David Saylor

David Saylor is the principal lawyer at Saylor Legal, a Townsville-based firm practising exclusively in native title and Indigenous law.

He was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia in 1996 and has largely worked exclusively in native title and Aboriginal cultural heritage since 2003. Few Australian lawyers have been in the field for as long as David. The depth that comes from working in one complex area of law for more than two decades shows in how he handles matters, in the questions he asks, and in the practical advice he gives.

David has represented Traditional Owner groups in consent determinations across North Queensland, in compensation proceedings before the Federal Court, in ILUA negotiations with governments and developers, and in governance advice for PBCs and RNTBCs. His practice covers both land and sea country claims. When the matter calls for it, he attends on-country hearings and ceremonies. That kind of understanding of a claim group’s particular circumstances is not something a lawyer can pick up quickly; it takes years to build, and he has put in those years.

He works from Townsville, which matters. For Traditional Owner groups in Torres Strait, Central Queensland, North Queensland, Cape York and the Gulf Country, that proximity means a lawyer who can be on country when it counts, not one flying in from a capital city. He accepts instructions from Traditional Owner groups and PBCs across Australia.