PIPER WILCOX LEGAL - Key Persons
Alison received a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Aukland. She is admitted as a solicitor and barrister in the Supreme Court of South Australia and the High Court of Australia, as well as the High Court of New Zealand.
Following her graduation and relocation to Adelaide in March 2016, Alison has been mainly interested in criminal law. Her interest grew as she performed the roles of law clerk to Mrs. Marie Piper QC and a Judge's Associate at the District Court of South Australia.
Alison has had the opportunity to work closely with partners Meghann Piper and John Wilcox since beginning her role as a solicitor with Piper & Wilcox in July 2017. She has helped in matters involved in the Court of Criminal Appeal, District Court, Magistrates Court, and Youth Court. She regularly appears in the city and suburban Magistrates and Youth Courts, and considers herself a passionate representative for each of her clients.
Alison is particularly knowledgeable in matters heard before the Youth Court. In 2019, she held a Law Society CPD seminar with Marie Piper QC. During the seminar, they discussed the presumption of doli incapax, or the presumption that children under 14 years of age lack the capacity to be criminally responsible for their actions.
Alison sits on the Law Society's Teenagers and the Law Committee. She also serves as the Secretary of the RSPCA.
John earned a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. In addition, he completed the requirements for a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University. He is admitted as a solicitor and barrister in both the Supreme Courts of South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as the High Court of Australia.
After graduating from university, John began to practise in Adelaide at a commercial law firm. He focused initially on commercial litigation and corporate insolvency. On a number of complex matters, John represented clients in several jurisdictions, including the Federal Court, the High Court, and the Australian Football League Commission.
Following his work at the Adelaide law firm, John was appointed as the Associate to the Honorable Justice David of the Supreme Court of South Australia. He worked there with Justice David on several high profile criminal appeals and trials. He credits this experience as the source of his vast degree of working knowledge regarding the practice and procedure in South Australia's criminal Courts.
After completing his Associateship with Justice David, John began work with Ms. Meghann Piper at a large Adelaide law firm. There he specialised in criminal, traffic, disciplinary, and defamation law. John and Meghann were able to work closely together on a variety of matters. Together they have provided successful representation to clients who have been charged with summary offences ranging from drink/drug driving, disorderly behaviour, and resisting arrest, as well as major indictable offences including trafficking in controlled drugs, abuse of public office, rape, and murder.
From this broad range of experience and knowledge, John draws together the means to provide clients with reliable and useful advice and representation.
Before commencing his practice in law, John completed one year's service with the Royal Australian Navy.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Council of the Law Society of South Australia
Meghann earned a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Adelaide. She is admitted as a solicitor and barrister in the Supreme Courts of South Australia and New South Wales.
For over 15 years, Meghann's career has taken her to jurisdictions all around the world. She first began working overseas at the UK's leading criminal and civil fraud firm in London. She then made a move to Canada, where she assisted Inuit inmates with their appeals. Meghann worked for a year in Canada for the government of Ontario, before returning to the United Kingdom. This time Meghann worked at an Newcastle law firm focused on worker's compensation. Meghann worked for blue collar workers who had been negatively impacted by termination by many different manufacturers and employers.
After returning to Australia, Meghann began working at a commercial litigation and private criminal firm. While at this firm, she became involved in various matters, including high profile trials and appeals.
Meghann's personal interest is in photography and poetry. She is now Treasurer of the Burnside Society's Photography Committee. She also regularly provides tutoring to university students studying law at the University of Adelaide.
For four years (2011-2014), Meghann was voted by Doyles as a recommended criminal lawyer working in Adelaide.
Meghann is currently an elected member of the Council of the Law Society of South Australia. She has previously served as Council Treasurer for that same body. She is also a former Chair of the Law Society's Animal Law Committee and the current Deputy Chair of the Law Society's Criminal Committee.
Meghann is a member of several other official bodies, including the Legal Services Commission's General Panel of practitioners, the Complex Criminal Law Panel as solicitor and counselor, and the Guardianship and Mental Health Representation Panel.