Land Compensation

Our consistently high quality advice encompasses all facets of compensation claims, legal compliance, advocacy, project management and implementation.
Interested in our Land Compensation team?
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+61 8 9288 6000.
Paul McQueen
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Land Compensation

Lavan has a team of lawyers experienced on  the compulsory acquisition process, and can assist affected landowners in their dealings with authorities to ensure fair market value and proper compensation for their property in circumstances that it is compulsorily taken or injuriously affected.  In acting for landowners, Lavan can assist in the conduct of negotiations with acquiring authorities so that the owners will not have the anxiety in dealing directly with the authority concerned and be confident that their rights are being protected.  In addition, we can take the uncertainty out of the complex land resumption process and help guide affected landowners through it.

Lavan’s Land Compensation team has over 100 years of combined experience in the area, acting for private sector clients, acquiring authorities and public sector agencies.  

Our reputation as a market leader hinges upon our rapid and comprehensive response to the complex nature of issues encountered by our clients at each stage of the compulsory land acquisition process.

Partner Paul McQueen is considered one of the foremost advocates in the area of land compensation.  He has significant experience in land compensation matters and regularly appears in the Supreme Court and the State Administrative Tribunal.

Partner Craig Wallace has extensive experience in the area of land compensation both in Australia and in the UK.  Craig has acted on behalf of landowners and acquiring authorities and has a good understanding of the resumption process from both sides of the equation.

Emeritus partner Dan Mossenson was the chairman of the Land Valuation Tribunal WA from 1985 to 1997.  The Tribunal determined appeals encompassing a wide range of issues regarding value, use and classification of land throughout Western Australia.

Special counsel Brian McMurdo has more than 30 years experience acting for private landowners, developers and public sector agencies in relation to land acquisition and related land compensation matters.  Brian has conducted compensation claims on behalf of clients in the Supreme Court, State Administrative Tribunal and arbitration proceedings

We endeavour in every matter to achieve the best possible outcome specifically tailored to the needs of the individual client.

Our services

We offer advice to, and act for, landowners in relation to compulsory land acquisition (resumption) matters, including the formulation of claims for compensation, negotiations with acquiring authorities, briefing valuers and other experts, the conduct of proceedings for the determination of compensation claims, and appearing in Court, Tribunal or other proceedings in relation to such claims.

We also offer advice to private landowners whose land is injuriously affected by the impact of planning reservations placed over their land by regional or local planning schemes and in the preparation of claims for compensation for such injurious affection.  We undertake the conduct of proceedings in the Supreme Court, the State Administrative Tribunal and other proceedings in relation to the determination of such claims.

We also regularly advise developers on impacts of reservations under regional planning schemes and have recently assisted in proceeding in the High Court on the interpretation of statutory triggers for compensation.