Graeme Slattery represents clients in resolving a wide range of disputes. His experience includes representation in disputes over international oil fields, mining and exploration agreements, major construction projects, managed investment schemes, employment matters, directors’ duties, disclosure obligations and oppression actions.

His practice encompasses a variety of industry sectors including energy and resources, real estate and commercial property, financial services, technology, construction, transportation and logistics, infrastructure and government.

Graeme deals with all aspects of corporate and commercial disputes including those related to shareholders and governance, joint ventures, intellectual property, technology, employment law, environmental law, planning and development matters. He is involved in risk analysis and dispute investigations and provides strategic advice on the effective management of potential or existing disputes.

Graeme advises private and public clients on administrative law matters, particularly in the area of development and planning approvals. He works with public entities on managing their interactions with other governmental and statutory bodies and in dealing with challenges related to their exercise of power. Graeme also has been at the forefront of developments surrounding the scope of judicial review available from adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (WA).

His environmental experience includes investigations by regulatory bodies and environmental and planning prosecutions including the defence of the Esperance Port Authority against charges under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) arising from the transportation of heavy metals through the port.

Graeme represents clients in courts, arbitrations, mediations, coronial inquests and disciplinary tribunals. He is experienced in the defence of prosecutions and has represented clients in contentious, competition law and consumer protection matters.

Graeme is a member of The Law Society of Western Australia and the Law Council of Australia.

Representative Experience

• Advising a property developer on efficacy of funding arrangements in a bid to purchase property in Perth’s central business district with a value of AU$45 million from a bank’s receiver.
• Acting for a gold mining company which had acquired an existing gold mine in a dispute with the vendor of the mine, a multinational mining company. The mine had significant environmental problems which resulted in the request by the relevant authorities for a AU$45 million environment bond. There were significant disputes with the vendor and ongoing issues with surrounding land owners arising from the environmental issues.
• Acting on behalf of a BVI-registered company in a shareholders dispute over an oil asset located in the Gulf of Thailand. Proceedings were commenced in the British Virgin Islands and involved parties in Australia, Thailand and the United States.
• Acting for Midwest Corporation during the takeover by Sinosteel on various issues including advising and assisting on the resolution of a dispute with a third party over its right to submit a proposal to construct the Oakajee Port.
• Acting for a services company engaged to supply and lay a large offshore pipeline in a dispute with the contractor engaged to lay the pipe. Significant ovalisation had occurred, and the parties were in dispute as to the cause of the problem, the solution and the costs involved.
• Acting for six members of a seven-member regional council established under the Local Government Act in proceedings with another member of the regional council. The dispute surrounded the system of charges levied by the regional council on members using its rubbish disposal services. If the other party had been successful in the proceedings it would have resulted in the clients paying, in some instances, millions more for rubbish disposal each year.
• Acting for the owner and operator of a large industrial facility which was the subject of an investigation by the Department of Environment and Conservation following an environmental incident. This included providing advice on their rights during the investigation and providing advice and representation during the interview of employees.
• Acting for the owner of a shopping centre defending an action by tenants for damages arising from the redevelopment of the centre including delays in these tenants obtaining a liquor licence due to the local authority withholding the certificate of classification.
• Acting for John Holland in a AU$14 million dispute with its main electrical subcontractor on the Mandurah-to-Perth railway including two actions in the Supreme Court challenging adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act 2004. One of these actions sought that a prerogative writ be issued against the adjudicator.
• Acting for a responsible entity and its directors defending proceedings commenced by a participant in a managed investment scheme. The participant sought wide-ranging relief alleging that the responsible entity and directors had engaged in numerous breaches of the Trade Practices Act and the Corporations Act.
• Acting as counsel in the defence of the prosecution of a port authority for causing pollution during the loading of lead carbonate. This was a lead role including appearing at all court hearings including the sentencing hearings on behalf of the port.