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James Horwood
Partner, Brisbane
As an experienced real estate and commercial lawyer, I have developed a practice which is primarily focused on the retirement and seniors living sector nationally. I work with various national and local retirement village and land lease operators across aspects of retirement and seniors living law, including transactions, structuring and set up advice, contract drafting and regulatory advisory work.

I am involved in a broad range of matters, including acquisitions and disposals, advising on structuring and regulatory issues, advising on retirement village unit conveyancing and drafting resident contracts and other operational documents. My work in this space covers both new and existing retirement villages and land lease communities in various jurisdictions around Australia.

In a sector that is constantly impacted by regulation and reform, I play an active role in various advocacy initiatives, including legislative reform reviews and assisting sector peak bodies with government submissions and engagement. I also regularly present on a range of topical legal issues to key clients and other sector stakeholders at events and through various training and advocacy programs, including for Property Council of Australia, Aged & Community Care Providers Association and DCM Institute.

With my in-depth knowledge of the sector, I am committed to working with my clients to provide timely and commercial solutions.

Career highlights

Oak Tree Group: Advising on all aspects of Oak Tree Group's retirement villages portfolio, including:

  • acting on the acquisition of several retirement village development sites in New South Wales and Queensland; and
  • providing regulatory advice, drafting residence contracts, advising on resident disputes and overseeing the retirement village unit conveyancing practice across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.

Keyton: Advising on various aspects of Keyton's national retirement village portfolio, including providing regulatory advice, drafting residence contracts, advising on resident disputes and overseeing the retirement village unit conveyancing practice in Queensland.

Lendlease: Acting on the restructure and sales of various interests in its national retirement village business to capital partners.

Aveo: Advising on the sale of its national portfolio of retirement villages and aged care facilities. Acting on the sale and purchase of various operating retirement villages in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Ingenia Communities:

  • acting on the acquisition and disposal of various land lease communities and retirement villages nationally, including the acquisition of the Seachange portfolio of 6 land lease communities in Queensland and the sale of its portfolio of 6 rental retirement villages in Western Australia; and
  • providing regulatory advice, drafting operational documents, advising on resident disputes in respect of its land lease communities portfolio across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Bolton Clarke:

  • acting on the acquisition of the McKenzie Aged Care portfolio comprising 17 residential aged care facilities and 2 retirement villages in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales; and
  • acting on the acquisition of 4 retirement villages and a development site in Victoria from RCA Retirement Villages.

Levande: Drafting and assisting with the implementation of automated contract templates across its entire national portfolio and providing advice on various regulatory and operational matters. Advising on complex issues relating to the proposed redevelopment of various retirement villages in Victoria and New South Wales.

Eureka Group Holdings: Acting on the acquisition and disposal of various retirement and rental villages, including a portfolio of 2 retirement villages in Hervey Bay and Cairns in Queensland and various rental retirement villages in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Churches of Christ in Queensland: Acting on the acquisition and disposal of various development, residential aged care facilities and retirement villages sites in Queensland.

Goodwin Aged Care: Acting on the acquisitions of various residential aged care facilities and retirement villages in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

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