Join us to gain your compulsory CPD units with topics tailored for small practice or sole practitioners. Hear tips on how to ensure that you are maximising the financial potential of your practice as well as the value on succession. Learn what you need to know about SMSFs and about the impacts of recent superannuation reform measures. Understand how you can change your mindset on WHS to create a safer workplace. 

Presenters

Tracey Norris, Director, Pitcher Partners
Tracey Norris commenced in public practice over 20 years ago and initially advised small and medium enterprises on taxation and superannuation affairs. This variety of experience allows her to understand the bigger picture when advising clients on superannuation issues and providing commercial outcomes. Having worked with various industries supplying general taxation advice and now specialising in superannuation allows her to provide good strategic outcomes to compliment other advisors. Tracey's demonstrated knowledge and experience in the application of superannuation and taxation laws includes; SMSF compliance and audits; advising on restructure of assets to and from superannuation funds, whether the result of life events or business sales and acquisitions; assisting clients with effective retirement planning strategies; maximising investment opportunities using superannuation structures; writing expert reports for legal counsel in court hearings; and sitting on the compliance committee of a retail fund. Tracey is also a licenced adviser on the Pitcher Partners Australian Financial Service Licence and was a finalist for SMSF Adviser of the year at the Women in Finance Awards in 2022. Professional qualifications and memberships: Bachelor of Commerce (JCU); Advanced Diploma of Financial Services (Superannuation); Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ); CA SMSF Specialist.


Rebecca Nipperess, Senior Manager, Pitcher Partners
Rebecca Nipperess joined Pitcher Partners in 2019 as a Specialist superannuation adviser, having previously worked in boutique accounting firms gaining 10 years of experience in business services advisory and the SMSF industry, before deciding to solely focus on SMSFs. The skills she has learnt over the past 10+ years enables her to provide a holistic approach when advising clients. As a superannuation specialist, Rebecca provides strategic superannuation advice along with compliance support to SMSFs. Rebecca is licensed to provide superannuation advice and has experience in advising clients on SMSF establishments, contribution planning strategies, pension planning, estate planning and LRBA establishments. Professional Qualifications and Memberships: Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Financial Planning); Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ); CA SMSF Specialist; Australian Financial Services Licence Representative.


Gemma Sharp, Special Counsel, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers
As a special counsel in Cooper Grace Ward’s workplace relations and safety team, Gemma brings over 10 years’ experience providing advice on employment, industrial discrimination, and health and safety matters. Gemma advises a range of clients across various industries, including retail, finance, early childhood and education, transport, and religious organisations on issues such as: compliance and duties under workplace health and safety legislation; unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment; the operation of employment contracts and restraint of trade provisions; independent contractor and employee distinctions; award and enterprise agreement applicability and provisions; dismissal risks and strategies; management of ill and injured employees; workers’ compensation claims; and general protections claims. In the past 12 months, Gemma has provided clients with a wide range of advice on legal issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to its ongoing impacts for employers.


Rob Knowsley, Managing Director-Principal, Knowsley Management Services
Rob Knowsley has spent the 49-plus years since his admission as a lawyer in early 1975 working with growth-oriented legal practices in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He founded Knowsley Management Services (KMS) in early 1988. He is unashamedly passionate about assisting his fellow lawyers to build into their firms a strong ongoing capability to optimise their investments of money, education, experience and time, to produce proper profits, dramatically better profits than most assume possible. He is clear in his view that a profitable firm greatly increases options in terms of succession, a real problem for many partners in small-medium firms. Rob has a long track record of making vast improvements happen in relatively short periods of time in all manner of firms, and brings to his consultancy advice a wide experience from a range of legal roles, having practised as a Barrister and Solicitor, employed lawyer, partner and managing partner, sole practitioner, and in both private practice and Government. He has served on various State and Regional Law Society councils and committees, and Government committees, lectured and written widely on legal practice management, and is a skilled trainer and facilitator. Rob`s day to day contact with all manner of firms, especially those where he is retained on an annual basis as a practice coach, gives him a constantly updated flow of information about the changing practical problems the Legal Profession is facing. He has had significant consulting input into over 1385 legal firms, and greatly assisted his many thousands of seminar and workshop attendees. A significant part of every business day is spent advising lawyers by e-mail, by telephone, Zoom/Teams, or in person. Rob knows what`s needed, what`s possible, and exactly how to achieve it. His ground-breaking systems for planning and ensuring full utilisation of law firm human resources, developed originally in the late Eighties, have stood the test of time, being used to huge advantage in a multitude of firms to this day. Rob adheres fully to the Code of Ethics of the Institute of Management Consultants in Australia.


Ms. Amanda Comelli, Partner, Brown Wright Stein Lawyers
Amanda is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Business Law and currently sits on the Law Society's Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee for Business Law. With more than 10 years' experience as a business lawyer, Amanda provides commercial and corporate law, tax law and estate planning advice to businesses and business owners. Amanda likes to keep her practice broad, to provide her clients with well-rounded and practical legal advice. Amanda has acted for a range of clients including both private and public companies, accountants, financial planners, retailers, business owners, manufacturers, individuals (including high net worth individuals) and not-for-profit organisations. She is also a founder of the Women in Tax Discussion Group, which is hosted monthly by Brown Wright Stein, as a forum for female tax professionals to meet and discuss recent key changes in tax law in a relaxed and supportive environment. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys travel, fitness, and spending time with her family. She has also represented Australia in several international karate tournaments!