Presenters

Jim Mellas, Barrister, Foley's List
Jim Mellas is a Barrister at the Victorian Bar who has been practising for over 36 years as a Solicitor and then as a Barrister. Jim has been an accredited specialist in Family Law since 1991 and is a regular speaker at legal seminars and conferences having spoken on a range of subjects including Family Law, De facto Relationships, Equitable Estoppel, Succession Planning and Family Business. He has also had a number of papers published on a range of topics and has featured in a number of educational DVDs on Family Law. Jim has been recognised as a Leading Family Law Barrister in Victoria by Doyle’s Guide. Outside of the law Jim is a commentator, activist and campaigner. He is a founding member of the Acropolis Research Group (TARG) which was formed by concerned researchers and activists in the UK, Greece and Australia who share a common interest in the repatriation of looted cultural property, with a particular focus on the Parthenon Sculptures. TARG seeks to influence decision makers, non-State actors, museums and galleries as well as the community at large through research, education, advocacy and lobbying.


Claire O’Connor SC, Barrister, Villeneuve Smith Chambers
Claire O'Connor SC is a barrister practising in criminal, family and civil work, (predominantly personal injuries, inquiries and inquests). Aside from the usual practice of car accidents, murders, rapes and family disputes over children, assets and pets, and all conflicts those areas of law entail, she is also well known for her refugee and detention centre work. In particular Claire acted for the plaintiff in Al Kateb v Secretary dept. of Immigration in the High Court, for Cornelia Rau in relation to the Palmer Inquiry into her unlawful detention (and her subsequent rescue from Jordan where Ms Rau was detained under their mental health provisions), in the personal injuries case against the Cwth regarding conditions in the Baxter Detention Centre, S v Secretary, and in the inquest into the sinking of the SIEV 221 off the coast of Christmas Island in 2010. She has acted in Aboriginal justice cases including the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the Hindmarsh Island Royal Commission, at Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement as an in-house counsel, and juniored Julian Burnside AO QC into the first, and so far only, successful stolen generation case of Trevorrow v The State of South Australia. Claire has also acted for many asbestos victims in litigation against employers and suppliers of asbestos, in particular in the successful test case in SA: Parker v BHP. She has developed a keen interest in gender equity issues in the profession the last few years in particular and is the Law Society of SA representative on the Law Council gender committee, a member of the SA Bar Women at the Bar committee and a member of the SA Law Society's own gender equity working group. She was on the establishment committee some 20 years ago for the SA women's legal service and served for many years on its management committee. Her legal employment experience has been in private practice, the community sector and in the government sector in SA and the UK. In 2005, she went to the independent bar. She was appointed a senior counsel in 2014.156S02, Claire O'Connor SC is a barrister practising in criminal, family and civil work, (predominantly personal injuries, inquiries and inquests) Aside from the usual practice of car accidents, murders, rapes and family disputes over children, assets and pets, those areas entail she is also well known for her refugee and detention centre work acting for the plaintiff in Al Kateb v Secretary dept. of Immigration in the High Court, for Cornelia Rau in relation to the Palmer Inquiry into her unlawful detention (and her subsequent rescue from Jordan where Ms Rau was detained under their mental health provisions), and in the inquest into the sinking of the SIEV 221 off the coast of Christmas Island in 2010 where she appeared for the survivors and families of the deceased. She worked on many Aboriginal justice issues including the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the Hindmarsh Island Royal Commission, at Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement as an in-house counsel, and juniored Julian Burnside AO QC into first and so far only successful stolen generation case of Trevorrow v The State of South Australia. Claire has also acted for many asbestos victims in litigation against employers and suppliers of asbestos in particular in the successful test case in this State of Parker v BHP. She has developed a keen interest in gender equity issues in the last few years in particular and is the Law Society of SA representative on the Law Council gender committee, a member of the SA Bar Women at the Bar committee and a member of the Law Society's own gender equity working group. She was on the establishment committee some 20 years ago for the women's legal service and served for many years on its management committee. Her legal employment experience has been in private practice, the community sector and in the government sector in SA and the UK before, in 2005, she went to the bar. She was appointed a senior counsel in 2014.