Freehills appoints new special counsel to the national Planning and Environment group

Freehills is delighted to announce the appointment of Les Stein, one of Australia's most highly regarded planning lawyers and litigators, and former chief counsel for the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, as special counsel in the national Environment and Planning group.

Mr Stein brings to Freehills a wealth of experience and a substantial profile in planning law, completing over 26 years in professional practice both nationally and internationally. As chief counsel for the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy he was responsible for setting up the governance arrangements for the Strategy, and more particularly the complex scheme to release land in the North West and South West of Sydney. He will continue his involvement in the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy as a member of the Metropolitan Strategy Reference Panel.

Mr Stein has been a legal member of the New South Wales Planning Reform Reference Group. He has 10 years experience as Chairman (chief judge) of the Town Planning Appeal Tribunal of Western Australia and as a practising barrister, and has been a law professor at leading universities in the USA and Australia. He was associate editor of Urban Law and Policy and editor of University of Western Australia Law Review and is the author of several books and papers in his field of expertise.

According to John Curtis, the Head of Freehills' Projects practice, the appointment is a great coup for Freehills' national Planning and Environment group. 'Les is one of the most highly regarded planning lawyers and litigators in Australia and regarded as the best planning barrister in Western Australia,' he said. 'His experience and reputation in the field is very well placed to meet the aims of the Environment and Planning group in relation to the consolidation and growth of its practice.'

Les will be based within the Sydney Planning and Environment group working principally with John Taberner. He will operate nationally in coordination with the group's Victorian practice and with particular emphasis on the group's Western Australia and Queensland practices. He will work alongside a strong team of high profile environment and planning partners including Tony van Merwyk, Mark Dwyer and Tim Power.

Mr Stein says he is looking forward to the new role. 'I've been presented with an opportunity to work with some of the best planning and environment lawyers in Australia. I'm looking forward to helping them build on their reputation as the pre-eminent projects legal team for all aspects of high profile infrastructure, property and development works in Australia and South-East Asia,' he said.

Mr Stein commences with Freehills on 31 January 2005.

With 1000 lawyers, including 210 partners, and over 1900 staff across Australia and South-East Asia, Freehills is recognised as one of the leading Australian commercial law firms by independent legal guides and directories. Freehills has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Singapore, and correspondent firms in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

ENDS

For further information, contact

Margaret St Clair
Public Affairs Coordinator
Telephone 61 3 9288 1368
margaret.st.clair@freehills.com