Partner

Experience

Ashley commenced legal practice in Darwin in 1989, and after a number of years working in private practice he joined the Darwin office of the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) in 1993. Ashley was a Senior Lawyer with AGS until 2005 when he joined the commercial division at Ward Keller. Ashley became an Associate with Ward Keller on 1 July 2007. He has extensive experience in commercial law as well as relevant litigation experience. Ashley became a partner at Ward Keller on 1 July 2010.

Ashley has extensive property law experience including numerous major property acquisitions and disposals, pastoral lease sales, design, construct and lease back projects, strata titling and subdivisions. Other general commercial law experience includes corporate reconstructions, sales and purchase of businesses, loans and securities, stamp duty and planning law, and mining transactions. He also has extensive experience in preparing agreements in relation to Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act including mining agreements, and indigenous land use agreements under the Native Title Act.

Major matters Ashley has worked on include corporate reconstruction of SKYCITY Darwin, purchase Tom’s Gully Mine for GBS Gold, freehold conversion and transfer of Wickham Point LNG Plant for ConocoPhillips, relocation of Office of Supervising Scientist from Jabiru to Darwin, purchase Mirambeena Resort for the Toga Group, various matters in relation to the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway, sale of land for Department of Defence at Lee Point for new suburban development and native title advice on possible sites for proposed Commonwealth Government nuclear waste facility.

Ashley has a strong background in administrative law, employment law and civil litigation. He has conducted a wide range of litigation matters including appearing as counsel in Federal and Northern Territory courts and tribunals.

Qualifications & Memberships

• Bachelor of Laws – Adelaide University
• Admitted to practice in Northern Territory, Federal Courts and England

Areas of Law

• Property and commercial transactions
• Native title and Aboriginal land law
• Administrative law
• Mining law