by Lander & Rogers is now accepting applications for 2025. This prestigious program unites lawyers and entrepreneurs to create groundbreaking legal technology. Aligned with our AI Lab, the program will encompass an AI-focused stream, and a general technology stream. By joining the LawTech Hub, you'll be part of a vibrant community of startups and scaleups with forward-thinking ideas for the legal industry. Our focused program provides the tools, frameworks and support to help your business thrive. LawTech Hub alumni include top Australian and international tech companies: 6clicks | Anika Legal | Avvoka | beNEXT | BotL | Build My Will | Caseflow - Advanced Workflow combined with Case and Matter Management | Deeligence | Disclosure Ready | DOCASSIST | DraftWise | eBrief Ready | Elker | Evenor | FamilyProperty | Halisok | Indigital | Josef | LARA: Legal Aid Referral Assistance | Legal Tech Helper | Lext Australia | NetNada | Nexl | Mary Technology | My Life Capsule | Oddr | PayCheque | SettleIndex | Syncly | Vici by OCRT Consulting Applications close on 20 March 2025. To apply, please visit: https://lnkd.in/e-KZf2gA #legaltech #legalai #startupprogram #lawtech

DEAL NEWS | We’re excited to share that Lander & Rogers recently advised FC32 on its strategic acquisition of Irish football club Cobh Ramblers FC, a storied Irish football club known for its commitment to player development. This deal strengthens FC32’s mission to build a global network of clubs focused on nurturing talent pipelines across men’s, women’s, and youth teams. Paul Francis, FC32’s Co-Founder and CEO, noted, “We’re excited to welcome Cobh Ramblers into the FC32 family. This club has a proud heritage, and we’re committed to building on that foundation to help players and the community reach new heights.” Our M&A and Sports and Leisure teams, led by Jared Smith, guided FC32 through the complex M&A and sports law issues. This marks the second FC32 acquisition the firm has advised on, following FC32's recent acquisition of an ownership stake in Austrian club SKN St. Pölten. Jared noted, “At Lander & Rogers, we specialise in guiding clients through the intricacies of the sports and leisure sector, both on and off the pitch, which is critical in achieving successful outcomes for investors, particularly in their strategic sales and acquisitions. Partnering with FC32 to advance community-centred player development, resonates strongly with our firm’s values.” Jared was assisted by Douglas Brown, Amelia Lynch and Simon Merritt. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g7XCKRGP #DealNews #SportsLaw #MergersAndAcquisitions #GlobalExpansion

EMPLOYER UPDATE | In a landmark decision, the High Court of Australia has overturned a longstanding position regarding psychiatric injuries in an employment context - meaning employees will be able to seek compensation for a psychiatric injury caused by an employer's breach of the contract of employment.    Courts will now carefully consider whether employers have followed their own written procedures, and whether those procedures were intended to have contractual force. Employers should be aware of the risk of psychiatric injuries that may result when they are engaging in the disciplinary and termination process, especially if a particular vulnerability relating to an employee is known, write employment law experts Vince Rogers and Cristina T. in this update. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gMf6zNB6   #employmentlaw #workplaceinjury #employer #employee #workplace

MERGER REFORMS | Australia’s merger laws are changing. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 introduces a mandatory notification process for merger reviews, replacing the current voluntary system. From 1 January 2026, notifiable transactions must be approved by the ACCC before proceeding, with strict timelines and thresholds applying. Businesses planning mergers should prepare for increased regulatory scrutiny, potential delays, and higher costs. Robert Neely and Menake De Silva unpack the reforms here: https://lnkd.in/gmubMHsd #MergersAcquisitions #RegulatoryReform

CONSTRUCTION CASE NOTE | The High Court of Australia has ruled that proportionate liability defences are not available for breaches of the statutory duty of care under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW), at least for builders and developers. But where does this leave professional building consultants? It seems that cross-claims will still be required until the question is answered by the Courts or legislature with certainty. Experts Elizabeth Brookes, Marco Giallonardo and Annie Weng, have been monitoring the progress of the Pafburn case closely and they examine the High Court decision and its implications in more detail here: https://lnkd.in/gx4akBBm

COMPULSORY ACQUISITION | The NSW Court of Appeal has overturned the Land and Environment Court’s earlier decision in Goldmate Property Luddenham No. 1 Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW. This confirms that the "public purpose" for which land is acquired under the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 must be characterised by reference to the acquiring authority's legislative powers. This decision provides greater certainty for acquiring authorities and dispossessed landowners in assessing market value. For advice on land and acquisition matters, contact our environment and planning experts Tom White and Alexander Beale. Read our detailed analysis here: https://lnkd.in/gma3F2pH