Areas of Expertise

Aged Care & Retirement living, Corporate & Advisory, Regulatory compliance, Dispute resolution, Tax

Nikolas is a partner with over 10 years’ experience advising clients in the aged care, retirement living, and not-for-profit sectors across Australia, including in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.

He provides legal and strategic advice on all aspects of retirement village and aged care operations, including compliance with the Retirement Villages Act across various jurisdictions and the integration of the Aged Care Act in seniors living communities. His practice covers corporate and commercial law, property, contracts, and mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on advising in relation to legal and strategic frameworks specific to aged care and seniors living.

Nikolas also has deep experience advising not-for-profit entities on tax, including income tax, GST, and stamp duty, as well as structuring and regulatory compliance. He regularly advises on corporate governance obligations, including the establishment, management, and compliance of charities and not-for-profits with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and ASIC.

Nikolas currently chairs the Regulation Subcommittee of the Property Council’s NSW Retirement Living Committee, which contributes to the Council’s policy response to legislative reform affecting the sector in New South Wales.

What others say

Experience

Retirement village developments

Advising various retirement village operators (including residential developers entering the industry) in relation to the corporate structuring of seniors living development projects, including on obtaining GST-free status.

Tax exemptions

Advising charitable and groups on obtaining federal, state and territory revenue concessions for restructuring of their tax exempt entities and dealing with revenue authorities to obtain concessions.

RAC providers and RV operators

Advising various providers and operators in relation to complex resident issues including security of tenure and financial arrangements, including acting for those entities in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village

Advising plaintiff in Supreme Court of New South Wales proceedings in relation to the interaction between strata and retirement village laws and general contract law. The Court confirmed our position that the complex is a 'retirement village' and the sale of the premises was therefore subject to the retirement village laws. The case is a leading precedent on the subject matter and confirms the position that strata-titled retirement villages (when managed properly) can be operated in NSW.