Joel’s practice at Best Hooper has been a multidisciplinary approach, having built a core understanding in all key areas of property and the development lifecycle. He always had an astute involvement in business development and has been critical in the progression of Best Hooper since 2011.
Joel completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Melbourne Business School in 2016. Since that time, he has applied himself towards Best Hooper’s business. In 2020, he was appointed as Managing Partner.
Since his appointment as Managing Partner, Joel has successfully driven Best Hooper’s industry growth in addition to leading the Land Acquisition and Compulsory Acquisition Team, which is now recognised as one of Victoria’s best development-centric legal teams. In late 2024, after creating systems and structures to ensure a non-hierarchical legacy of the firm, Joel stepped aside as Managing Partner and into a more streamlined leadership role focusing on team development, strategy and finance together with mentoring other executive partners to champion identified areas of interest.
Managing Partner / Executive
Joel’s focus as Managing Partner has been on prioritising critical strategic and functional developments while striving to achieve global business objectives. During his time, Best Hooper has successfully progressed from being known as a Planning Law firm to leveraging its industry presence to become a leading Land Development Law firm that delivers a service throughout the entire property lifecycle. The service delivery also excels beyond simply providing legal advice towards applying experience to provide strong strategic and commercial advice.
In the first few years, Best Hooper advanced to having 4 additional pillar practice groups in their own right, being Property and Transactions, Dispute Resolution, Project Advisory and Land Development. This improved Best Hooper’s value proposition to expand through more of the development cycle to provide a more complete service offering. Each team now has its own sustainability, recognition and lifeblood while providing a strong cross-network throughout the balance of the firm.
Through the triple-digit growth in a 3 year period, Best Hooper has also created a strong and positive culture for its people by introducing more internal touch-points, dynamic workflows, personal growth, and real-time recognition. This has edged Best Hooper closer to being an employer of choice.
While being one of Victoria’s oldest law firms, with a rich history since 1886, Best Hooper’s growth since 2020 has been noteworthy.
Best Hooper is now focusing on its service delivery and industry presence to provide a strong strategic outcome for the future. This includes focusing on its expertise, industry presence, digital marketing, succession planning, branding and leadership.
Joel continues in an executive role as part of the leadership team together with his legal role.
Legal Expertise
In 2020, Joel has created a new practice for Land Development and Compulsory Acquisitions. This is the first time a law firm has introduced a practice of such nature which proved to be a successful conglomerate over various areas within the development cycle. Such team focused on development outcomes to deliver a project from the issuance of a planning permit and during the land-holding period.
The Land Development Practice offers value to landowners and developers at all stages of the property development lifecycle. The core of this practice is facilitating project delivery in Victoria’s new towns and suburbs, being the Greenfields. While this involves both experience in delivery and client-focused resolutions, Joel’s focus is always with a solid understanding of commercial considerations while adopting a quasi-project management role.
Core clients range from high-net worth families with variable development experience, to experienced developers, to publicly listed companies. He also regularly acts for owners’ corporations in relation to management of properties and the treatment of common property. The service provided depends on the client’s requirements including total project management, facilitation on a particular stage or complex strategic advice.
Joel’s principal areas of practice include:
- Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC).
- Public Infrastructure Works and Projects.
- Water, Sewerage and Gas Infrastructure.
- Precinct Structure Plans and Development Contributions.
- Section 173 Agreements.
- Land Access and Construction Agreements.
- Private Acquisitions of Easements or Removals of Rights of Way.
- Development Project Management and Advice.
- Protection Works.
- Adverse Possession and Boundary Disputes.
- Road and Laneways including Claims or Discontinuations.
- Subdivisions and Owners Corporations.
The Compulsory Acquisitions Practice was borne out of providing complex advice and representation for claimants in a development perspective, which requires a detailed understanding of the potential development outcomes to achieve the highest and best use for the land. Similarly, a practice in relation to compensation for planning blights (ie loss on sales and refusal claims) which result of private land being reserved or otherwise required for a public purpose.
Joel now advises some of Victoria’s leading developers and landowners on all facets of such claims for compensation.
Best Hooper’s Compulsory Acquisition Practice has become Victoria’s most recognised, experienced and largest in the industry. This team now represents claimants (landowners, developers and businesses) in all of Victoria’s Big Build Projects in addition to the bespoke projects throughout the State.
While continuing to provide a service to Best Hooper’s key clients, Joel is also focusing on mentoring the next generation of leaders.
