Michael Vassili

Prior to entering Legal Practice Michael was a Senior Educator holding a Masters qualification in Education and positions including Head Teacher; Lecturer and Tutor in various tertiary institutions.

Since coming to practice he has been engaged as Corporate Counsel for a number of national and international clients including a major Aboriginal Land Council as well as contracted Senior Prosecutor conducting, advising on and lecturing in prosecutions and compliance in the Public Sector.

In addition, Michael has been engaged as Conciliator and Mediator on the panel of Local Government for controversial development proposals.

He has been on various Specialist Committees of the Law Society of NSW and is heavily involved in the establishment of and participation in Social Justice Initiatives (including Inaugural and long standing past Principal Solicitor for the Toongabbie Legal Centre; Member of the Law Society Pro Bono Scheme; Pro Bono Lawyer for "Enough is Enough"; Convener Blacktown City Council Homelessness and Affordable Housing Taskforce and Regional Homelessness Taskforce Delegate; Principal and founder of LOTS (Lawyers on the Street) and member and convener of numerous community initiatives and organisations including the Mortgage Consumers Association Mortgagevoice and youth initiatives including Indigenous Youth projects such as "Out of the Blocks"). In addition Michael has been a pre-selected and endorsed Candidate for State and Federal Parliament in North West and Western Sydney.

Through the practice, Michael has conducted various pro bono public interest matters throughout Australia including Coronial Inquests in Vitoria, WA and NSW, Refugee Tribunal and Migration Review Tribunal hearings and other hearings and applications across Victoria, NSW, WA, Queensland and the ACT. Michael was nominated for a Justice Medal for community legal service in 2011 and 2012.

Michael has appeared as trial advocate for local, national and international clients with full carriage and conduct of matters as advocate in his own right in Superior Courts and Specialist Tribunals including the High Court of Australia (see all of the Courts and Tribunals which Michael has appeared as advocate in his own right below).
 

Courts where Michael has appeared as Trial Advocate:

 

Appeal Courts / Reported Judgements

• High Court of Australia

• Full Bench of the Family Court

• District Court / Criminal Appeals

• NSW Court of Appeal

• NSW Court of Criminal Appeal

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Federal Courts and Tribunals

• The High Court of Australia

• The Federal Court of Australia (NSW,Victoria, ACT)

• The Federal Magistrates Court (NSW, Victoria, ACT)

• The Family Court of Australia

• The Family Court of Australia Full Court (Appeals)

• The Australian Industrial Relations Commission

• Fair Work Australia

• The Refugee Review Tribunal

• The Migration Review Tribunal

 

State Courts and Jurisdictions Supreme Courts

• The Supreme Court of Victoria

• The Supreme Court of Queensland

• NSW Supreme Court (Equity, Common Law and Corporations)

 

Other State Courts

• NSW Local Court

• NSW District Court (Civil, Criminal and Appeal)

• NSW Local Court (Including Children's and Liquor Courts)

• Victorian Magistrates Court

 

Coroners Courts

• NSW Coroners Court

• Victorian Coroners Court

• Western Australian Coroners Court

 

Specialists Courts and Tribunals

• Land & Environment Court of NSW (Criminal, Civil and Merits)

• The NSW Medical Tribunal

• The Administrative Appeals Tribunal

• The Independent Commission Against Corruption

• The Government and Related Employees Tribunal

• The Consumer Tenancy and Traders Tribunal

• The NSW Liquor Court 

• The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board

• NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal

• Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal

• Fair Work Australia

• The NSW Industrial Relations Commission

 

Senior EducatorUniversity Lecturer and TutorIn addition Michael has been engaged as lecturer and tutor at major universities throughout NSW including:

• Lecturer University of Technology Sydney

• Tutor - University NSW, University of Sydney, Southern Cross University, University of Technology Sydney

• Academic Chair of the Australian College of Legal Education and Training:

 

Australian College of Legal Education and Training

the college provides national training to regulatory and public authorities on investigating and enforcement / prosecution of offences.

Areas of Michael's Experience and Expertise 

Areas of expertise include:

• Local Government Prosecutions (including Class 4 and Class 5 Land & Environment Court - both from Prosecution and Defence) 

• Environmental Law

• Aboriginal Land Rights Act and Native Title

• Development and Planning law (including Merit based appeals in the Land & Environment Court as well as advice both prior to and during the development application process.

• Commercial Law litigation - advices - drafting 

• Corporations Law

• Property Law

• Construction Law (including contract drafting and disputes)

• Coronial Law (all states of Australia)

• Estate law (including probate and Family Provisions)

• Criminal Law from Local Court through to Supreme Court and Specialist jurisdictions including Liquor Licencing and Land & Environment Court)

• Litigation in all Courts and Tribinals from the Local Court of NSW through to the High Court of Australia

• Family Law (Federal and Family Courts)

• Immigration Law (Refugee Review Tribunal and Migration Review Tribunal as well as Federal Court Appeals)

• Medical Reviews and Disciplinary matters

• Industrial Relations State and Federal

• Town Planning (through our consultants Frasers see www.frasers.net.au)

• Drafting and negotiating commercial agreements

• Conciliations and Mediatiions of all disputes with a commercial and practical approach

• Development All aspects of land development from concept to completion