This year, RedeMont marks a milestone that says something important about who we are as a firm.
Two of our partners, Ken Petty and Michelle Pennicott, celebrate 30 years with the firm.
For a firm built on the belief that strong relationships and long-term thinking deliver the best outcomes for clients, this is more than a workplace anniversary. It reflects the values that define who we are.
We sat down with Ken and Michelle to find out what three decades of serving clients at RedeMont looks like.
Ken Petty, Partner
Ken has spent three decades advising government, companies, family enterprises and not-for-profit organisations in structuring, governance, mergers and acquisitions and strategic growth and succession.
What has kept clients returning to Ken over 30 years is not just his technical ability. It is the way he thinks about problems. Ken brings a lateral, strategic perspective that allows him to look across the full picture of a client’s situation rather than focusing narrowly on a single legal issue. He is often called on as a sounding board before decisions are made, as much as after problems emerge.
Ken serves as Chair of the St Stephen’s College Board and Deputy Chair of the Kimberly College Board, reflecting his commitment to strong governance within the Gold Coast community. He is also Chair of the Queensland Gives Gold Coast Committee, a public ancillary charity.
- What has changed most about the way clients come to you for advice over 30 years?
For me, combining the benefit of external roles, business leadership and legal practice has enabled me to cut through complex issues with legal skill and commercial insight. As your legal career expands you generally move up the decision-making tree. As trust builds, clients seek guidance early in projects and along the way. Technology has been a great enabler also as face-to-face meetings become less critical.
- Is there a particular kind of problem or moment in a client’s journey that you find most rewarding to be part of?
Growth and change are the parts I find most rewarding. Growth in the sense of enterprise value and at a personal level, as we help others in their journey and the chapter that’s most relevant to them right now. This often involves change and transition and determining where they want to end up.
- What does good legal counsel look like from where you sit, after all this time?
Excellent advice, on time, for a reasonable price, with a deep understanding of the client and a model of delivery that best suits them, founded on a relationship of trust.
Michelle Pennicott, Partner
Michelle is one of Queensland’s most respected practitioners in government, planning and development law, with a practice that spans project approvals, infrastructure delivery, strategic planning, statutory reform and regulatory compliance.
Best Lawyers Australia named Michelle as Lawyer of the Year for Land Use and Zoning Law in Queensland. She has also been consistently recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Planning and Environment Law and in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Planning and Development Lawyer.
Michelle has also been a member of the Queensland Development Tribunal since 2018.
She is an Associate Professor of Law at Bond University, where she has lectured in Planning and Development Law since 2006.
- Legal practice has changed significantly over 30 years. What has that meant for the way you advise clients?
Everyone, including clients, has much greater access to information. So the value of legal advice is less about finding or knowing the law. It’s about legal judgement and applying that good judgement to solve problems for clients.
- What does it take to navigate a complex planning dispute well, and what do clients most need from their lawyer in that process?
Making what is complex, simple. Not only for the client, but for the court and opposing parties.
- What keeps you engaged in this area of law after three decades?
Planning law is such a dynamic area – it changes constantly with changing government priorities. So its an area of law that is intellectually stimulating and challenging. It’s also incredibly fulfilling to see places and communities shaped by advice I give to clients.
What 30 years means
Longevity in legal practice is not just about years. It is about strong relationships, deep knowledge, and the trust placed in you by clients who return through different seasons of their business or personal lives.
Ken and Michelle have both built that kind of practice.
In finishing, we asked them both the same question.
What is the one piece of advice you find yourself giving clients regardless of the matter?
Ken: Will this decision make you sleep easier at night?
Michelle: Focus on outcomes.
We congratulate them both on 30 years and look forward to many more years of working alongside them.
