GEOFF FARLAND, BARRISTER

Called to the Bar - 2014

Admitted to practice as a solicitor in New South Wales - 1981

Bachelor of Laws (Sydney) - 1981

 

OUTLINE

After over 30 years experience as a solicitor in the commercial property and town planning area, I moved to the Bar in 2014.

As a barrister I  continue my passion for helping people and solving problems.

I bring to any task extensive knowledge in all aspects of the law relating to property, land use, leasing and development generally. With that knowledge and experience, I provide advice through a strategic and commercial lens.

I have appeared and provided advice in an extra-ordinary variety of projects and disputes, whether large or small, from -

  • mixed use developments to High Street retail,

  • from large hospitals and medical centres, to the smallest surgery

  • from regional shopping centres to the small corner store, and

  • from major integrated resorts, to a small serviced apartment complex.

I am also familiar with commercial and industrial property, land/water interface proposals, valuation and compensation, and leasing generally.

I have represented government, institutional, local councils and other major landlords and investors as well as national, and many other, commercial tenants.

For 12 years I led a team providing a wide range of retail leasing advice and legal portfolio management, for a global institutional client, with a NSW portfolio exceeding 20 regional and sub-regional centres.

I have also trained as a mediator, using the LEADR model.

 

CAREER HISTORY

2014  to date

Barrister in private practice in all aspects of –

  • commercial law,

  • property law,

  • town planning and land use

  • valuation and compulsory acquisition

  • development generally.

1996 - 2014: Landerer & Company

Director in the property and town planning area.

My practise extended to commercial, residential, development, and town planning law matters, including provision of planning advice and conduct of appeals in the Land & Environment Court. I represented major shopping centre owners, semi-government agencies, as well as corporate and institutional investors. 

1991 -1996: Webeck Farland Pender

Partner and Co-Founder of the successor firm to Simons & Baffsky as a Property, Litigation and General Commercial practice.

I continued the development of the property, town planning, construction, compensation and valuation areas as well as environmental, contamination and mediation advice, within the specialist property area of the firm.

1985 - 1990: Simons & Baffsky

Partner and head of the Property Department from 1987 to 1990 until the formation of Webeck Farland Pender.  I had previously been an associate and senior solicitor in that firm.

1980 - 1985: Ferrier & Associates

I was a solicitor with this general commercial firm, having exposure to a wide range of commercial, property and finance matters.

NOTABLE ASSIGNMENTS

  • Achieved development consents for a number of bulky goods shopping centre owners for new homemaker centres in a complex and contested legal and political environment.

  • Successfully represented numerous serviced apartment owners in challenging attempts to require the serviced apartments’ usage to cease.

  • successfully challenged a significant ground rent determination by the Valuer General for a long term commercial ground lease.

  • Co-ordinated the legal aspects of the removal of four hundred plus tenants from three major CBD shopping centres.

  • provided detailed advice on all aspects of the Retail Leases Act, including demolition, redevelopment and disturbance (including extensive consideration of changes to that legislation).

  • Reviewed and redrafted the Law Society of NSW lease precedent.

  • Managed the rollout of leases (in excess of 1200 per year) for multiple new shopping centres throughout New South Wales on behalf of a range of institutional and large corporate clients.

  • Acted on all aspects of land/water inter-face developments for a range of corporate and high net worth clients.

  • Successfully challenged the refusal by a city council to allow a distinctive artistic extension to a residential apartment building in a highly sensitive harbour location.

  • Provided complex development advice to facilitate the development of a major private hospital complex at Norwest Business Park.

  • Negotiated with RailCorp and other government authorities in relation to the redevelopment of a significant shopping centre complex over a major Sydney railway station.

CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS (as a barrister)

NSW Bar Association -

  • Wellbeing Committee (2019 - present).

  • Practice Development Committee (2017 - present).

  • New Barristers Committee (2017 - 2019).

PREVIOUS COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS (as a solicitor)

Law Society of NSW -

  • Property Law Committee (2004 – August 2014, except 2009).

  • Environment Planning and Development Committee (2009 – August 2014).

  • Precedent Management Committee (2008 – August 2014).

 

MEMBERSHIPS (current)

NSW Bar Association

Environmental Planning Law Association

Australian Bar Association (Futures Committee)

 

CONTACT DETAILS

GEOFF FARLAND

Barrister

University Chambers

Level 9, 167 Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000

T: 02 8227 4400

E: farland@universitychambers.com.au

M: 04000 31970

 

Liability limited by a Scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation