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Vera Visevic

Partner

Sydney

Vera has over 30 years’ experience in acting for numerous charities, religious and not-for-profit organisations.

Vera provides a full suite of commercial services to not-for-profit clients, including protecting commercial arrangements through drafting services agreements, privacy policies, internal policies and procedures, and reviewing grant and other government agreements.

Vera is a sought-after speaker throughout Australia. In the last year she has presented at the Better Boards Conference, and Legalwise and TENS seminars on not-for-profits. She has also authored a chapter within Charity Global Guide (2018), published by Thomson Reuters, and has authored a paper on lessons not-for-profits should learn from the recent Royal Commissions, published by Pro Bono Australia.

  • +61 417 650 435
  • +61 2 8289 5812

Memberships, Accreditation and Activities

  • Bachelor of Theology (Sydney College of Divinity) – 2012
  • Bachelor of Laws (Macquarie University) – 1992
  • Bachelor of Economics (Macquarie University) – 1992
  • Ranked Lawyer (Band 1), Charities, Chambers Asia-Pacific.

Vera sits on a number of boards and committees including:

  • NSW Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW, Community and Consumer Consultative Group
  • ACNC Professional User Group
  • CatholicCare, Diocese of Parramatta
  • Member of the Law Council of Australia, Charities and Not-for-Profit Committee.

Expertise

Vera’s expertise include:

  • Assisting not-for-profit clients with organisational restructures, mergers and collaborations, regulatory issues, bequests and estate administration and governance issues, all with a view to help boards function more effectively and in a legally compliant manner
  • Advising clients on tax exemptions and endorsements, including charity applications, DGR applications and applications for exemptions from State and Territory land tax, stamp duties and Council rates across Australia
  • Advising not-for-profits on regulatory matters including ACNC and State regulator enquiries, charitable fundraising licences, lottery permits and compliance with cemetery and funeral fund laws
  • As well as her expertise in not-for-profit law, Vera also has expertise in property law, with over 20 years’ experience.

Recent Matters

  • Successfully implemented an organisational restructure for asset protection for a leading disability charity with an asset pool of approximately $40 million. This drew on expertise in corporate law, tax law, charity law and property law. The team’s work has provided the charity with risk protection tools and enabled investment, by separating assets and operations
  • Advised on the restructure of a New South Wales charity which addresses homelessness. Vera provided advice on the establishment of separate entities and investment funds, to allow individuals to help fund property acquisitions while earning a return. She also made complex submissions to the Office of State Revenue regarding stamp duty and land tax exemptions for the organisation when purchasing property. This included successfully objecting to a duties assessment, saving the client hundreds of thousands of dollars into the future.

Memberships, Accreditation & Activities

  • Bachelor of Theology (Sydney College of Divinity) – 2012
  • Bachelor of Laws (Macquarie University) – 1992
  • Bachelor of Economics (Macquarie University) – 1992
  • Ranked Lawyer (Band 1), Charities, Chambers Asia-Pacific.

Vera sits on a number of boards and committees including:

  • NSW Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW, Community and Consumer Consultative Group
  • ACNC Professional User Group
  • CatholicCare, Diocese of Parramatta
  • Member of the Law Council of Australia, Charities and Not-for-Profit Committee.