Presenters

Tony Kerin, Partner, Grope Hamilton Lawyers
Tony is a partner at Grope Hamilton Lawyers and has been a lawyer since 1985. Tony has practiced over broad areas of law until the later 1990's when he began to specialise in personal injuries litigation, WorkCover, criminal and employment law. He has worked as a managing partner of leading plaintiff law firms Johnston Withers in the past for the best part of 30 years and also helped Maurice Blackburn set up its office in Adelaide, in recent times. With management behind him, Tony has returned to practice as a solicitor and barrister and has held the position of State President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance SA Branch for 9 years, National Director for a similar period and National President in the years 2012 and 2013. Tony has acted for a number of institutional and sexual abuse clients and continues to be passionate about the practice of the law for individuals in particular.

Michael Barnes, Senior Legal Counsel, Carroll & O’Dea
Michael’s depth of experience, ability to get to the heart of an issue and communication skills put him at the top of employment & industrial law and personal injury. Michael is recognised in the profession as a leading practitioner in these practice areas and is accredited by the NSW Law Society in employment & industrial law and personal injury. He has served on a variety of committees of the Law Society, including as part of the peer review process by which solicitors become accredited specialists in employment and industrial Law. He has been a partner at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers since 2013 where he has a busy practice handling matters from a diversity of clients from all areas of New South Wales. Key Professional Achievements: Michael completed a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws in 1975 and 1977 (respectively) from the University of Sydney. He completed a Masters of Laws at Sydney University while working in legal practice.