Tony Schwartz

LLB

Tony Schwartz has practised in a broad range of areas of law with a particular interest and speciality in liquor licensing matters since his admission as a solicitor in 1979.

The cornerstone of Tony's expertise and recognition in the provision of legal services to the liquor, hospitality and gaming industry is his contribution to education and technical legal services as the principal author of the LexiNexis liquor licensing publication McDonald's Licensing Laws of New South Wales.

Tony has been the author of this publication since 1990. He has in the past, and continues to provide support, training and advice on liquor and gaming related matters. He regularly delivers lectures on licensing law to solicitors through the Young Lawyers of NSW, the NSW State Legal Conference, regional law society groups, liquor accords and to private industry. Tony is well regarded in the legal profession as a lecturer and an expert witness in proceedings involving liquor licensing practice and procedure. He regularly acts for other legal practitioners to provide their clients with specialised advice on liquor and gaming matters.

Tony has been involved in various types of major investigations, complaints and prosecutions instigated by the Police or the Director of Liquor and Gaming and has represented the applicant or submitter in more social impact assessments before the former Board than any other legal adviser in NSW. He has been involved in many of the recent cases in the Supreme Court involving the Liquor Act, the Registered Clubs Act and the Gaming Machines Act as well as appearing in matters before the Land and Environment Court involving hotels and other licensed premises. Such proceedings have involved lease disputes, poker machine entitlement issues, extension of trading hours, outdoor smoking areas and disputes involving restrictive conditions imposed by Councils or local consent authorities.

Tony has been involved in representations with the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing and Authority in relation to the 2007 Liquor Act and 2008 Liquor Regulation (and their subsequent amendment) on behalf of various clients and in his capacity as the author of McDonalds Licensing Laws of New South Wales.

Tony has significant experience in all types of liquor licence applications, licence related authorisations and the community impact process and the impacts unique to the types of liquor licences or authorisations sought.

More recently he has been involved in various proceedings involving the review process before the Authority, on matters arising from the Director and the Police seeking the imposition of conditions on licences as a result of applications made by the public authorities and changes to the Act, challenges based on administrative law principles , disturbance complaints and defending  prosecutions under the Liquor Act .