Adam McLean

For over 30 years Adam McLean has been practising in the controversial and highly publicised and politicised areas of Indigenous land rights, native title, treaty, industrial relations, employment law, and criminal law fields.

Adam appears in complex native title trials.

Adam has also developed a practice in mediation and facilitation particularly with communities in significant disputes. He also advises Corporations and joint boards of management in governance and related matters.

Adam’s practice includes negotiating significant agreements including joint management of national parks, large infrastructure and mining agreements, and joint venture agreements. These often take the form of Indigenous Land use Agreements (ILUA) under the Native title Act 1993.  Adam was the lawyer for the first ILUA in Australia.

Adam’s many court appearances include trials and appeals in the Federal Court and Federal Magistrates' Court; the Supreme, County and Magistrates' Courts, Coroner's Court and in Royal Commissions.

Adam was admitted to practice in 1991 and signed the Bar Roll in 1999.

Significant court appearances include:

• WAD647/2017 Henry Dimer & Ors on behalf of the Marlinyu Ghoorlie Claim Group v State of Western Australia
• WAD315/2023 Gogolanyngor Aboriginal Corporation & Ors v Guumbarr Limited & Anor
• VID363/2020 Carolyn Maria Briggs & anor on behalf of the Boonwurrung People and State of Victoria & ors
• VID21/2019 Eastern Maar People & VID620/2022 Guinditjmara Area People
• QUD 673/2014 Ross on behalf of the Cape York United #1 Claim Group v State of Queensland
• Coconut on behalf of the Northern Cape York #2 Native Title Claim Group v State of Queensland [2014] FCA 629
• Woosup on behalf of the Northern Cape York Group #1 v State of Queensland (No 3) [2014] FCA 1148 (30 October 2014)
• Applicant v. Toyota Motor Corporation Australia C2012/6 + 45 other matters-Toyota Redundancy matters
• Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples v. State of Victoria. Federal Court 
• Wadi Wadi, Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa v. State of Victoria. Federal Court 
• Byron Bay Bundjalung People (Arakwal) v. State of New South Wales (Arakwal). Federal Court 
• Tabulam Bundjalung v. State of New South Wales. Federal Court 
• Baryulgil Bundjalung v. State of New South Wales. Federal Court 
• Wiradjuri Wellington v. State of New South Wales. Federal Court

Summary of significant native title and related agreements

Adam was the lawyer with carriage of:

• Peninsula Development Road Cape York Indigenous Land Use Agreement. Traditional Owners, State of QLD, Cape York Land Council.
• Dja Dja Wurrung Indigenous Land Use Agreement, Central Victoria. 
• Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park - Warrell Creek NSW 
• Yuin - Biamanga and Gulaga – Narooma NSW 
• Arakwal, Byron Bay NSW. Indigenous Land Use Agreement (No 2 and 3) 
• Worimi Conservation Lands – Stockton Bight NSW. 
• Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan Mr Grenfell - Cobar NSW 
• Arakwal, Byron Bay NSW. Indigenous Land Use Agreement (No1) 
• Traditional owners – Armidale mining co agreement. Armidale NSW. 
• Protocol for the negotiation of a native title framework agreement for Victoria November 2000
• Traditional owners – Adelong Mining NL - Tumut Brungle Area Agreement. First registered Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) in Australia under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)
• Arakwal, Byron Bay NSW. Arakwal-Byron Shire Council agreement. 
• NSW Aboriginal Land Council - State of NSW. National Park Framework Agreement
• Arakwal, Byron Bay NSW. State Conservation Area agreement.
• Tabulam Bundjalung, Tabulam NSW – Mining.
• Wellington Town Common Agreement central western NSW.