STERN LAW SOLICITORS - Key Persons
Carolyn is in her penultimate year of a Bachelor of Law/Media at the University of New South Wales.
Job Titles:
- Accredited Specialist
- Managing Associate
Melanie is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law. In 2018, Melanie was recognised in the Doyle's Guide as a "Rising Star" in family law in New South Wales.
Melanie joined Stern Law in 2019 after years of working in top family law firms and before that, as a legal associate to Judges of the Family Court of Australia. Melanie is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and Collaborative Lawyer.
In 2018, Melanie was recognised in the Doyle's Guide as a "Rising Star" in family law in New South Wales.
Melanie provides expert advice and representation in a broad range of legal matters, including family and relationship law (divorce, parenting matters, property, complex financial issues, child support, spouse maintenance and de facto relationships) and estate matters (including family provision claims, wills and probate). Melanie feels passionate about assisting people to resolve disputes and move forward with their lives.
Melanie's extensive knowledge and experience, combined with her strong negotiation skills, allow her to resolve the majority of clients' disputes outside the court system, which avoids costly and time-consuming litigation. Melanie's collaborative training offers separating couples an alternative approach to settlement.
Between 2016 and 2019, Melanie provided advice on a volunteer basis for the NSW Women's Legal Service.
Qualifications and memberships:
Terry is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law, being one of the first lawyers appointed as an Accredited Specialist in this field in New South Wales. Terry is a tenacious litigator with many years of experience in helping people who have suffered an injury get compensation.
Terry has a reputation as a leading plaintiff's attorney in New South Wales, having acted in leading cases in NSW. His extensive experience in the law, including medical negligence, motor vehicle accident damages cases, public liability claims, commercial and general litigation means that Terry provides comprehensive advice and assistance. Any claim with merit will receive close attentive, energetic and enthusiastic representation by Terry.
Terry has been recognised by the NSW State Insurance Regulatory Agency (SIRA) as an expert in motor accidents compensation by appointment to the panel of specialist lawyers deciding cases under the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 as a Claims Assessor. He has also been appointed as an assessor under the Motor Accidents Injuries Act 2017 for the assessment of miscellaneous disputes and common law claims and as a Merit Reviewer.
Terry has developed significant expertise not only in professional negligence claims but also in disputes concerning costs, having for many years held an appointment as a Costs Assessor and as a Review Panellist under appointment by the Supreme Court of NSW and he provides expert opinion in those areas. As the then Chair of the Costs Committee, Terry was part of the team which authored the Law Society of NSW Costs Guide 7 th Edition,available at: Law Society
Terry has also consulted to NSW regional practitioners in relation to the conduct of complex medical negligence cases and in the area of costs disputes.
Terry has played a significant role in the legal community of NSW being a former president of the Eastern Suburbs Regional Law Society and a former Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Law Society of NSW. He is the longstanding Chair of the Injuries Damages Committee of the Law Society of NSW, the Deputy Chair of the Costs Committee and a member of the Litigation Law and Practice Committee again of the Law Society of NSW. He represents the Law Society of NSW on the District Court of NSW Civil Users Group (a committee of judges and representatives of the Law Society of NSW and the NSW Bar Association). He is a current councillor of the Law Society of NSW (i.e. a member of its Board of Directors).
In 1996 Terry established the long-running annual "Lawyers Learning for Charity" conference for the NSW Eastern Suburbs Law Society, and he continues to take an active role. Each year, all net proceeds from the conference are donated to a local charity, and in total, the conference has raised donations exceeding $250,000.
Qualifications and Memberships:
Yvonne ensures that our clients are welcomed, and their needs are understood and met.