Modules:

• Criminal

Biography:

Josh has practised exclusively in Criminal Law since beginning practice in 2006. He is now a partner at the firm Doogue O’Brien George, serving as the firm’s in-house counsel.

Josh has specialised in representing his clients at trial. The bulk of his practice now involves defending clients who are pleading not guilty. This can mean defending clients in Magistrates’ Court hearings or running their cases in jury trials in the County Court. As an advocate, Josh has specialised in indictable crime, including violence (assaults, armed robberies, aggravated burglaries), drug matters, and sexual offences, especially rape charges.

Josh is the vice-chair of the criminal law section executive of the Law Institute of Victoria. He is accredited as a specialist in the criminal law by the same institute. In 2014 Josh attended the National Criminal Defense College in the USA and completed their Trial Practice course.

Modules:

• Immigration

Biography:

Chris is a Partner of the Australian Practice of Fragomen. Chris is an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist and has practiced immigration law since 1995.

Chris has extensive experience in providing immigration advice and assistance to Australian and global corporations in industry sectors such as construction and engineering, education, electricity and gas, mining, financial and insurance, retail, information technology and telecommunications. His extensive experience extends to representing individuals, as well as local and multinational corporations seeking to establish and/or operate in Australia.

Chris is a committee member of the Migration Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia and Chris also Chairs the Migration Law Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria.

Modules:

• Succession

Biography:

Richard Neal is an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates Law with over 50 years of experience advising clients on complex estate and succession matters. A partner at Teece Hodgson & Ward in Sydney, he has extensive expertise in equity litigation, contested estates, will construction, family provision claims, and trust administration. He also provides estate planning guidance, particularly in matters involving foreign assets and cross-border succession issues.

Richard is named in the Doyle’s Guide from 2015 to 2024 as a Preeminent Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer – New South Wales and Preeminent Wills, Estates Planning and Succession Planning Lawyer – New South Wales.

Beyond his legal practice, Richard is a respected educator and thought leader in succession law. Since 1986, he has conducted workshops and seminars for solicitors’ continuing legal education and frequently acts as an expert witness in estate litigation.

Publications

• Co-author, Mason and Handler's Succession Law and Practice NSW (LexisNexis)
• Co-author, Hutley's Australian Wills Precedents, 9th Edition
• Advisor, Practical Guidance Succession (LexisNexis)
• Regular contributor of seminar papers and case reviews on wills, family provision, estate disputes, and elder law

Awards & Recognition

• Fellow, Australian Academy of Law
• Member, STEP NSW Committee (since 2012)
• STEP Australia Education Officer (since 2013)
• Member, Advisory Committee on Succession Law Reform, NSW Attorney General’s Office
• Former Chair, Advisory Committee for Specialist Accreditation in Wills and Estates Law, NSW (1999–2007)

Speaking Engagements
Richard has been a keynote speaker at numerous legal education events, focusing on estate planning, succession law reform, and probate litigation.

Professional Organisations & Memberships

• Member, International Academy of Estate and Trust Law
• Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
• Affiliate Member, The Taxation Institute
• Member, Supreme Court of NSW Probate Users’ Committee
• Member, Elder Law, Capacity & Succession Committee, Law Society of NSW

Professional Contact
Teece Hodgson & Ward
Level 10, 1 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9232 3733

Biography:

Catherine Gu is a NSW-qualified lawyer in the White & Case’s Global Project Development and Finance practice. She is currently based in the firm’s New York office. 

Catherine has extensive experience advising sponsors, lenders, borrowers and governments on the procurement and development of large-scale infrastructure and energy projects across the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region and is also experienced in advising on mergers and acquisitions in the renewable energy space. Catherine has experience across various industry sectors including renewable energy, telecommunications, transportation (road and rail), utilities, social infrastructure and defence. 

Catherine advises on all aspects of the project lifecycle, including the provision of strategic advice regarding procurement and contract documentation, the preparation and negotiation of project documentation as well as project delivery. Catherine has significant experience working as the lead associate on various deals both in respect of project development and mergers and acquisitions.

Memberships
Law Society NSW  

Biography:

Shaun has over 7 years practice experience in property, government, and construction law in Australia and New Zealand, including at Russell Kennedy (Australia) and Bell Gully (New Zealand).

Shaun has extensive experience across a range of property matters including acquisitions and disposals, contract drafting and negotiation, property development and subdivisions, leasing and licensing, and navigating various property interests like easements, covenants, and encumbrances. He also has experience in construction contract drafting and negotiations, strategic advice, and working with Victorian State government departments and bodies, councils, water corporations and other authorities on their property and related requirements.

Shaun is a commentator for LexisNexis on property and related topics, most recently writing Be Prepared for Significant Changes to Queensland Property Law | Property Law Act 2023 (QLD) and preparing the associated materials.

Contact

shaun.burmester@lexisnexis.com.au

Biography:

Priscilla is a nationally accredited mediator, predominantly focusing on all personal injury claims, located in Melbourne, Victoria.

Having represented both plaintiffs and defendants for over 15 years in insurance litigation, including as Special Counsel at a national law firm, she understands the importance of a balanced approach to conflict resolution.

Her real-world experience in many mediations has only reinforced her belief in the value and safety of the mediation environment.

Professional Organisations & Memberships

• Spyridis Mediation, Mediator
• Member – Mediation Institute

Professional Contact

0448 998 051

priscilla@spyridismediation.com.au

www.spyridismediation.com.au

Modules:

• Intellectual Property

Biography:

Suzanne is the founder of Pinnacle TMS Pty Ltd, your Growth Protection Strategist and an #1 Amazon Best Selling Author of “Trademarking Your Business”.

With 20 years’ experience assisting clients such as Qantas, Southcorp Wines, SnapOn Tools, Toys R Us, Optus, Reed Publishing, Transfield and Chamberlain obtain registration of their brands and managing their trade mark portfolios worldwide, she knows what it takes to get brands protected.

Suzanne uses her experience and knowledge to:

• help business owners avoid business or product name identity theft by trademark registration of their brands in Australia and Internationally
• provide trade mark services, from initial research on a new brand, responding to examination reports through to trademark registration
• keep trade mark portfolios up to date by renewal, recording changes to ownership after assignment/ merger/ acquisition and recording trade mark owner's change of name with IP Australia
• provide due diligence trade mark searches and reports relating to IP when looking at the acquisition of a another business

Suzanne also files trade mark applications through the European Community and Madrid Protocol systems, working with overseas associates when necessary to achieve registration.

For 11+ years she has been running her boutique company, Pinnacle TMS Pty Ltd, specialising in Trade Marks and related work around the world.

Professional Organisation

• Pinnacle TMS Pty Ltd. www.pinnacletms.com.au
• LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/suzanneharrington
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/PinnacleTMS

Awards & Recognition

• #1 Amazon Best Selling Author of “Trademarking Your Business” http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00AMAN9WY
• 2014 Finalist Local Business Awards Sutherland
• 2019 Finalist Business Excellence Awards

Professional Organisation

Many speaking engagements with local business teams educating them on the pitfalls and benefits of Trade Marks

Professional Contact

Mobile: 042 555 8867

Email: suzanne.harrington@pinnacletms.com.au

Modules:

• Succession

Biography:

Rosemary is a consultant of the firm Tindall Gask Bentley. She is a member of the Succession Law Committee of the Law Society of South Australia and of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners. Rosemary was admitted to practice in 2001. Since that time she has predominantly worked in the wills and estates area and for the last three years has worked solely in the area of wills, probate and estate litigation.

Biography:

Avryl leads the Corporate Regulatory Practice Group at Clyde & Co in Australia. Avryl regularly advises financial services clients on establishment, corporate governance, and regulatory issues, and helps clients manage complex internal and regulatory investigations. Avryl has extensive experience dealing with ASIC, APRA and the ACCC. Avryl also advises clients on issues arising in international trade, including international trade disputes, anti-bribery and corruption matters and sanctions, from both a compliance and enforcement perspective.

Modules:

• Governance

Biography:

Mark is a professional business and governance adviser, an experienced non-executive director (in the software, banking, hospital and aged care sectors), and a long-time chair of audit and risk committees.

Mark is also an Independent Compliance Committee member, and has been a Responsible Manager, for both wholesale and retail Australian Financial Services licensed entities.

Mark presents various education programs for the Governance Institute of Australia and facilitated courses for the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mark has extensive experience in professional accounting, banking and funds management.

Modules:

• Commercial
• Property

Biography:

Tim has practiced Property and Commercial Law ,Wills and Estates since the start of 1980's . Tim is a long standing member of the Property Law Committee of the Law Society of Tasmania, receiving the Society's 2001 Presidents Award for service to the profession . He has represented the Law Society on many committees including the Australian Property Law Group and the Law Council working party on E-conveyancing.

Modules:

• Cybersecurity, Data Protection & Privacy

Biography:

Joni is highly regarded for her client advisory and policy work with respect to the legal and tax implications of blockchain and digital assets. Increasingly, Joni's work includes input into the development of smart legal contract templates so that, by design, laws are complied with and investor and consumer protections are upheld.

Joni brings unique experience and insight to her technology-focused advisory practice, drawing on her strong foundations in tax compliance, advisory and disputes – across a range of industries and clients – to provide a best practice advisory approach that is responsive to each of her clients' thresholds for compliance effect and dispute management and resolution.

Modules:

• Intellectual Property

Biography:

Patricia is a Wuthathi, Mabuiag Islander and Ghanaian woman from Warrane/ Sydney. She has a Bachelor of Arts and Law from UNSW and is the First Nations Arts and Culture Director for Creative Australia (formerly known as the Australia Council for the Arts). Previously, Patricia was the Indigenous engagement manager at the Copyright Agency l Viscopy. She is also a 2018 Churchill fellowship recipient, investigating the practical application of laws in the USA and Panama that protect Indigenous cultural rights.

Patricia has worked on developing the Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts. Patricia has served on the City of Sydney, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory panel and has been a Board member of the Contemporary Pacific Arts Festival and the Moogahlin Performing Arts Board. She is currently on the RAP advisory committees for Beyond Blue and Intrepid Travel. She is an advisory member of the Sunshine Coast Arts Committee. She is also a published author and has also written several articles and a chapter on Indigenous cultural intellectual property rights.

In 2010, Patricia worked at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva as the 2010 Indigenous Intellectual Property Law Fellow. This position provided valuable insight into the traditional knowledge division’s work that is being done as the Secretariat for the international normative process on the draft international instruments on Traditional knowledge. Trish also previously worked as a lawyer at the Arts Law Centre of Australia and National Indigenous TV. She is also a published author, having written several articles and a chapter on Indigenous cultural intellectual property rights.

Awards & Recognition

Churchill Fellowship Medallion for research in Indigenous cultural rights

Professional Organisations & Memberships

• Creative Australia (formerly known as Australia Council for the Arts)

Biography:

Belle’s practice spans both corporate transactional and advisory work, with a focus on regulated public fundraisings and both private and public mergers and acquisitions.

A substantial part of Belle’s work involves helping clients “do deals”, primarily in the form of buying and selling businesses, and raising money through the issue of equity or debt instruments. This requires Belle to have a deep understanding of Australian company laws, takeovers laws, fundraising laws and the ASX Listing Rules.

Belle also regularly advises on the governance and affairs of listed and unlisted public companies, in particular, issues concerning compliance, continuous disclosure, corporate governance, executive remuneration (including termination benefits and related party benefits), directors’ duties, and responding to shareholder activism.

Belle is experienced in advising offshore clients in relation to making investments in Australian assets (including dealings with the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board).

Professional Organisations & Memberships

• Marque Lawyers

Professional Contact

Direct line: +612 8216 3023

Mobile: +61 433 628 636

Email: bellej@marquelawyers.com.au

Modules:

• Cybersecurity, Data Protection & Privacy

Biography:

Alec has over 30 years’ experience helping clients with practical solutions and focussed advice in Digital Law, Privacy, Critical Infrastructure, AI/Innovation and Financial Services Information Regulation, often in relation to multi-country transactions. Alec has been recognised as one of the leading privacy and information technology lawyers in Australia by Who’s Who Legal, the Asia Pacific Legal 500 and BestLawyers Australia and described as a ‘distinguished practitioner… lauded by clients for his excellent advisory work in… privacy’. Alec is also a Senior Member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal focusing on the privacy and freedom of information jurisdiction of the Tribunal.

Modules:

• Competition

Biography:

Having literally consumed the Competition and Consumer Act, Hannah can tell you without blinking whether your advertising claims for the health benefits of cage-free, organically grown charcoal tea leaves will pass muster or leave you with a major regulatory headache. She also knows why they call it "third line forcing" and how to make the ACCC roll over like a playful puppy.v

She’s dealt with the ACCC on airline price fixing investigations, egg cartel investigations, e-commerce market power, merger clearance, and a range of consumer matters.

Modules:

• Criminal

Biography:

Stephen is a Barrister at Sir Owen Dixon Chambers in Sydney. He is an experienced public lawyer with a wide range of experience in trials and appeals. Internationally he has worked extensively in the fields of transitional justice and the rule of law. Stephen is on the list of counsel at the International Criminal Court. His international experience includes extended periods working in legal positions in Afghanistan, Solomon Islands and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Stephen regularly presents at conferences and has lectured in the area of public international law.

Modules:

• Commercial
• Insolvency & Restructuring

Biography:

Peter Kelso is an accredited specialist in business law under the Specialist Accreditation Scheme administered by the Law Society of NSW and has practised extensively in the area of commercial law, with an emphasis on a debt recovery and insolvency. He was the author of a manual on "Debt Recovery NSW" published by Butterworths (since discontinued), is the author of the chapter on "Receivers" in Halsbury's Laws of Australia, and is also the author of the chapters on "Winding up", "Receivers and Controllers" and "Voluntary Administration" in the Australian Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents.

Peter is also an author for LexisNexis Practical Guidance. Peter has lectured extensively in the areas of debt recovery and insolvency, and continues to present an annual seminar on debt recovery practice.