About David McLeish
David leads the Real Estate and Development team at Allens, specialising in property development, general commercial property and infrastructure.
David's time in the construction and projects teams at Allens means he is uniquely qualified to assist clients on their complex development transactions.
He has significant expertise in office, retail and industrial developments, and has a leading practice in the healthcare and education sectors. He is sought after by clients for strategic advice on their most important projects, and has been at the forefront of the development of fund through models in the Australian real estate market.
He also has a significant government practice, having worked for the Victorian Government and its various agencies on major transport and infrastructure projects for more than 20 years .
David brings a calm, commercial and collaborative approach to his clients. He is widely recognised as an expert in his field, having been named as one of Australia's leading real estate lawyers in Chambers Global since 2007 and Best Lawyers in Australia since 2008, where he was named the leading real estate lawyer in Victoria in 2019.
David’s relevant experience includes:
- Commercial office – a number of defining office projects in Melbourne including 405 Bourke Street, 664 Collins Street, 447 Collins Street, 477 Collins Street, 699 Bourke Street, 2RSQ and Media House.
- Retail – the redevelopment of Myer Melbourne Bourke Street, the Emporium and Karingal Shopping Centre, and the acquisition of divestment of major shopping centres across Australia.
- Industrial and manufacturing – the acquisition, development and leasing of industrial parks and logistics centres across Australia, and the sale and leaseback of significant manufacturing portfolios.
- Education – the development of Victoria University’s new CBD campus, projects involving the development of University facilities for Monash University, University of Melbourne and RMIT, and student accommodation projects including with University of Melbourne and Victoria University.
- Healthcare – the acquisition, development and leasing of private hospitals and medical centres across Australia.
- Infrastructure – major transport projects including Metropolitan Rail Franchising, Inland Rail and Dynon Port Rail Link.