Jason Behrendt

Native title, land rights & heritage

Government & administrative law

Jason's reputation as a native title and land rights specialist is well known having specialised in the area for over 30 years.

An Aboriginal person himself, Jason has acted for many years as an external adviser to Aboriginal land councils and representative bodies across the nation. He has extensive knowledge and experience in relation to administrative law, land rights, heritage, native title law and natural resources law.

Highlights of his career have included his involvement in:

- Many successful Aboriginal land claim appeals in NSW, including the first appeal to be dealt with by the High Court and the 2025 High Court case of La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council v Quarry Street Pty Ltd

- The successful Wellesley Islands native title (seas) claim on behalf of the Lardil, Kaiadilt, Yangkaal and Gangalidda Peoples

- The successful native title claim made on behalf of the Githabul people of north-eastern NSW.

In 2019 Jason was awarded the Law Society of NSW’s President’s Medal in 2019 for his contribution to the development of law and policy affecting Indigenous Australians during the previous two decades.