Erin McCormick
Clayton Utz
Erin advises local governments, public authorities, and statutory bodies, on a variety of legal issues affecting government, including regulatory and compliance matters, commercial matters, restructuring, governance, exercise of statutory powers and reporting obligations under the statutory framework within which the entities operate.
Erin has an in-depth knowledge of both the commercial and regulatory issues that impact on the conduct of projects by Government and entities subject to regulatory oversight, and has a solid understanding of the processes required to facilitate project delivery, including in respect of procurement. This in-depth understanding of the regulatory frameworks, coupled with her knowledge of practical, commercial and operational matters affecting government, enables her to provide valuable input to her clients and peers on policy matters in addition to providing technical and commercial legal advice.
- City of Gold Coast / Home of the Arts: Advised Home of the Arts on issues associated with venue hire arrangements and decision-making processes. In addition, Erin has provided advice in relation to governance arrangements as between City of Gold Coast and Home of the Arts, as a controlled entity.
- Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project and Rookwood Weir: Co-ordinated the preparation of the legal and regulatory chapter for the Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project for Building Queensland and assisted with the review of the commercial framework for the project.
- Queensland Bulk Water Bulk Water Supply Authority (Seqwater): Provided advice to Seqwater on commercial, regulatory and governance-related issues following the merger of various State water entities and in respect of ongoing water regulatory issues associated with its management of allocations, including facilitating the sale of water allocations and advising on irrigator issue.
- Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy: Prepared detailed advice to the Department addressing regulatory issues and limitations associated with independent water utilities.
- Urban Utilities: Advised on a regular basis on a range of issues including on the supply of recycled water, water restrictions and enforcement and corporate governance issues under their Participation Agreement with participating local governments. Erin also worked with them to develop a third party compliance framework and to address practical and issues associated with the implementation of that framework.
- Logan City Council: Advised in relation to commercial and regulatory issues. She also provides advice to Council's transformation team on the implementation of innovative programs aimed at supporting Logan's economic growth.
- Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy: Erin has worked with the Department to investigate (through the conduct of due diligence activities and provision of strategic advice regarding commercial and regulatory issues) the divestment of Sunwater's channel irrigation schemes to irrigator-owned entities (""local management arrangements"").
- Toowoomba Regional Council: Erin is currently assisting Toowoomba Regional Council in relation to its tendering process for its New Energy Generation Program. This work involves provision of strategy and preparation of documents to ensure project alignment with the Local Government framework.