Daniel Morris graduated from Sydney’s Macquarie University with a combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degree in December 2001, and was admitted to practice in WA in July 2003.

Over the past eight years Daniel has worked as a litigator in areas including building and construction, personal injury, insurance defence, Commonwealth prosecutions and commercial litigation. Daniel also has a growing practice in vocational regulation, acting for (and occasionally against) doctors, lawyers, builders and real estate agents.

Daniel joined the office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in 2004, and during his time with the DPP worked closely with State and Commonwealth law enforcement agencies including the Australian Federal Police, Australian Customs Service, WA Police and the Australian High Tech Crime Centre.

Daniel’s role at the DPP primarily focused on prosecuting fraud and money laundering cases. He was also involved in appeal work, and provided legal advice and guidance to investigators and law enforcers on all aspects of Federal criminal law.

In December 2007, Daniel joined Havilah Legal as an Associate in our Litigation/Dispute Resolution Team.

Daniel now practises primarily in building and construction law as a consumer/trade representative and advisor to home owners, investors, contractors, tradesmen and land developers. Daniel also assists builders to achieve registration and draft building contracts. Daniel has been developing a specialised practice in building and construction law over the past 3½ of his 8 years in post-admission practice. Daniel has recently published an article on home builders’ liability for latent (hidden) defects in the November edition of the WA Law Society’s monthly journal, Brief.

Daniel has commenced a Master of Laws course at the University of Western Australia in 2011. The focus of his research will be the liability of building professionals to consumers of building services, the remedies that consumers can be awarded against builders who act negligently or breach their contracts, and the upcoming building and construction law reform package.

Daniel is also a judicial member of Football West’s Grievances and Appeals Tribunal and a member of the Northbridge Rotary Club. In his spare time, Daniel judges and coaches in the school mock trial competition, assists with Murdoch University’s Legal Drafting workshop and enjoys Latin, Modern Ballroom and West Coast Swing dancing.

Areas of Practice:

Building and Construction Law

• Building disputes with builders, developers, contractors and tradesmen;
• Overcharging by builders;
• Delays in the commencement, progress or completion of building works;
• Faulty and defective workmanship by builders;
• Pay disputes between builders and contractors;
• Illegal price increases and other unlawful variations to building contracts;
• Town planning approval and building licence applications;
• Applying for registration as a builder; and
• Drafting or revision of building contracts.

Commercial Litigation

• Commercial lease disputes;
• Real and personal property disputes;
• Commercial contract disputes;
• Lease disputes with shopping centres;
• Loan and finance agreements;
• Breaches of supply, service and delivery contracts;
• Recovery of possession of real or personal property;
• Disputes about title or ownership of real or personal property;
• Commercial arbitrations;
• Misleading and deceptive conduct and misrepresentations; and
• Corporate sabotage, including misappropriation of clients, trade secrets and know-how.

Professional conduct and discipline

• Builders’ Registration Act 1939;
• Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978;
• Legal Profession Act 2008; and
• Medical Practitioners Act 2008 (repealed since 18 October 2010).

Profile

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