Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers gains leading Melbourne planning partner to complete the practice's vision for a fully serviced property and development offering in Melbourne

National legal practice Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers is continuing to expand its end-to-end property and development offering with the appointments of some of Australia's top talent in the field. 

One of Victoria's most well respected property development and planning lawyers, partner David Passarella joined the Melbourne practice in January. 

David's arrival is the final piece of the puzzle for the Melbourne office, as he joins Rhett Oliver, National Head of Property and Development, who relocated from Brisbane in 2020, and market leading property dispute resolution and construction partners.  

The team advises some of Australia's largest private developers and corporate clients. 

With David now spearheading and building the Planning Infrastructure and Environment group in Melbourne, the growth of the team will be accelerated by several key appointments across different levels of the property and planning teams. 

Rhett said David's appointment is a key part of the practice's strategy and commitment to deliver the best end-to-end property development solutions for clients and places the practice in a very unique position in the legal services markets in Brisbane, Sydney, and now in Melbourne.

"David is well known for his pro-development and outcome driven approach, his expertise in strategic planning, and advice work on both planning and infrastructure issues," Mr Oliver said. 

"Nationally, our property and development footprint continues to grow, and in 2022 we will further invest in our team and our technology that sets a standard and a benchmark in the legal industry few practices can compete with." 

Commenting on his appointment, David said the practice has a strong and long-standing reputation for its expertise in planning, infrastructure and environment, property and development, and construction.

"This expertise, together with a collaborative culture and commercial approach to solving clients' problems, is why I'm confident the practice is a good fit for my team and our clients," Mr Passarella said.

"The practice focuses on the whole of the property development life cycle, which is very rare in Melbourne and stands as a real point of difference". 

"I look forward to working with Rhett to continue to build the team and cement Colin Biggers & Paisley's position as the leading provider of legal services to the property and development sector in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney."

David's appointment follows a period of recent growth at Colin Biggers & Paisley that has further cemented the practice as a leading provider of legal services to the property and development sector across Victoria. 

A merger with Melbourne-based commercial practice Logie-Smith Lanyon in November 2021 saw the legal practice welcome four new partners, including partner Michael Lanyon to the team.

Managing Partner Nick Crennan said that the latest appointments greatly strengthen the support the legal practice can deliver to its clients in the property and development industry, particularly as the current market across the country continues to soar. 

"We are alive to opportunities for growth in our chosen markets and fields of expertise to support our clients," he said 

"These appointments will strengthen our national property and development and planning, infrastructure and environment teams, and enhance our reputation in the market as trusted advisors." 

"Looking ahead, the key indicators of the economy are positive, we are learning to live with the virus and are seeing our clients invest in property development projects across Australia."

For more information please contact Linda Branton on 02 8281 4594 or linda.branton@cbp.com.au.