Focus on the foundational skills required to prepare accurate and compliant visa applications with a strong emphasis on preventing errors at the earliest stage of the process. Designed as a practical workshop, this program features interactive learning, discussion-based exercises and expert insights that can be applied immediately in practice.

Presenters

Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos
Kathryn Viegas is a Director of boutique law firm, Nomos Legal. Kathryn regularly provides specialist advice to applicants with complex immigration needs, including applicants who have medical conditions, those seeking review of a decision and businesses with compliance issues. She is recognised by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law and after completing her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Australian National University, was admitted to practice in 2003. In 2006, she was awarded a Master of Laws from The University of Sydney. Since 2007, Kathryn has been involved in continuing legal education through her preparation and presentation of CPD programs for Nomos, the Law Society of NSW and other organisations. She is the current President of the Management Committee of the Immigration Advice & Rights Centre, a community legal centre that specialises in immigration advice for vulnerable migrants and asylum seekers. Kathryn is Founding Director of the TLR Foundation, a charity that promotes stem cell donation throughout Australia and a Director of the Centre for Women's Economic Safety. She is also a member of the Law Society of NSW’s Specialist Accreditation Immigration Law Advisory Committee and the UNSW Law & Justice Advisory Council.

Simon Jeans, Special Counsel, One Planet Migration Law; Principal Lawyer, Jeans Lawyers
Simon is widely regarded as one of Australia’s top immigration lawyers, renowned for his deep expertise in this complex and rapidly changing field. Since his admission to legal practice in 1989, Simon has devoted over 35 years to immigration law. A true specialist, Simon is accredited by the NSW Law Society in Immigration Law. He served as a Member of both the Migration Review Tribunal and the Refugee Review Tribunal (from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2015), an appointment made by the Governor-General. His international contributions include working with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Hong Kong, providing legal expertise with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Indonesia, and delivering expert testimony before a U.S. Congressional Committee on Indochinese refugee issues in Southeast Asia. Simon has managed immigration matters in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, the UK, Jordan, Syria, and Ukraine, and is particularly noted for his longstanding work on behalf of over 1,200 Sabean Mandaeans from Iraq, assisting them to secure safer futures in Australia. He has been recognised on the Best Lawyers in Immigration Law list since 2016, acted as an Assessor and External Moderator for the College of Law’s Capstone Migration Agents Assessment in 2019 and 2020, and has been a trusted voice on immigration matters for Channel 7, Channel 9, Sky News Australia, The Australian, The Economist, and the ABC.

Kim Hunter, Lawyer, Hunter Flood Lawyers
Kim Hunter is a criminal defence and immigration lawyer as well as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law from Hunter Flood Lawyers in Sydney. Kim Has always had her own private law practice and since becoming an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law now only practices in criminal defence and immigration law. Kim has formerly lectured in post graduate law at Australian National University and regularly lectures for the Law Society of NSW, Legal Aid and various other professional bodies and organisations including the MIA. Kim has been invited to be on an expert panel for a research project funded by the Australian Research Council, to be undertaken by leading Professors from Charles Sturt, Flinders and Monash universities in Australia and Oxford University in the UK on the topic of ‘Crimmigration’ – the intersection of criminal and immigration laws in Australia.


Tina Nematian, Principal Lawyer, One Planet Migration Law
Tina Nematian is a leading expert in Australian immigration law with over 15 years of experience helping businesses and individuals navigate the complexities of the migration system. Born in Australia to refugee parents who fled persecution, Tina grew up immersed in the stories of resilience and transformation that define the migrant experience. Tina’s core purpose is to make migration more accessible, strategic, and empowering, especially for businesses struggling to fill critical roles. She helps Australian companies, from local SMEs to global corporations, secure the overseas talent they need when the local labour market cannot meet demand. Her knowledge of employer-sponsored migration pathways, combined with her ability to design innovative visa strategies, has made her a trusted advisor for employers seeking to build high-performing, diverse teams. Over the course of her career, Tina has successfully guided thousands of clients through complex immigration matters, including employer sponsorships, permanent residency, visa refusals, and cancellations. She is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and is an active pro bono contributor, working with organisations such as Aboriginal Legal Services and Anti-Slavery Australia to support vulnerable migrants and survivors of trafficking. In recognition of her service, she was named a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards for Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year. Tina’s career has spanned global NGO work and international migration advocacy, bringing warmth, tenacity, and expertise to every matter she undertakes.