Robert Speirs

Robert has more than 35 years’ experience in property law.

He has acted for listed and unlisted property trusts and other industry participants on acquisitions, joint ventures, development and disposals across all asset classes. He is regarded as one of Australia’s leading authorities on retail lease law, and advises national landlords, and a select group of tenants.

Robert is a trusted adviser to a number of industry players.

For more detailed information on Robert’s significant experience, please contact our office.

James Ryan

James leads a diverse practice, specialising in commercial transactions, leasing, property related finance and telecommunications infrastructure.

He acts for a number of leading non-bank lenders and financial institutions on property-secured funding transactions

James also acts for corporates and sophisticated investors in the acquisition and disposal of commercial, retail and industrial property, and advises national landlords and tenants.

Recognised in the 2020 ‘Best Lawyers’ list for Real Property Law and former committee member with the Property Council of Australia, James is passionate about the property sector. He is a director in various property-related enterprises.

For more detailed information on James’ experience, please contact our office.

Andrew Raad

Andrew is a partner of Speirs Ryan, and an experienced and commercially focussed transactional lawyer.

He acts on substantial market transactions across retail, commercial, childcare, industrial and farming assets. Key experience and transactions include the $380m dollar sale of a mixed-use community centre in Sydney’s inner west, over a quarter of a billion dollars in retail shopping centre transactions across Australia’s east coast, and approximately $150m in acquisitions of childcare centres.

Andrew also manages a specialised leasing practice, involving:

1. the leasing of over 100 retail shopping centres, commercial office towers and mixed-use community centres assets for institutional and HNW private landlords; and
2. tenant-side advisory and leasing, particularly for established hospitality groups, as well as commercial, industrial, and retail operators.

Michael Morrissey

Guy Albeck

Guy Albeck is an experienced property partner in our Melbourne team. He has assisted all manner of clients, ranging from the public sector to some of the world’s largest property developers and financial institutions.

His areas of expertise include retail, commercial and industrial leasing, acquisitions and disposals, subdivisions, development work, apartment and mixed-use projects, agricultural land deals and complex capital transactions.

Guy also has particular significant experience in distressed asset transactions, having acted for many major bank and non-bank lenders, company controllers and insolvency practitioners in the realisation of a wide variety of distressed real estate assets.

He also has an advanced understanding of the Foreign Acquisition and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cth), and its application to real estate assets, having advised and assisted a multitude of foreign investors in navigating their acquisition of interests in Australian land.

Brooke Hollingsworth

Brooke has over 25 years’ experience working in the legal industry in varied roles, including executive support in both international and national firms.

As Practice Manager she is responsible for the day to day management and operation of the firm, facilities management, statutory trust accounts and compliance.

Sam Majzoub

Sam advises on a wide range of property leasing matters and works closely with his clients to draft key leasing documents. He ensures matters progress efficiently and effectively.

Sebastian Wilson

Sebastian is an associate at Speirs Ryan with diverse experience working in both private practice and within the real estate group of the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office.

He has experience with mortgagee-in-possession and other distressed asset dispositions for many of Australia’s major financial institutions.

Sebastian also acts for both major landlords and tenants on complex retail and commercial lease negotiations, and regularly advises clients on acquisitions (including due diligences) of a broad range of real estate assets, including assisting major global investors on Australia’s foreign investment regime (FIRB).

Jacinta Lagana

Jacinta is an Associate at Speirs Ryan.

Jacinta has extensive experience in large scale residential and ‘mixed use’ development transactions, acquisitions and disposals of real estate, collective sales, industrial, retail, commercial and telecommunications leasing and undertaking property due diligence investigations and advising on major business transactions.

Jacinta has acted for a range of large institutional clients, large private client groups and high net worth individuals, large scale real estate developers, charitable entities, local councils and state government agencies.

Janelle Oh

Janelle is a Senior Associate based in our Melbourne office.

Janelle has acted for commercial/private sector clients, non-bank lenders and local/state government clients (in Victoria) in a comprehensive range of real estate, leasing and general property law matters.

Janelle’s experience includes:

1. advising in the sale and purchase of land (including commercial, residential, industrial and mixed-use developments), as well as due diligence for complex land transactions (including as part of wider business acquisitions);
2. acting for landlords and tenants in retail, commercial and charitable/community purpose leases;
3. acting for creditors in mortgagee-in-possession sales; and
4. government land/infrastructure projects, including acquisitions/disposals and easement projects.

Tom Cleary

Tom has experience in diverse areas of law but has recently focused his expertise on his passion for property law.

Previously working on projects across the broad infrastructure and construction sector as well as large property transactions, he adds value to both our transactional and dispute practices including on building and strata disputes, commercial/residential property transactions and commercial/retail leasing.

Tom advises landlords and tenants in all Australian jurisdictions.

Jessie Armstrong

Jessie has experience in a range of property matters, previously working in ACT on commercial/retail leasing, acquisitions and disposals, and construction matters.

Jessie assists with commercial/retail leasing across all Australian jurisdictions, property due diligence and commercial property transactions.

Corey Xeni

Corey acts on a range of property transactions in the commercial and retail sector.

Corey has experience in leasing, property-secured funding transactions, property due diligence, acquisitions and disposals.

Charmayne White

Charmayne has experience with various property transactions from residential, commercial and rural conveyancing to leasing and financing matters.

She has a long background in development work acting for developers on acquisition and due diligence through to off-the-plan sales and acting for purchasers nationally on a range of property transactions with often complex titling structures.

Charmayne also works on a range of strata matters, including collective sales, providing advice to owners corporations and lot owners, strata subdivisions and drafting of by-laws.

Sydney Smith

Sydney possesses a diverse legal background but has recently focused her expertise to property law, and the retail property sector in particular.

Sydney assists the firm on a range of commercial and retail property matters across multiple Australian jurisdictions, with a specific focus on leasing matters.

Kathryn Siganos

Kathryn assists the firm on a broad range of property matters, with a particular focus on retail and commercial leasing, property due diligence and commercial property transactions.

Kathryn has recently completed her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at the University of Technology Sydney. Kathryn is in the process of completing her Practical Legal Training with the College of Law.

Adriana Pefkos

Adriana is in her penultimate year of university at the University of Technology Sydney, studying a Bachelor of Laws.

With a keen interest in property law, she provides invaluable paralegal support to the team.

Julien Butler

Julien assists on a range of property matters, including commercial leasing, transactional matters and strata disputes.

Rebekka Krause

Bernadette Leahy

Bernadette provides paralegal support to the wider team, assisting on a range of commercial leasing and transactional matters.

Bernadette is currently in her 3^rd year studying a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Technology Sydney.

Peter Kostoglou

Maddalena Grigoletti-Labi

Eloise Harley

Eloise is the firm’s receptionist, responsible for front of house operations and providing overflow administration support to the team.

Karla Hansford

Karla Hansford is the firm’s financial controller.

She is responsible for managing the firm’s accounting matters, including payroll and account reconciliations.