Ryan Timothy Watts
Ryan Timothy Watts
Ryan is an experienced commercial lawyer specialising in liquor and gaming, property, and commercial disputes based in Sydney CBD. Ryan has been the Principal of SlaterWatts Lawyers since 2016.
Over the years Ryan has built up a varied commercial practice and works with clients across, property, liquor, gaming and planning law acting for both commercial and private clients. He also advises on the resolution of corporate and business disputes in these areas, including litigation. Ryan has an extensive professional network of hospitality industry operators, Laws firms, planning experts and architects whom he works with daily to provide the best advice possible for his clients.
Ryan provides his clients with personal and prompt advice whilst understanding the importance of finding pragmatic commercial solutions. Ryan has built his reputation on understanding his clients’ needs and expectations and framing his advice into a readily actionable format. Ryan approaches all his matters with the same focus, drive and determination to ensure that his clients obtain the best possible outcomes.
Areas of expertise
Property
Ryan legal expertise encompasses all aspects of property law, including residential and commercial sales and acquisitions, commercial and retail leasing, subdivisions, off plan sales, advice on easements and caveats and related agreements and disputes. Ryan has acted and advised residential and commercial clients in relation to:
- Conveyancing for residential sales and acquisitions including strata, vacant land, rural and off-the-plan;
- Retail leases including café’s, restaurants and fashion outlets;
- Commercial leases including hotels and commercial offices;
- Put and call options;
- Sales and acquisitions by companies, self-managed superannuation funds, family and discretionary trusts;
- Drafting of development applications and modifications;
- Advice and drafting of covenants, easements and caveats;
- Retirement village purchases, leases, and service contracts; and
- All hospitality related property transactions.
- Advice on building and construction contracts including on scope and risk allocation.
Liquor & Gaming
Ryan has extensive knowledge and expertise in the hospitality industry advising a range of clients from hotels, registered clubs, ASX listed companies restaurants & café’s, small bars, bottle shops, event organisers, wineries, breweries, investors, and private persons.
Regularly advising on the Liquor Act 2007, Liquor Regulations, Gaming machines Act 2001, Gaming Regulations, licence approvals, variations and hospitality industry related matters.
Ryan has been engaged on countless hotel transactions acting for vendors, purchasers, landlords and tenants. These transactions often include significant due diligence and contract drafting considerations including challenging the validity and removal of contentious security interests and caveats. Ryan’s experience and advice covers:
- Commercial advice on all aspects of sale and acquisition of licensed premises;
- Advice and drafting of hotel, restaurant and café leases (including retail leases);
- Advice regarding the various types and conditions of liquor licences for hotels, registered clubs, restaurants & café’s, small bars, catering licences, bottle shops, event organisers, wineries, breweries and associated authorisations;
- Advice on licensing requirements and applications for all types of liquor licences including new liquor licences approvals, extended trading authorisations and Community Impact Statements, change of licensed boundaries, change of licence conditions, primary service authorisations and associated applications;
- Advice on gaming related applications including transfers, sales and acquisitions, increasing gaming machine thresholds, local impact assessments, gaming requirements and operational matters;
- NCAT Reviews and Supreme Court Appeals on Licensing decisions;
- Licensing and gaming related litigation;
- Applying for development consent and development modifications;
- Representing clients in relation to complaints and offences; and
- Drafting gaming plans of management and liquor plans of management.
Commercial and Business Law
Ryan has experience in all manner commercial and business matters include acting on the sale and purchase of companies, shares and businesses, drawing up Shareholder Agreements, joint venture and supply agreements, challenging PPS security interests and supplier agreements. Ryan has also acted for a wide variety of hotels and registered clubs on their commercial contracts and shareholders matters and acted and advised commercial clients in relation to:
- Hotel, small bar, bottle shop, restaurant and café sales and acquisitions;
- Franchising and fuel agreements;
- Service Station sales and acquisitions;
- Childcare centre disputes;
- Loan Agreements;
- Personal Property Security;
- Intellectual Property (IP) Protection;
- Supply agreements; and
- shareholder agreements, partnership agreements and other matters.
Commercial Disputes
Ryan’s dispute resolution skills extend over the entirety of the pre-litigation stage up to the commencement of court proceedings. Ryan has conducted negotiations and settlements of shareholder and inter-corporate disagreements and disputes. He possesses extensive experience in a variety of legal proceedings, and he has advised in formal mediation conferences involving the disputing parties and impartial mediators. These disputes have involved:
- Contractual disputes;
- Insurance disputes;
- Supplier agreement disputes;
- Property disputes, for example caveat issues;
- Landlord & Tenant leasing disputes;
- Building and construction disputes;
- Contested Will disputes; and
- Debt recovery.
Ryan’s other areas of practice include wills and Estates including challenging wills, probate applications, powers of attorney, enduring guardians, estate planning, the administration of deceased estates and acting in disputed estates.