Leighton Smith
Clayton Utz
Special Counsel
Brisbane
Overview
As an experienced property lawyer, Leighton has a considerable advisory and transactional practice, acting for clients often carrying out the most significant acquisitions, disposals and projects in Queensland and across Australia. Leighton frequently acts in the sale, purchase, lease and development of residential, rural, commercial and industrial properties. He adds value to transactions by achieving first-class outcomes based on a clear understanding of the client's business and commercial requirements.
Notable Work
- Regularly acts for Blackstone on some of Australia's most significant property portfolio transactions.
- Advised Morgan Stanley on the acquisition of medical facilities and hospital properties in a portfolio-level transaction.
- Acts for Tasman Environmental Markets (TEM) in relation to the investigation and acquisition of key rural properties across Queensland for establishment of carbon projects. As trusted advisor, we have assisted TEM to establish and follow through with a consistent program of carrying out detailed due diligence in respect of target properties, negotiating sale and leaseback arrangements with owners (in line with carbon project requirements) and completing acquisitions in a timely and cost-effective manner.
- Advised the Department of State Development, Tourism and Innovation on tenure and property related issues for construction of Queensland's first wind farm. We assisted with implementation of new legislation and a suite of agreements between multiple parties in order for the State to accommodate development of the wind farm over State forest area.
- Advised the Northern Territory Government on the proposed Sun Cable project including tenure and structuring options associated with the Sun Cable project, which was proposing to develop the Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL), a major energy infrastructure project to supply renewable electricity to Darwin and the ASEAN region.
- Advised Lendlease in relation to negotiation, documentation and transacting a complex, multi-vendor acquisition for a large residential development site on Brisbane's north side. The project will be well over $1 billion value in residential development over time and adds to the supply of residential housing stock in a key area of Queensland
Insights
Media Release: Clayton Utz advises an investment vehicle sponsored by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing on ~$600m capital partnership with Frasers Property
28 Apr 2025 | Media Release
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Media Release: Clayton Utz advising Nippon Steel Corporation on its acquisition of a stake in the Blackwater Mine
29 Aug 2024 | Media Release
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Media Release: Clayton Utz advises Mitsui Fudosan on its largest acquisition in Australia
10 Jul 2024 | Media Release
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Commercial buyer beware – landlord liability for lease defaults inherited from seller and possible set-off risks
16 Dec 2022 | Article
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Queensland given first glimpse of proposed new Property Law regime
16 Dec 2022 | Article
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Opportunities ahead for the Australian property sector from the change in Federal Government
9 Jun 2022 | Article
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Time is (mostly) of the essence in the new Queensland REIQ residential land contracts
12 May 2022 | Article
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"Writes reserved": Managing correspondence to avoid the inadvertent creation of a binding and enforceable contract
25 Nov 2021 | Article
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Put options won't kill cooling-off periods in NSW residential contracts for sale
10 Jun 2021 | Article
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Court once again considers unenforceability of lease incentive clawbacks
13 May 2021 | Article
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Greater clarity for Queensland landlords and tenants: the long-awaited COVID-19 Regulation is now in force
29 May 2020 | Article
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New witnessing requirements for Queensland land registry documents
3 Oct 2019 | Article
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