Native Title: Traditional Owners - Australia
What the team is known for
Chalk & Behrendt's experienced team handles a wide variety of native title and cultural heritage mandates on a national basis from its Sydney office. It represents traditional owners and land councils on matters concerning land and sea claims and appeals, agreement drafting and disputes between Aboriginal groups, and across a range of economic and community development issues. Its clients include Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council and New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.
Strengths
"Chalk & Behrendt are ten out of ten. The principals have immense experience and astute analytical skills which they are able to apply in complex situations."
"They have real depth and breadth of experience across a range of partners and associates."
Work highlights
Chalk & Behrendt acted for Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council in NSW Land and Environment Court proceedings to appeal the refusal of Aboriginal land right claims lodged over Peat Island and land in Mooney Mooney.
Notable practitioners
David Meale has a well-established practice, largely focused on advising indigenous organisations on such matters as governance, project and transactional issues. "David is very professional, extremely knowledgeable and consistently accessible."
Jason Behrendt is an Indigenous lawyer with over 20 years of experience and handles both litigation and non-litigation work. He has acted on many successful Aboriginal land claim appeals for native title owners from New South Wales. "Jason is a top-level communicator. He is highly engaging and extremely professional." "Jason has unrivalled subject matter expertise."
