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Ian Neil

Ian Neil

Consultant

Ian is a consultant, working across all office, in the area of Planning and Environment.

After 13 years in the Queensland Department of Justice (Magistrates Courts), Ian joined McCarthy Durie in 1989 and has been practising in the area of litigation (dispute resolution) ever since. With more than 40 years of Court experience, Ian’s knowledge of Court proceedings in all jurisdictions is hard to rival.

Experience:

Ian has practised in all jurisdictions of the Queensland and Federal Courts in all manner of commercial and criminal law matters and in particular in the Planning and Environment Court and the Land Court; Family Court and Federal Court; Supreme, District and Magistrates Courts, as well as all manner of Tribunals including Auctioneers and Agents, Mental Health, Industrial Relations (now Fair Work Australia) and various other Tribunals including the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Ian has regularly appeared as advocate in those jurisdictions and otherwise instructed a wide range of Barristers, from Queen’s Counsel to Junior Counsel. In all dispute matters, Ian’s objective is always to attempt an early, pragmatic resolution of issues to minimise the costs and stress of litigation.

Ian’s focus area of practice nowadays is in the Planning & Environment Court and the Land Court, mostly acting for developers but often acting for submitters (“objectors”) and interest groups against Councils or developers, or for residents who have arguments against Council decisions (eg rezonings or development approvals affecting their property), or are being prosecuted by Council for breaching Local Laws (eg tree clearing; unlawful uses), or for residents whose land is being resumed by Council or a Government Department. Ian has represented a very wide variety of clients in Planning Law disputes. A short list of examples includes:

Gallery Homes; Heran Building Group, Yaralla Sports Club, Karam Boutique Residential, Ellison Specialised Properties, Canaipa Developments; Solomon Family; Agnes Water Shopping Centre; Pialba Place Shopping Centre; Crystal Waters Shopping Centre; Lakeside Shopping Centre; Karreman Group (quarry and tile manufacturing); Fiteni Homes – Edgarange Pty Ltd housing subdivisions; Mount Tamborine Residents Group (opposing commercial water extraction); various Heritage Listing disputes; Mandalay Aged Care; The Manor Group Retirement Villages; Jim Cavill residential developments; Platinum Design Architects; Casagrande Investments residential development.

Ian has also been a qualified Mediator with the Queensland Law Society and has conducted and been involved in many Mediations of all manner of disputes.

Community:
Apart from his extensive experience in litigation and legal matters, Ian has also been highly prominent in the Redlands Community as:

  • Executive Member, Past President and Life Member of the Chamber of Commerce
  • Chairman of Redlands Education Forum
  • Member of Redlands Economic Development Forum
  • President Carmel College P&F Association
  • Board Member Sheldon College
  • Board Member Redland Foundation
  • Executive Member Redlands Institute
  • Honorary Solicitor to many community organisations including:
  • Queensland Muscular Dystrophy Association (10 years)
  • Coochiemudlo Island Golf Club
  • Redland Bay Golf Club
  • Coochiemudlo Island Surf Lifesaving Association (and Patrol Member)
  • Member of Cleveland Rotary Club
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor of Laws
Memberships:
  • Queensland Law Society
  • Queensland Environmental Law Association
About Ian:

Testimonial

Ian,

You are awesome and exactly the proactive person we need. To be honest, I thought that it would be like the other people that sounded like they were all over it, but then nothing happened…

I wasn’t expecting much, but you’ve definitely got my attention and business.

Regards, Steve

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