Sean Kelly founded MS Kelly and Co (the forerunner of Kelly Legal) in 2004 and heads the firm's Commercial and Property Department.
A leading advisor in the property development industry, his expertise covers project planning, development, implementation and disputes. His broader business law expertise encompasses mining and rural services as well as estate and succession planning, corporate and revenue law. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and Masters degrees in Business Administration and Taxation Law.
Sean enjoys adding value to his clients' businesses and projects, and working with them to make a real difference. He takes a long term view, both in advising his clients and in developing relationships with them.
Sean takes particular pleasure in resolving the most complex legal issues and working with clients who face challenging opportunities.
During his 32 years of legal experience, Sean has been involved in many important projects and cases. Some of Sean's experience includes:
- Acting for numerous landowners in contested resumption and compensation matters.
- Numerous successful Planning and Environment Court appeals.
- Providing complex contractual advice and resolving contractual disputes.
- Appearances in all superior Courts including the Queensland Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and the Federal Court and High Court of Australia.
- Litigation relating to property, business and wills.
- The first Mixed Use Development in Queensland.
- The first master planned suburb in the Mackay region.
- The first low rise development in Mackay.
- High rise, medium density and small lot developments.
- Volumetric and Community Title developments.
- Complex leasehold and subleasehold developments.
- Island and tourism developments.
- Shopping centre and commercial developments.
- Preparing a complete set of local laws for a Local Government.
- Providing strategic advice to Local Governments.
- Innovative contractual structuring for house & land and unit developments.
- Holistic structuring for partnerships, companies, trusts, shareholders and directors.
- Litigation under the Australian Competition and Consumer Act.
- Landlord and Tenant and property law litigation.
- Revenue Law advice and representation including stamp duty.
- Documenting and advising on buyouts and mergers.
- Numerous commercial and business acquisitions and sales.
- Leases and franchising.
- Estate and succession planning and implementation.
- Trusts, including innovative trust structures.
Sean is well regarded in the community. He is a long time member and Fellow of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), and has held positions on the Queensland Law Society Revenue Law Committee and as President of the Mackay Whitsunday UDIA.
He is also a director of ReNew Mackay Limited which is playing a key role in the revitalisation and redevelopment of the Mackay CBD and Waterfront precincts.
Sean is also a keen supporter and sponsor of various local rugby league teams and is a director of the Mackay Cutters Rugby League club. As a younger man Sean represented Mackay and North Queensland in a long rugby league career.
