Grant Christmas
Principal
Grant Christmas is an Accredited Specialist in Local Government and Planning Law (Law Society of NSW) and is the founding Principal of Apex Planning and Environment Law.
Grant is a highly respected practitioner in the areas of town planning, local government and environmental law with over 30 years experience.
Grant is a Member of the Law Society Specialist Accreditation Committee (Planning and Environment).
Grant is currently Alternate Chair of the Bayside Council and Hawkesbury City Council Local Planning Panels, and is an expert member on the Wollondilly and Wollongong Local Planning Panels.
In December 2022, Grant was appointed by the Minister of Planning to be a State Member of the Southern Regional Planning Panel for a 3 year period.
Grant was a Board Member of the Law Society of NSW Specialist Accreditation Board (2018 – 2022); a Committee Member of the Law Society of NSW Environmental Planning and Development Law Committee (2009 – 2010); and the Local Government and Shires Associations’ Representative on the Land and Environment Court Users Group (2006 – 2010).
Prior to founding Apex Planning and Environment Law, Grant was Marrickville Council’s Principal Solicitor (from 2001-2010), Sutherland Shire Council’s Principal Environmental Lawyer (from 1999- 2001) and a planning, environment and local government solicitor at Phillips Fox Solicitors (1995-1999).
Grant completed his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Technology Sydney and was awarded the Abbott Tout prize for Local Government Law.
Grant is also a qualified town planner, holding a Bachelor of Town Planning from the University of New South Wales. Grant worked as a development control planner for six years, across Manly, Hurstville, Marrickville and Randwick Councils.
Grant has a unique understanding of the workings of local government, extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution and as an advocate in the Land and Environment Court.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Town Planning, University of New South Wales, 1989;
Bachelor of Laws, University of Technology Sydney, 1995;
Diploma of Practical Legal Training, College of Law Sydney, 1996; and
Specialist Accreditation (Local Government and Planning Law), Law Society of NSW 2010.
Grant is a Member of the Law Society of NSW.
Jill Marsland
Senior Associate
Jill advises on complex planning and development matters, helping clients navigate regulatory pathways, resolve planning constraints and translate design ambitions into viable and enduring outcomes.
Jill bring a rigorous, considered and systems-oriented approach to her work, combining technical legal expertise with strategic analysis, negotiation and project management.
Jill’s approach to planning law is informed by a broader interest in the relationship between law, property development and the life of cities. She is drawn to the relationship between possibility and structure, and to the ways in which city planning can contribute to improved social justice, educational and public health outcomes.
Jill is particularly interested in the way different parts of a system interact, where they create friction or unintended consequences, and where carefully considered interventions can create a better path forward.
Jill holds a Master of Laws in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development from UNSW, where she examined the environmental, social and economic dimensions of development, with a particular focus on the legal and institutional structures that govern the global food system.
The intersection of planning law and public health, particularly food security and diet, is a rich and developing field of enquiry for her.
Qualifications and Professional Associations:
Master of Laws (Environmental Law and Sustainable Development) (UNSW)
Bachelor of Laws (UWS)
Admitted to Supreme Court of NSW
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.
Diploma in Agency Management
Member of the Law Society of NSW.
Charlie Maher
Paralegal
Charlie is passionate about environmental law and sustainable development. She is particularly interested in climate law, biodiversity conservation, and the role of Indigenous knowledge and human rights in environmental decision-making.
Charlie brings an interdisciplinary perspective to environmental and planning matters. She is currently completing a double degree in Law and Science (Environmental Biology) at the University of Technology Sydney and an Undergraduate Certificate in Antarctic and Climate Science at the University of Tasmania.
Charlie has gained legal experience through internships with the Environmental Defenders Office and SSEK Law Firm in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a New Colombo Plan Scholar supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, she developed a broader understanding of legal systems and environmental challenges in an international context.
As part of her scientific studies, she has volunteered as a research assistant in the Peruvian Amazon, where she gained experience in fieldwork, ecological monitoring, and data collection.
Alongside her professional experience, Charlie has been involved in the UTS BUILD Program, the UTS Law Students' Society and the UTS Women's Soccer Team.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science (Environmental Biology), University of Technology Sydney (4th Year)
Undergraduate Certificate in Antarctic and Climate Science, University of Tasmania (1st Year)
UTS BUILD Award
New Colombo Plan Scholar, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade