OUR PEOPLE

Nic is a transactional lawyer with experience closing deals spanning almost 20 years. He joined Pigott Stinson from a large national firm and throughout his career he has advised clients operating in industries as property development, education, health (hospitals and aged care), government, not-for-profits, renewable energy and ICT. With experience working as a corporate counsel within large organisations as well as working in leading boutique firms he holds knowledge and the capability to advise on the most complex legal concerns with clarity and simplicity.

Nic enjoys working closely with his clients to successfully close transactions and having a commercial mindset he shapes the strategy required to deliver favourable outcomes. Nic can assist clients all areas of commercial law and has a particular focus in delivering advice on:

• Real property transactions
• Major development projects
• Construction
• Corporate transactions
• Complex commercial contracts, including industrial and procurement
• Information and communication and technology
• Dealing with government (including local councils)

Outside of work, Nic enjoys keeping fit and assisting his two boys in their various sporting endeavours.

Daniel practises in civil litigation including general commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, anti-competitive trade practices, personal and corporate insolvency, consumer protection, property (including acting for and against lenders in claims for possession), debt recovery and enforcement and family provision claims.

Daniel has been recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2019 and 2020 in its “recommended” category for estate litigation lawyers.

Daniel acts for litigants in all jurisdictions in New South Wales and in the Federal Court of Australia. He has also appeared as an advocate in all of those jurisdictions.

In the area of dispute resolution, Daniel has a proven track record in assisting clients to resolve commercial disputes without recourse to litigation.

In addition to his litigation practice, Daniel also advises clients in relation to various areas of law including intellectual property and compliance with the Competition and Consumer Act.

In the area of intellectual property, Daniel has a particular interest in trade mark law and has successfully managed numerous trade mark applications through objections by IP Australia and oppositions by third parties.

Daniel is an affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and provides estate planning services for private clients, including drafting of wills and testamentary trusts..

Daniel’s interests include looking after his two young boys and when time permits, reading and keeping fit. He also volunteers as an age manager for Nippers at North Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Daniel was a soldier in the Australian Army and was deployed overseas twice on operations.

Tony has extensive experience in the registered clubs industry and has managed a range of projects for registered clubs for over 20 years.  

Tony acts for a range of large and small registered clubs, wineries, gaming machine manufacturers, hotels and resorts and liquor manufacturers and retailers throughout Australia.

Tony’s practice is built on a reputation of providing prompt, clear, concise and practical legal solutions to his clients in a broad base of commercial areas including:
• Advice concerning income diversification for registered clubs
• Amalgamations of registered clubs
• Drafting of Constitutions
• Commercial drafting including service and catering agreements
• Corporate governance advice
• Construction contracts
• Liquor and gaming licence applications (new licences, removals, transfers, increases in gaming machines)
• Large complex property transactions and developments
• Statutory interpretation
• Discrimination and defamation matters

Tony attends Board and Annual General Meetings with his clients where required and also presents lectures regarding directors and managers duties.

Tony regularly conducts seminars for the Club Managers Association.

When  time permits, Tony enjoys surfing and fishing.

Leonie heads the Workplace Relations & Industrial Law practice group. In this role Leonie advises a broad range of clients, working with them to tailor strategies for the full range of employment and industrial matters.

Leonie regularly advises and provides advocacy in relation to employment and industrial disputes and has also represented industry based clients at government and other enquiries dealing with workplace relations, award related matters and discrimination law.

In addition to her workplace relations practice, Leonie also has a substantial commercial law practice.

In her commercial practice she specialises primarily in competition law, intellectual property matters and the preparation and negotiation of commercial agreements. Her clients include multinational corporations for whom she has acted over many years. However, Leonie also has a particular interest in assisting clients in the development of new business ventures and providing appropriate legal safeguards for those businesses.

Leonie is the mother of two beautiful boys and they occupy most of her time away from work.

Ray began working for the firm in 2001 and was admitted as a solicitor in 2004.

Ray works in the Clubs & Hospitality and Workplace Relations & Industrial Law practice groups and provides advice throughout both teams, including in relation to all liquor and gaming applications, constitutions and rules of clubs, companies and associations, meetings and the law of meetings (including attending general meetings and Board meetings) drafting employment agreements, and advising on employment terms and conditions. He also provides advice and acts in discrimination and defamation matters. He also presents lectures, seminars and workshops for club directors and managers.

Ray has been and is also involved in a number of voluntary community and charitable activities, having served on various boards and committees in providing services to young people and in aged care.

Chris commenced his legal career in the Public Solicitor’s Office in 1976 before making the move to private practice in 1984.  Following partnerships in three Sydney firms, Chris joined Pigott Stinson in 1997 as a consultant before being appointed a partner in 2000.

In his litigation practice, Chris has acted in a wide range of matters in the District and Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Federal Court and High Court as well as matters in superior courts in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Fiji.

Chris has also acted in many successful mediations over the years.

In his non-litigation practice, Chris has acted in a broad range of matters for both private and corporate clients.

Chris prides himself in having developed long standing close relationships with many of his private and commercial clients.

Michael graduated from the University of Technology in 2010 with a Bachelor of Business (Distinction) majoring in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Laws.

Whilst at university, Michael commenced working at Pigott Stinson as a registration clerk and paralegal, before progressing to the role of solicitor after his admission as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2011.

Michael acts in matters for a diverse range of clients involving a range of legal issues including liquor licensing and gaming, corporate governance for companies and associations, contracts and agreements, constitutions, amalgamations, employment law and workplace safety matters and general commercial matters.

Michael has also worked as a Casual Academic at the University of Technology Sydney, tutoring undergraduate business and law subjects.

Michael is interested in a number of sports including rugby league, rugby union, soccer and cricket, enjoys travelling and listening to music.

Lorraine is a NSW Law Society Accredited Specialist in property law and brings over 25 years of experience in complex real estate and hotel transactions.

Before joining Pigott Stinson, Lorraine was in-house counsel with Woolworths Limited and practised in the Property Services Group of national law firm Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper).

She acts for many of Australia’s largest owners, developers, high-net-worth individuals, institutional owners, operators and users of real estate—many of whom have worked with her for more than two decades.

She advises on a broad range of real estate and business matters including acquisitions, development and sales across residential, commercial, retail, industrial and hotel sectors. She has extensive experience in complex leasing and pre-commitment delivery agreements for both tenant and landlord portfolios (retail, commercial, industrial and hotels).

Lorraine’s approach is pragmatic, responsive and commercially focused. She delivers practical, outcome-driven advice across all stages of the property lifecycle.

Carl has 21 years’ experience in property law, having practised for 18 of those years with Andrew and Lorraine.

Carl’s practice spans all areas of property and property development, including acquisitions and disposals of development sites, established commercial, industrial and residential properties, commercial, retail and industrial leasing, strata and stratum subdivisions and off-the-plan residential and commercial development and sales.

Carl has a strong focus on building and maintaining close client relationships, and employing technology to maximise the quality, accuracy and speed of transactional work, in particular.

Carl is fluent in German and has a keen interest in travel, information technology and aviation.

Andrew worked as a Judge’s Associate in the Supreme Court of NSW before commencing private practice in 1988 in the Property Services Group of national law firm Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper) in its Sydney office. He was appointed a partner in 1995 and after twenty years with Phillips Fox before he established his own firm.

His areas of practice include commercial property and liquor licensing.

Andrew acts for a number of hotel groups, international hotels, licensed clubs, wineries, retailers and property owners in relation to acquisitions and sales of licensed premises and businesses, and on applications and objections before the NSW licensing authorities.  Andrew also acts for a number of commercial, industrial and residential property clients and developers, and property trusts and receivers and managers.

With over 35 years’ experience, he is known for his strategic and commercial advice and ability to resolve clients’ problems quickly and efficiently.