QLS Council 2024

President

President of the Queensland Law Society commencing 1 January 2024

Rebecca Fogarty

Rebecca Fogerty 

Rebecca is a Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law, and a partner at Jasper Fogerty Lawyers, specialising in criminal defence and domestic violence law. Since 2019, she has been the Chair of the QLS Criminal Law Committee, and previously held the position of Deputy Chair. She sat on the QLS’s Specialist Accreditation (Criminal Law) Committee in 2018 and 2020. She is also the Queensland member of the Professional Standards Councils. She has been recognised as a leading criminal lawyer in the Doyle’s Guide at both a state and national level. Outside of the courtroom, she has published articles across a range of formats, including the Caxton Online and Proctor, and regularly speaks on topics of interest to the profession.

In addition to issues within the criminal law and domestic violence space, Rebecca is particularly interested in risk and compliance as it impacts the profession, maintaining and promoting professional standards and developing beneficial relationships with non-legal stakeholders.


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Deputy President

Deputy President of the Queensland Law Society commencing 1 January 2024-25

Genevieve Dee

Genevieve Dee

Genevieve is an accredited specialist in Family Law and partner at Lander & Rogers. Genevieve has practiced exclusively in family and relationship law for over 15 years. She is a contributing author to a number of CCH publications on family law. Genevieve is also a member of the Management Committee for Women's Legal Service Qld (WLAQ). Her focus is providing clients with practical and strategic advice to assist in the early resolution of matters and to avoid litigation whenever possible. She has served two terms as councillor of the Queensland Law Society. and has previously been a  member of the Committee of Management and the Specialist Accreditation Board, including a term as Chair. 


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Vice President

Vice President of the Queensland Law Society commencing 1 January 2024-25

Peter Jolly

Peter Jolly

Peter is a partner in Thynne + Macartney's Business Advisory Group, Accredited Specialist in Business Law, and experienced company director with an interest in corporate governance.  He was a member of Thynne + Macartney's Executive Board from 2014 until stepping down in 2021 and was the Chairman of Partners at Thynne + Macartney from July 2017 to June 2021. Peter was also the Chairman of an unlisted public company and is currently a director of a not for profit corporation. He was a member of the inaugural Business Law Specialist Accreditation Committee and is the current Chair of the Queensland Law Society Specialist Accreditation Board.


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Immediate Past President

Immediate Past President of the Queensland Law Society commencing 1 January 2024

Chloé Kopilović

Chloé  is a director of FC Lawyers leading its Wills and Estates team. Shortly after admission in 2013, Chloé found her passion in succession law and went on to complete her Masters in Applied Law (majoring in Wills and Estates). Chloé enjoys the confidence of fellow practitioners and clients in relation to her expertise in the field.

Chloé has served on the Council for the last 6 years and has been a member of the Executive Committee for the past 2 years. She also serves on the Finance and Risk Committee. Chloé passionately believes in the legal profession and its traditions.

Outside the law, Chloe is a director of the charity, Uniforms 4 Kids and committee member of the Australasian Council of Women and Policing. 


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Ordinary members of Council

Mia Behlau

Mia Behlau

Mia is a past president of the Gold Coast District Law Association and current director of the board of the St Hilda's Foundation and Gold Coast Basketball. She works in the area of commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Mia is an active member of the Gold Coast legal community and is an avid supporter of the profession and promotion of good law.


Samantha Bolton

Samantha Bolton

Samantha is a Director at Pippa Colman & Associates and has practiced in the areas of Family and Domestic and Family Violence Law for over a decade. Initially, Samantha practiced in general law for the first few years following her admission. Samantha has a particular passion for assisting the Children’s Court and the Family and Federal Circuit Court of Australia as a Separate Representative and Independent Children’s Lawyer. Samantha has extensively served the Sunshine Coast Region having acted as committee member for the Sunshine Coast Law Associate for over a decade, including as President and Vice President. She has prided herself during that time on building relationships with neighbouring DLA regions. She has also served on the Suncoast Community Legal Service Committee including as President. Samantha is also the current WLAQ ambassador for the Sunshine Coast Region and also serves as a Judiciary Member for Sunshine Coast Rugby Union.


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James Conomos

James Conomos

Jim is the Managing Director and Founder of James Conomos Lawyers Pty Ltd in Brisbane, Australia with 40 years’ experience in the legal profession. Jim practises predominately in the areas of commercial litigation & dispute resolution, commercial transaction, personal and corporate insolvency, property law and contract law.  Since 2012 Jim has been recognised in the Doyle’s Guide and Best Lawyers as a Leading Insolvency, Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Lawyer. Jim has published on insolvency, negotiation, liability and reform in IR Global and Corporate LiveWire. Jim is a member of the LCA Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee and has been the previous Queensland State and National Chair of the LCA Insolvency and Reconstruction Committee.


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Sheetal Deo

Sheetal Deo

Sheetal is the Principal of Shakti Legal Solutions, an innovative law firm designed to bridge the justice gap. The firm operates on a ‘pay what you can’ model and focuses on servicing members of under-represented and marginalised communities with particular focus on NDIS appeals, anti-discrimination, and wills and estate planning. Prior to launching her own firm, Sheetal worked at QLS and with the support of the CEO, Executive and Council, helped create and served as QLS’s inaugural Relationship Manager – Future Lawyers, Future Leaders, where she focused on supporting students and early career lawyers. Outside of legal practice, Sheetal delivers diversity, inclusion and equity training with The Diversity Collective, and volunteers her time as the President and Co-Founder of Ethnic+ (a not-for-profit organisation supporting members of the culturally and linguistically diverse LGBTIQA+ community), State Director (Queensland) for Out for Australia, and Management Committee board member for the LGBTI Legal Service.


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Bridie Edwards

Bridie Edwards

Admitted as a Lawyer in June 2020, Bridie currently practises in Business and Commercial Law. She is committed to the development and growth of the law students in her firm and on the Sunshine Coast. She assists them with creating their personal brand, introduces them to other lawyers in the profession and provides guidance and support for them. Bridie also creates and delivers all of the legal content for her firm's social media to share free information to their network, potential clients and colleagues. She believes this instils collegiality across the firm by sharing knowledge and experience, and empowering others to do the same. 


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Chirs Kahler

Chris Kahler 

Chris Kahler is the managing director of Kahler Lawyers, a small law firm situated in Far North Queensland with offices in Cairns and Innisfail practising predominantly in criminal defence and traffic matters, commercial and civil litigation and personal injury law. With a family history in Far North Queensland spanning four generations, Chris is passionate in promoting the many benefits of legal practice in regional and remote areas. Chris’ passion extends to ensuring that young lawyers, those working at the coalface of private practice, and regional/remote lawyers in particular are effectively represented at the highest level. Chris has occupied board and leadership positions in residential aged care, sporting, volunteer and church based not-for-profit and community organisations for over 20 years. Chris is married to Michaela where they both live on their rural property outside Innisfail with their two small children, Hugh and Lars, aged 5 and 3.


Sarah-Jane MacDonald

Sarah-Jane Macdonald 

Sarah-Jane, family lawyer based on the Darling Downs, is a strong advocate of regional practice and understands its’ nuances. Sarah-Jane supports opportunities giving a voice to practitioners. During her 3 year tenure as President of the Downs & Southwest Qld Law Association, Sarah-Jane supported and advocated for Practitioners, including during the COVID19 pandemic. With a legal career spanning more than a decade, Sarah-Jane’s commitment to the legal community is evident. She is a member of the QLS Domestic & Family Violence Policy Committee, demonstrating her dedication to addressing issues of domestic violence. As a member of the QLS Practice Management Committee, she offers a regional perspective. Sarah-Jane’s holistic approach to life and law renders her a formidable candidate, dedicated to upholding the values of the profession while serving her community. Outside of work, Sarah-Jane enjoys netball and wine, but not at the same time!


Dan Rogers

Dan Rogers (Attorney-General's Appointee)

Dan is the Principal of private defence firm, Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors. An accredited specialist in criminal law,  Dan is recognised as a leading criminal lawyer across Australia. He also represents legal professionals facing disciplinary allegations or LSC complaints. Dan regularly presents to other solicitors, conducts guest lectures on criminal law at various universities and has been published on criminal law and human rights. Dan has a passion and commitment for social justice and human rights. He is the current President of Caxton Legal Centre and a member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council; advising the Attorney-General on sentencing matters. Dan is committed to the Society’s vision and has a long association with QLS as a member of the Ethics Committee and a member (former Chair) of the Human Rights and Public Law Committee.


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Phil Ware

Phil Ware 

Philip has been in legal practice for ~35 years, including ~11 years in private practice at Feez Ruthning / Allens. He has been a senior executive (General Counsel) of a major energy utility for the last ~22 years and is expert in organisational Governance and Probity. Philip is experienced at operating in a highly competitive, complex and fluid regulatory, prudential and public policy environment and can confidently liaise with Government, regulators and stakeholders in relation to the most complex and contentious issues. He holds an LLB(Hons) and LLM and recently completed an MBA. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a certified Probity Adviser/Auditor. Philip believes in the paramountcy of competent, independent, and ethical legal professionalism. Philip has previously served on the QLS Council promoting those matters in various ways.