Where is migration law heading through 2026? Record caseloads, tighter compliance, delays, new Ministerial Guidelines and legal alerts are constantly reshaping the practice. Migration practitioners are adapting fast, carrying the weight of clients whose futures depend on them, often navigating cultural and linguistic barriers along the way. Returning by popular demand after last year’s sold-out success, this year’s conference brings together judges from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, leading barristers and solicitors to share frontline insights and strategies. Gain practical guidance to manage new visa policies, compliance risks and complex cases - from PIC 4020 refusals and employer sanctions to Tribunal strategy, ethics and character cancellations. Seats are limited - don’t miss the most anticipated migration law event of the year.

Presenters

Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty Ltd
Kathryn Viegas is a Director and Principal Solicitor at Nomos Legal, a firm specialising in Australian immigration law. She has practised exclusively in immigration law since 2003 and advises a broad range of clients, including individuals, businesses and not-for-profit organisations. Kathryn has extensive experience in complex and high-risk immigration matters, including visa refusals and cancellations, compliance issues, Ministerial intervention requests, review proceedings, and matters involving alleged fraud or medical conditions. She is recognised by the Law Society of New South Wales as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law. Kathryn holds degrees in Psychology and Law from UNSW, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney. She is a lecturer in the Graduate Diploma of Migration Law at Victoria University and has been actively involved in legal education and CPD delivery since 2007 for a range of professional bodies and institutions. Kathryn is deeply committed to pro bono work and governance. She is President of the Management Committee of the Immigration Advice & Rights Centre, a community legal centre assisting vulnerable migrants, and holds several board and advisory roles, including a recent appointment to the UNSW Law Advisory Council.

Professor Mary Crock, Professor, The University of Sydney
Professor Mary Crock is Professor of Public Law and former co-Director of the Sydney Centre for International at the University of Sydney Law School. She has worked in the area of immigration and refugee law since 1985. An Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, she maintains a pro bono practice alongside her academic role. She has been recognised in the peer publication Best Lawyers in Australia in immigration law since 2008. In a career spanning over 30 years she has authored 15 books and over 90 articles and book chapters. Her work spans every aspect of migration law from citizenship, labour migration, family and asylum law as well as merits and judicial review. Mary has worked over many years to advocate for respect of international law and human rights. She has worked as consultant to the Australian Human Rights Committee and for various senators. Earlier in her career she took leadership roles with Law Societies in Victoria and New South Wales as well as with the Law Council of Australia. Her academic research has a strong focus on vulnerable migrants and comparative law and policy.

Simon Jeans, Principal Lawyer, 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.


Rebecca Thomson, Partner, BDO
Rebecca holds postgraduate qualifications in law and business management and brings extensive experience in delivering strategic immigration and advisory services. She works with a broad range of clients across the full spectrum of corporate immigration, including complex and sensitive matters. Known for her strong legal advocacy and practical approach, Rebecca advises on visa pathways, compliance, and regulatory obligations—achieving outcomes that support global mobility while managing organisational risk and governance. She partners closely with senior HR professionals, Boards, and executive teams to align talent mobility with broader business objectives. Her expertise covers employer-sponsored temporary and permanent visa programmes, as well as complex issues involving health or character concerns, skilled migration, citizenship, compliance, and ministerial interventions. Rebecca is highly regarded for her ability to bridge the gap between law, policy, and business strategy. She delivers clear, commercially focused advice that helps organisations attract, retain, and manage international talent while meeting their legal and ethical responsibilities

Chris Honnery, Barrister, Tenth Floor St James Hall Chambers
Chris Honnery is a barrister who is experienced representing applicants in administrative law and judicial review proceedings. He passed the England and Wales Bar Transfer Test prior to being called to the NSW Bar and has worked in a number of jurisdictions. Before becoming a barrister, Chris was a solicitor for almost a decade, working at Victoria Legal Aid, the Federal Court of Australia, and representing asylum seekers detained in Nauru. Based in Sydney, Chris also appears interstate and has particular expertise in migration matters and challenging visa-related decisions. Website https://www.chrishonnery.com.au/

Associate Professor Dr Jason Donnelly, Barrister, Latham Chambers
Associate Professor Dr Jason Donnelly is a leading academic and barrister specialising in immigration and public law in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and the University Medal, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). He completed his studies at the University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, and the University of Western Sydney. He commenced his academic career as a law lecturer at 23 and was called to the Bar at 25. Before joining the Bar, Dr Donnelly had the privilege of working for Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG (former Justice of the High Court of Australia) and Justice Peter McClellan AM KC (former Chief Judge at Common Law, Supreme Court of New South Wales). As a barrister, he has appeared in over 307 published cases across Australia, with substantial experience in the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Administrative Review Tribunal. His practice includes success in 84 Tribunal trials and 69 judicial review applications, and he has acted in 29 matters before the High Court of Australia. In addition to his practice, Dr Donnelly is a prolific scholar. He has published widely in legal journals, co-authored several legal texts, contributed to Commonwealth statutory inquiries, and delivered conference papers throughout Australia. He has represented a diverse range of clients, including internationally recognised musicians (such as Burna Boy, Skepta, Chris Brown, Trey Songz, J Hus, Layzie Bone and Jason Bradley DeFord (Jelly Roll)), politicians, law enforcement officers, and elite sports professionals (including Allen Iverson and Alexander Devyatov). Dr Donnelly currently serves as an Associate Professor (Level D) in the School of Law at Western Sydney University and practices from Latham Chambers, maintaining a broad national practice.

Judicial Registrar Greg Rohan, Director of Migration Registrars and Legal Operations, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2)
Greg Rohan is a Judicial Registrar (Migration) at Fcfcoa based in Sydney, New South Wales. Previously, Greg was a Solicitor In Charge, Immigration at NSW Government and also held positions at Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, UNHCR, American Express, Tramada Systems, Sanity. Greg received a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Sydney and a Grad. Dip. International Studies from University of Sydney.

Marial Lewis, Principal Solicitor and Founder, Crossover Law Group
Marial Lewis, Principal Solicitor and Founder of Crossover Law Group, is one of Australia’s leading immigration lawyers. She is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law (Law Society of NSW) and the recipient of numerous national and international awards, including Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 (2021 and 2022), the John Gibson Award – Young Migration Lawyer of the Year (2020), and recognition as one of Australia’s Most Influential Leading Lawyers (2023). She was also named in the Forbes Under 30 list for Social Impact and is the only woman from Oceania listed in the Women of the Future – 50 Rising Stars in ESG. Marial is consistently recognised by her peers in Who’s Who Legal: Corporate Immigration – Future Leaders and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Immigration Law). She is a lecturer and unit coordinator in the Graduate Diploma of Australian Migration Law and a Teaching Fellow at UNSW. After years in specialist private practice, including partnership, Marial founded Crossover Law Group, an innovative NewLaw firm servicing both corporate and private clients. She has extensive experience in complex migration matters, including refusals, cancellations, detention, character cases, tribunal reviews and litigation.

Nick Poynder, Barrister, Rosny Chambers
Consistently recognised in the Immigration Category of the Australian Financial Review Best Lawyers in Australia from 2012 to 2017, Nick maintains a solid migration law practice. He also practises in the areas of anti-discrimination law and family law. Nick has appeared as junior counsel in notable decisions in the High Court of Australia and provides high quality advice and representation as sole counsel in other courts and tribunals, including the Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court of Australia, and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (General Division and Migration & Refugee Division). The nature of these matters ranges from legal issues which might arise during the processing or cancellation of visas, to applications for the review of decisions to refuse or cancel a visa. Prior to being called the Bar, Nick practised as a legal adviser to asylum-seekers in Port Hedland (Western Australia), locum practitioner with the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service in Alice Springs (Northern Territory) and later co-ordinator of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service in Sydney. He was also a Senior Legal Officer with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in Sydney. Nick is the current author of the Judicial Review commentary in the LexisNexis Australian Immigration Law Service. Admitted to the Bar in both Victoria and New South Wales (and maintaining a practice in both jurisdictions), Nick holds a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tasmania. He was one of the first migration agents to be registered in Australia.

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 practices mainly in migration law and administrative law matters. She has appeared before the High Court in migration law matters. Theresa has a wide-range of experience regularly appearing at all levels from the Administrative Review Tribunal to the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia. She also teaches constitutional law at the University of New South Wales and administrative law at Macquarie University. Theresa is also admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Nauru and has successfully appeared in that jurisdiction in refugee law cases. She also regularly presents at legal seminars in both migration law and administrative law. She was selected to review the decision-making processes of the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and her recommendations have been used to implement policy and staff training. Prior to being called to the Bar, Theresa practiced as a solicitor including at top-tier law firm 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.