Ian Tunstall Solicitor
After over 25 years working as a solicitor Ian is now concentrating on his writing activities and not actively operating this practice. The information below is provided so you can understand the breadth of his work as a lawyer.
The practice worked in these areas of law:
- corporations law including company structures, securities trading and fund raising, corporate control and insolvency law
- financial services law
- trade practices law for major infrastructure and access to essential facilities
- constitutional law
- administrative law
- privacy law
- consumer law relating to industry ombudsman complaints
- water law and other related natural resources law
- pollution control law
- electricity law
- gas law
- local government law related to natural resource management
- planning law related to environmental planning for natural resource management
- litigation (advise on avoiding litigation by showing the process including court rules and costs)
underlying theme of the practice
The underlying theme of the practice was the structural underpinning and shape of laws and regulatory arrangements and reform.
Businesses were assisted by setting up companies and other incorporated bodies, registration of names, drafting of constitutions and establishing corporate governance.
Government agencies were assisted in developing regulations or other statutory instruments, revision of existing regulations and preparing regulatory assessments.
corporate and securities law
The practice focused on compliance with laws to assist company managers to use the law to achieve their company’s objectives.
The practice worked with company managers to advise on legal issues affecting their decisions, to structure arrangements to comply with company law requirements and to advise on the management of the risk of potential insolvency. Alternative solutions were proposed based on economic outcomes for the company to reduce legal costs and achieve better results for the company as a whole. Company managers were better informed of their responsibilities and compliance requirements.
The practice assisted securities operators to achieve best practice with compliance programs and structures.
constitutional and administrative law
The practice provided constitutional law advice in relation to administrative action of government organisations and agencies.
Administrative law advice involved dealing with decisions of government agencies to make sure they were legal and that policy complied with fundamental legal requirements.
The practice also assisted persons who were affected by government decisions and advised on courses of action to remedy the impact or outcome of the decision including review of the merits of the decision and appeal.
Guidance manuals have been written for government agencies to direct decision-making processes and investigations consistent with natural justice.
privacy law
The practice was involved in privacy issues in the public and private sectors. Advice was given on the processes and procedures that need to be in place to ensure compliance with privacy law.
environmental law
In the environmental law area (natural resources and pollution control), the practice assisted the development of new subordinate laws (i.e. regulations and environmental plans) to better manage natural resources such as water, soils and natural vegetation. Teaching programs comprised instructing environmental economists and others about environmental law.
energy law
In the energy law area (electricity, gas, hydro generation, national electricity market) the practice advised on the law dealing with supply and demand issues, supply contracts, and customer impact and responses.
The practice contributed to articles for Australian Energy Law and Economics Newsletter which covered the range of laws affecting the energy industry together with economic analysis of the industry in Australia.
