Planning and environment expert joins Mills Oakley partnership

Mills Oakley has strengthened national planning and environment practice with the addition of Chris Wiseman to its partnership ranks.

Wiseman joins the Melbourne office from Clayton Utz, where he held senior positions over a tenure that lasted more than five years. A leading planning and environment expert, he specialises in environmental impact assessments, land valuation, compulsory land acquisition and compensation, and strategic planning.

He has represented clients in planning disputes and made appearances before local planning panels, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and the Supreme Court of Victoria. Moreover, he has advised government departments and agencies on all aspects of approval and compliance processes for major projects, including compliance with Commonwealth and state legislation.

During his stint as general counsel with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (now Fire Rescue Victoria), Wiseman gained knowledge and expertise in emergency services, administrative law, and inquiries and royal commissions.

According to Mills Oakley CEO John Nerurker, Wiseman’s appointment is expected to tap new markets for the firm’s growing national planning and environment practice in Melbourne.

“Our Sydney and Brisbane planning practices are the busiest developer-oriented planning practices in their respective markets,” Nerurker said. “The arrival of Chris allows us to pursue the same success in Melbourne as well as broadening our offering to advising on large government infrastructure projects, which present similar planning challenges to private developer-led projects.”