Lavan is a full service law firm with the capacity and capability to provide government and public sector clients with a one stop service for all legal matters. We offer a multi-disciplinary approach and will draw on each practice team’s expertise as required to support our provision of prompt, accurate legal advice and practical solutions with a commercial perspective.
Lavan has acted for the State of Western Australia (and its associated departments and agencies) and local government clients for more than 20 years.
Our lawyers and advisors have extensive experience acting in and advising on a broad range of legal matters involving state and local government in Western Australia. Our understanding of the key drivers, challenges and expectations of the public sector is second to none.
Lavan has the requisite experience, expertise, resources and capacity to offer an exceptional level of legal consultancy services to state government clients.
Our experienced team of lawyers and advisors can provide pragmatic advice for government departments and agencies in regard to land acquisition and development; complex public infrastructure projects; and the sale, transfer or privatisation of government assets to ensure that strategic objectives are met, and legal risk is minimised. We can also provide practical advice in relation to tendering for government assets and public sector procurement processes.
Some of our current and past clients include DevelopmentWA, LandCorp, Housing Authority, Department of Communities, Western Power, Horizon Power, and the Department of Health.
Lavan is a Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) Preferred Supplier of legal and debt management services and has extensive experience working with local councils across Western Australia.
We can provide advice on a broad range of matters including:
Lavan has provided advice to state and local government clients on all aspects of strategic and statutory planning processes and regulatory matters. Our Planning and Environment team have handled some of WA’s most significant matters in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), including reviews to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Federal Court and High Court.
Our team is experienced in the area of compliance and prosecution in the context of breach of local planning scheme provisions and can assist in preparing enforcement/prosecution proceedings.
Our strong relationships with industry stakeholders including the Western Australian Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and the Western Australian Planning Commission enable us to engage in proactive dialogue, facilitating faster and better outcomes.
Environmental issues are of critical concern in all planning and land development projects. We offer specialist advice on all aspects of State and Federal environmental legislation and regulations and regularly advise clients on approvals required under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA).
We offer in-depth advice on referrals and approvals required under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) and have been involved in a significant Federal Court litigation challenging the Federal department interpretation of ‘significant impact’ in a WA context.
We tailor our legal and strategic advice on Native Title & Aboriginal heritage laws to the needs of our clients which include statutory organisations, government departments and resource companies. Our multi-disciplinary practice enables us to draw from a pool of experienced practitioners to provide a tailored approach, delivering commercially and culturally aware advice on Native Title and Aboriginal heritage. Our team is assisted by well-respected Noongar Elder, Roni Forrest in a consultancy capacity.
Lavan has a broad depth of experience acting for government clients in relation to drafting and advising on contracts, negotiating contracts and acting on disputes for breach of contract. We advise on general commercial contracts as well as sector specific contracts including construction, insurance, IP, debt recovery, procurement and tendering, energy, climate change as well as property and leasing. Our disputes experience informs our drafting of contracts, and we are very aware of the need to identify and mitigate risks in a government context.
Lavan has extensive experience in administrative law and the interpretation and application of relevant legislation including the Local Government Act 1995 (WA). Our Property & Leasing and Planning & Environment teams advise on general government and all administrative law issues affecting local government decision making and advising on special decision making under:
