Presenters

Alexis Polidano, Acting Principal Lawyer, Knowmore Legal Service
Alexis Polidano is the Acting Principal Lawyer at Knowmore Legal Service and a passionate advocate for trauma-informed legal practice. Since joining Knowmore in 2017, she has worked extensively with people who have experienced trauma, leading legal teams and driving initiatives to improve client-centred service delivery, legal capability, and access to justice for survivors. Drawing on her experience at Legal Aid NSW and her background as a high-school teacher, Alexis combines practical legal expertise with a deep understanding of communication, learning, and the impacts of trauma. She is committed to helping legal professionals build the skills and confidence to deliver services that are legally effective, culturally safe, and grounded in compassion.

Yvonne Urry, Manager Trauma Informed Practice, Knowmore Legal
Yvonne Urry is the Manager Trauma Informed Practice at Knowmore Legal Service currently based on the unceded stolen land of the Gadigal people. Yvonne contributes to trauma informed practice leadership within Knowmore’s culturally safe, multidisciplinary practice framework. Yvonne is a social worker form Aotearoa/New Zealand, with a specialised professional role supporting survivors navigating sexual violence justice trials. Yvonne led a national specialist court support pilot in Aotearoa, with the support of the Ministry of Social Development and produced national trauma informed, court support resources for survivors and training for court support workers in the sexual violence sector.

Kate Stowell, Barrister, Svenson Barristers
Kate Stowell practises in common law, administrative law and family law. Kate has a significant practice in institutional abuse compensation, particularly matters involving child sexual abuse in State-run, religious and non-government institutions, including private schools and sporting organisations. In 2023, Kate was appointed by the Premier of Victoria as Junior Counsel Assisting the Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools. In 2015, Kate represented survivors who gave evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Kate's administrative law practice focuses on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and review proceedings. Her family law practice includes intervention orders, parenting matters and child protection cases.