Chris Kelly

Chris practises in a diverse range of property law, with a strong focus on major commercial acquisitions and leasing as well as renewable energy and infrastructure projects. 

Chris regularly acts for vendors, purchasers, landlords, tenants and developers. He has expertise in the preparation of numerous property documents with varying levels of complexity including contracts for sale, leases, easements, encumbrances, land divisions and caveats. He also regularly undertakes property related due diligence.

Chris has guess lectured at Flinders University of South Australia and regularly speaks at property seminars for the Property Council of Australia and the Australian Property Institute.

He holds a commerce degree with a major in accounting and currently sits on the SA Property Council's Diversity Committee.

Recent experience includes:

• Calvary Adelaide Hospital – Providing advice on and negotiating the property documentation for Calvary’s new $300 million Calvary Adelaide Hospital (which is under construction and will be Adelaide’s largest private hospital), since its conception in 2016. Work has included leading negotiations on the Project Deed and Lease documentation, ensuring land rights are secured, providing advice on planning and property issues and negotiating agreements for lease and leases with all subtenants.
• 1KWS – Negotiated the agreement for lease, lease and signage licence for Suncorp’s tenancy at 1 King William Street (1KWS) – one of the most significant leasing deals in SA in 2018. This was a challenging negotiation due to a complex fitout and design risk, and tight timeframe involved.
• Myer Centre Towers – Successfully negotiated the Agreement for Lease and Lease for Technicolour’s new Australian base of operations in Terrace Towers on top of the Myer Centre. Assisted the landlord in achieving its commercial goals and internal KPIs through effective ‘horse trading’ and issue management.
• CWP Renewables – Successfully achieved financial close for the 134MW Crudine Ridge Wind Farm project near Mudgee, NSW. This was the third wind farm project for which Chris and his team assisted CWP Renewables to achieve close since 2014. We have since attended to various post-close property items including the implementation of complex lease and sublease structures with landowners and transmission entities.
• CWP Renewables – Provided ‘whole of life’ property advice and attended to the preparation and negotiation of all property documentation for the Boco Rock Wind Farm (comprising of 67 turbines built in 2012) and the Sapphire Wind Farm (comprising of 75 turbines, built in 2017).
• Wirra Wirra Vineyards – Advised Wirra Wirra on the Agreement for Lease and Lease for its luxury boutique hotel to be constructed in their winery.
• Oz Minerals – Negotiated the Agreements for Lease and Lease for the two premises Oz Minerals has leased at Export Park, Adelaide Airport.
• Adelaide Airport – Currently assisting Adelaide Airport with leasing negotiations resulting from its terminal 1 redevelopment.
• Motor Accident Commission – Led the team which managed the highly complex sale of the 11 asset, $565 million property portfolio held by the MAC. The properties were located in five different Australian states, involved three separate purchasers and required a simultaneous settlement.
• Point Parking – Advising on, preparing and negotiating all documentation for a new parking business which quickly grew to operate over 30 car parks in the eastern states.