About the Section

The Legal Practice Section of the Law Council of Australia was established in March 1980, initially as the 'Legal Practice Management Section', with a focus principally on legal practice management issues. In September 1986 the Section's name was changed to the 'General Practice Section', and its focus broadened to include areas of specialist practices including Superannuation, Property Law, and Consumer Law. On 7 December 2002 the Section's name was again changed, to 'Legal Practice Section', to reflect the Section's focus on a broad range of areas of specialist legal practices, as well as practice management.

The Section's objectives are to:

• Contribute to the development of the legal profession;
• Maintain high standards in the legal profession;
• Offer assistance in the development of legal and management expertise in its members through training, conferences, publications, meetings, and other activities; and 
• Provide policy advice to the Law Council, and prepare submissions on behalf of the Law Council, in the areas relating to its specialist committees.
   

Section Executive

Mr Geoff Provis, Chair

Geoff Provis has worked in workers compensation and insurance acting for both plaintiffs and defendants for many years. Geoff’s extensive experience includes acting on behalf of the Victorian Workcover Authority in relation to common law, statutory benefits and recoveries disputes under the Accident Compensation Act for over 30 years. His involvement in this area has allowed him to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between legislation, regulatory framework, the imperatives of government policy and accountability. Geoff is a trained mediator and has facilitated meetings between diverse groups of stakeholders on behalf of government.

Dr Leonie Kelleher OAM, Deputy Chair

In over thirty years of practice, Dr Kelleher has made legal history through her involvement with test cases in the High Court, Federal Courts, Supreme Courts and one of the last Privy Council cases. She has extensive experience as an environment, planning and local government law specialist. Dr Kelleher enjoys an international reputation for her work in property restitution in the reunification of East and West Germany and is proficient in the German language.

Admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in 1975 and qualified as a town planner, Dr Kelleher worked in one of Melbourne’s leading law firms before commencing her own practice. In 1981, she joined the first group of accredited specialists in environment, planning and local government law with the Law Institute of Victoria. In 1988, Dr Kelleher won a Bicentennial Women 88 Award. In 1990, Dr Kelleher became one of the very few young women ever to be awarded an Order of Australia. In 2013, she completed a PhD examining the impact of regulatory change upon entrepreneurial opportunity, with particular focus on the Native Title Act 1993 and Aboriginal entrepreneurship.

In recognition of her expertise, Dr Kelleher has served on the Council of the Law Institute of Victoria, Heritage Council, Trust for Nature and the Land Valuation Boards of Review. She was also a member of professional associations including the Law Institute of Victoria, Royal Australian Planning Institute, Victorian Environmental and Planning Law Association and the Environmental Institute of Australia as well as being an Accredited Mediator. She is an Honorary Life Member of The Sovereign Hill Museums Association, President of LAMP (Lawyers for the Arabunna Marree People) and Board Member of Sentir, a Jesuit Academic body.

Mr Ben Slade, Treasurer 

After almost 10 years at Sydney’s Redfern Legal Centre working on human rights and consumer law, Ben was appointed the Manager, General Law, Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales where he oversaw a practice of over 100 lawyers and others working on civil law matters.

In 2000, he joined Maurice Blackburn’s Class Action department before becoming the Managing Principal, New South Wales, Maurice Blackburn in 2006. He left Maurice Blackburn in January 2022 to join the Northern Territory Bar in Darwin. Class actions that Ben has conducted and supervised have recovered over $1 billion for investors, consumers and victims of human rights abuses.
 

Executive Members
 

• Ms Robyn Glindermann
• Mr Andrew Smyth
• Mr Luke Barrett
• Ms Maureen Peatman
   

Committees of the Legal Practice Section

Australian Consumer Law 

• Mr Ben Slade & Ms Ursula Noye, Co-Chairs
   

Australian Environment and Planning Law 

• Ms Robyn Glindermann and Dr Leonie Kelleher OAM, Chair
   

Australian Not-for-Profit and Charities

• Ms Bridgid Cowling, Chair
   

Australian Law Management 

• Ms Madeline Prior, Chair
   

Australian Property Law 

• Mr Jonathan Tisher, Chair
   

National Insurance Lawyers

• Mr Andrew Sharpe, Chair
   

Personal Injuries and Compensation

• Mr Luke Murphy, Chair

Superannuation Committee

• Joanne Dwyer, Chair
   

Contact

Ms Chelsea De Silva
Executive Officer
T. 02 6246 3722
E. chelsea.desilva@lawcouncil.au

Disclaimer

The Law Council is the peak body representing the interests of the legal profession at the national level. The Law Council does not offer advice on individual cases. If you do require legal advice, please contact your local law society or legal aid.
 

Last Updated on 19/09/2024

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