As a Director of Johnston Withers Lawyers, I specialise primarily in the areas of Aboriginal land rights and native title and defamation, I am recommended by Doyle’s Guide as a leading Native Title lawyer. I also practice in areas of commercial law and not for profit law. I commenced my legal career in England and migrated to Australia in '78. After 3 years practising in a large Sydney CBD firm, I was appointed Senior Legal Officer at the Pitjantjatjara Council based in Alice Springs. It was here my strong interest and involvement in Aboriginal land rights matters began. I advised the Council on land, mining, commercial and other legal issues.After nearly 8 years at the Pitjantjatjara Council, I joined Johnston Withers in '90 and became a Director of the firm in '96. I have been a member of the Law Society of South Australia’s Aboriginal Issues Committee since its inception in '97 and have authored and presented many papers on land rights and native title. My specialist land rights and native title experience has involved advising Aboriginal groups and organisations in SA, WA, NT, NSW & Qld. Including;• Acting on behalf of claimants in native title claims;• Negotiating mining and petroleum exploration and production agreements in relation to freehold and native title land;• Negotiating joint management agreements in relation to national parks and other conservation areas;• Negotiating with governments, mining companies and other bodies;• Advising Land Councils and other representative bodies on land rights, native title and related commercial issues; and• Advising on laws for the protection of Aboriginal heritage.My other area of expertise is defamation, I was involved in the landmark Chakravarti High Court case which resulted in my client being awarded what was at the time the State’s highest defamation damages payout. I have represented a number of high profile clients (including SA’s then Premier, Mike Rann) in their defamation actions.