Presenters

Ndi Ruppert, Principal Solicitor and Founder, Ruppert Legal
Ndi Ruppert obtained her Bachelor of Business and Law with a Diploma of Legal Practice from the University of Newcastle in 2010 and was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a solicitor in 2011. In 2017, Ndi obtained her Master of Laws from the University of Newcastle, majoring in Human Rights and International Business; her master thesis was published in the African Journal of International and Comparative Law. Ndi is the Principal Solicitor & Founder of the law practice, Ruppert Legal and was formerly a solicitor with Hicksons Lawyers. She also currently uses her immigration expertise to assist refugee clients one day a week through Mosaic Multicultural Connections. Ndi has significant experience with the Australian Migration system, both personally and professionally and was honoured by being listed on the 202, 2022 and 2023 Doyles list of leading New South Wales Immigration Lawyers. She is also the Vice Chair on the Board of the Hunter Community Legal Centre and is part of the executive leadership team of the Centre for African Research, Engagement & Partnerships at the University of Newcastle.


Farid Varess, Principal, Varess
Farid Varess was admitted to legal practice in 2002. He has been an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law since 2010, and is included on: the Best Lawyers in Australia list for Immigration Law since 2013, the Best Lawyers in Australia list for Human Rights Law list since 2014, and the Doyle’s Guide’s list of Leading Immigration Lawyers in NSW since it was first published in 2021. A large part of Farid’s work involves representing clients with proceedings in Australia's Federal Circuit and Family Court, Federal Court, and High Court. He also provides advice and assistance to clients with matters before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and Immigration Assessment Authority (IAA), and clients seeking visas and other outcomes, including employers, investors, skilled migrants, family based visa applicants, students, asylum seekers and refugees, those facing visa cancellation, citizenship applicants, and global talent visa applicants.


Theresa Baw, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Theresa Baw is a barrister who was admitted to legal practice in 2001 and was called to the New South Wales Bar in 2006. Theresa's areas of practice are public and administrative law, and commercial and contract law, with extensive expertise in migration law. She has appeared before the High Court in migration law matters, including unled in a special leave application. Theresa has wide-ranging experience in all levels of migration and citizenship matters, from appearing in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to appearing unled before the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia. She is also admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Nauru and has successfully appeared in that jurisdiction in migration cases. Prior to being called to the Bar, Theresa practised as a solicitor including at top-tier law Minter Ellison. She has authored numerous articles including in Key Issues in Judicial Review (Federation Press). She holds a Master of Commerce from Macquarie University, and a Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and a Bachelor of Economics, from the University of Sydney.


Simon Jeans, Principal, Jeans Lawyers
Simon Jeans has been practising law since 1989. He is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law and listed by Best Lawyers for Australia in Immigration Law. He has worked as an advocate for refugees and migrants with the Jesuit Refugee Service, RACS, Legal Aid (NSW), UNHCR and in his law firm. He was appointed as a member of the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal from 2010-2015. He was engaged by the College of Law in 2019-2020 as an assessor and external moderator for the Capstone Migration Agents Assessment.