Find Lawyers in Melbourne, Australia for Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Practice Area Overview

Lawyers who practise in this area need to have broad legal knowledge as well as a keen understanding of the special issues that concern those who work in agricultural and rural businesses.

An agriculture and rural affairs practice can service a wide range of clients ranging from corporations of varying sizes involved in agribusiness, non-government organisations like the National Farmers Federation and its constituent members (such as Australian Dairy Farmers, Australian Livestock Exporters Council, Cotton Australia, GrainGrowers, and so on), and Government Departments like the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

What does a day in the life of an agriculture and rural affairs lawyer look like? A lawyer in this practice area could be working on the provision of high level advice to Government on trade or biosecurity issues, or acting for a company or individual on the sale or purchase of grazing and farming properties (including contract negotiation, due diligence, and contract preparation), advice about water entitlements; compensation for the compulsory acquisition of land or entitlements; advice about the import or export of agricultural products; and advice about various forms of land tenures, including native title.

Dealing with Government is a big part of legal practice in this area. This can involve assisting clients with obtaining approvals to export agricultural produce, assisting with obtaining Foreign Investment Review Board approval of sales and purchases, and obtaining other regulatory approvals.

There is a significant cross-over between this area of practice and environmental and planning law. Lawyers practising in this area can provide assistance with land and vegetation clearing laws, advice about the environmental approvals and licences that may be required to establish a particular kind of agricultural industry, and even dealing with actions taken by Government authorities to control noxious weeds and other environmental pests.
Alan Bradbury, Legal Director Bradley Allen Love Lawyers

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