MELLOR OLSSON - Key Persons
Alison is a Registered Conveyancer based in our Port Lincoln office.
Biography
Alison joined Mellor Olsson in October 2013, following the merger of Jenkins Anderson and Mellor Olsson.
She initially joined Jenkins Anderson in 2009 as a junior administration assistant. A year later, she moved into a conveyancing role, working under the close guidance of one of the firm's Partners. Alison combined working full-time with her conveyancing studies and became a registered Conveyancer in April 2017, following the completion of her Advanced Diploma in Conveyancing.
During Alison's time with Jenkins Anderson and Mellor Olsson, she has developed a wide-range of experience across residential and commercial conveyancing.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Alistair is a Senior Associate in our dispute resolution and litigation team.
Biography
Alistair joined the Mellor Olsson team in 2024, having previously practiced in various roles in national and local private firms, in-house, and in the public sector. He represents both applicants and respondents in a broad range of disputes and litigation.
With a strong commitment to ethical standards, pragmatism, keen attention to detail, and exceptional client service, Alistair works closely with Partners and other team members to achieve efficient and favourable outcomes for his clients.
Anthony has a diverse practice and advises clients from a range of sectors on general litigation, environment, planning and development matters.
Biography
Anthony joined Mellor Olsson in 2003 and became a Partner in 2008.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Ben is a Senior Associate in our employment and workplace team
Biography
Ben joined Mellor Olsson in 2022, after working with a number of reputable lawyers at another South Australian firm since his admission to practice in 2015.
He has acted for both employees and employers in a range of State and Federal workers compensation and employment matters. Ben regularly appears before the SA Employment Tribunal and the Fair Work Commission and his experience includes workers compensation disputes, unfair dismissal claims, general protections applications and underpayment of wages claims. His experience also extends to disciplinary matters and disputes arising out of breaches of Employment Contracts, Awards and Enterprise Agreements.
Ben is dedicated to maximising outcomes and minimising complexity for his clients, ensuring that speedy resolutions are reached whilst keeping parties informed of their position throughout the course of a matter.
He has had previous volunteer experience with Offenders Aid and Rehabilitation Services SA.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Brittany advises clients on injury claims and medical negligence.
Biography
Brittany started with Mellor Olsson in 2022 as a Senior Associate after spending six years at a boutique South Australian firm. She specialises in injury and medical negligence claims including victims of Motor Vehicle Accidents. She also advises individuals on injuries sustained in the workplace, Public Liability and Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) and compensation claims.
Brittany is passionate about working collaboratively to secure cost effective and timely solutions. Her calm and empathetic nature assists her clients and their families, to navigate sensitive legal processes and complex periods in their lives.
Career Highlights
Featured in the Adelaide Advertiser as an Emerging Leader of South Australian Civil Law - August 2023
Callen is a senior lawyer with a broad practice. He is also responsible for the day-to-day management of the Clare office.
Biography
Callen joined Mellor Olsson in 2014. He has over a decade of experience in general legal matters and is passionate about providing an outstanding legal service to the community of Clare and its surrounding areas.
He has a diverse practice and advises clients in a range of business succession and restructuring, general business and property transactions and conveyancing matters. He has a large practice in Wills and estates where he advises clients on important documents including Wills, Testamentary Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Advance Care Directives and general estate administration. He also assists clients with family law issues with a particular emphasis on property settlement matters. A significant part of Callen's practice involves acting for people involved in the agricultural industry, such as farmers and viticulturists, and he also acts for local small to medium sized businesses.
With the growing need for renewable energy, Callen is increasingly advising landowners on legal agreements in relation to environmental activities such as wind and solar farms.
Callen was born and raised in rural Eyre Peninsula and since starting his career has chosen to practise in rural areas. Understanding the importance of contributing to his local community, he frequently assists a number of not for profit and sporting groups with legal issues. He regularly visits Burra, Kadina and Riverton to assist local residents with their legal needs.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Ceilia specialises in Native Title. Her practice also includes Indigenous issues, employment, environmental issues and litigation.
Biography
Ceilia joined the Native Title and disputes team at Mellor Olsson in 2018. Prior to working at Mellor Olsson, Ceilia undertook placements at other South Australian legal firms, while also working part-time as a Solicitor at a prominent not-for-profit legal service.
Before training as a lawyer, Ceilia spent nearly 20 years' in senior executive positions with the South Australian and Commonwealth Governments, predominantly focused on Indigenous Affairs. Ceilia's in-depth understanding and connections in this area, along with her significant business and management skills, are highly useful in her Native Title and disputes practice. She regularly appears in the Federal and State courts.
Darren specialises in corporate and commercial law and works closely with a number of high profile businesses.
Biography
Having previously worked at Mellor Olsson, Darren re-joined the firm in 2017 as a Partner.
Darren has vast experience advising clients on matters such as buying and selling businesses, raising capital, due diligence, private equity transactions, joint ventures, partnerships and shareholder agreements, business restructuring, succession planning, asset protection and franchising. He also has a significant tax, property and Wills and estate planning practice.
Darren also is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of Wills & Estates team.
His broad client base includes well-known local and national businesses, medical and dental professionals, and other high net worth individuals.
Darren works closely with a number of accountants and financial planners to assist clients with their various legal needs.
Emma is a member of our Wills & Estates team
Biography
Emma joined the team at Mellor Olsson in 2023 after gaining experience at another well-respected South Australian Wills & Estates firm.
She assists clients and senior members of our team with a full range of estate planning needs, including the drafting of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Advance Care Directives and Testamentary Trusts as well as the administration of deceased estates.
Emma also has expertise in Inheritance (Family Provision) Act claims, estate disputes and challenges to Wills. She has appeared in the Supreme Court on behalf of executors, beneficiaries, and claimants and has experience involving the guardianship and administration of elderly or vulnerable individuals and has appeared before the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) in such cases.
Eva is a specialist family lawyer and Partner in our family law team.
Biography
Eva joined Mellor Olsson as a Partner in 2022, following a number of years at another South Australian firm.
She is a dedicated and compassionate lawyer, committed to achieving excellent outcomes for her clients in a cost effective manner whilst helping them to navigate the legal process during a tough time.
Job Titles:
- Company Director
- Consultant
Greg is a consultant in our business advisory team. He works for clients across multiple industries on their business and commercial transactions, taxation, property and estate planning requirements.
Biography
Greg joined Mellor Olsson in 1992 when Mellor Olsson was first formed. He was admitted to practice in 1977 and had previously been a Partner at Olssons since 1983.
As a former Chairman of the South Australian branch of the Taxation Institute of Australia, Greg has provided taxation, stamp duty and structuring advice on a number of complex transactions. Greg's clients have ranged from publicly listed companies to small and medium business owners. With Mellor Olsson's commitment to regional communities, Greg often acts for primary producers.
Greg is an experienced company Director having sat on various boards for private entities, not for profit and community organisations.
James specialises in leasing, property, infrastructure and commercial law and works extensively with a range of private, agricultural and Government clients.
Biography
James joined Mellor Olsson in 2017 as a Partner in our business advisory and property team. He has over 20 years' experience, having previously practised in well known firms throughout Northern Territory and South Australia.
He has a significant commercial leasing and property practice and is highly experienced in the sale and purchase of commercial, industrial and agricultural property, having acted for clients in the retail, manufacturing, hospitality, tourism, education, agricultural, mining and industrial sectors.
James regularly acts for both metropolitan and regional Councils on a range of Local Government issues including commercial contracts, service agreements, infrastructure and development projects, tender and sale documents, probity and procurement advice, sale and purchase of land, community land, encroachments, compulsory acquisition, leases, licences and management agreements, funding agreements, Crown land, roads, governance and policy development.
He also provides risk management and mitigation advice and advice on compliance with the Local Government Act and other legislation relevant to Council decision making and operations.
An active member of the property profession for many years, James has volunteered on numerous committees. These include roles with the Property Council of South Australia as Chairman of the Facilities Management committee from 2012 - 2015 and Deputy Chairman of the Building and Facilities Committee from 2015 - 2017.
Jennie is a specialist family lawyer with many years' experience in matrimonial and family law matters.
Biography
Jennie joined Mellor Olsson in 1986 and became a Partner in 2008.
She has many years' experience in matrimonial matters in the Family and Federal Circuit Courts, dealing with property settlements and issues concerning children. Her experience in this area also extends to de facto relationship and domestic partnership issues.
Her empathetic nature allows Jennie to build strong relationships with her clients and to support them during what is often a significantly challenging period in their lives.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Jenny has more than 20 years of experience and advises clients on all aspects of estate planning and administration.
Biography
Jenny joined Mellor Olsson in 1998.
She provides guidance to clients in all aspects of their estate and succession planning. She has extensive experience in the areas of trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, estate administration, probate applications and deceased estate taxation.
Jenny also has a broad knowledge of conveyancing, mortgages and property matters.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Laws
Joanna leads our injury claims team. She also has a growing corporate governance practice and works closely with organisations to minimise and manage their risk in this area.
Biography
Joanna joined Mellor Olsson in 2003 and became a Partner in 2008. She started her career practicing predominantly in tort law.
She consults to businesses and industry bodies on corporate governance and Directors' duties and provides training in these areas at both Board and individual level. Joanna regularly undertakes Board and Director performance evaluations and structure reviews. Joanna also regularly consults on amending and updating Constitutions for organisations and stakeholder engagement.
She is a Facilitator for the Australian Institute of Company Directors: Company Directors Course "The Board's Legal Environment" together with "Achieving Board Effectiveness".
Joanna's current board positions include Chairman of South Australian Produce Markets Limited where she also serves on the Finance, Audit and Governance Committee. She also serves as an Alternate Director for Perth Markets Ltd and is a sitting tribunal member of the National Sports Tribunal and the SANFL Player Payment Investigation Committee.
Her previous board experience includes Chair positions for Australian Vignerons (formerly Wine Grape Growers Australia and now Australian Grape & Wine Inc), Brain Injury South Australia and the Julia Farr Housing Association. Her previous Non-Executive Director roles were with Beston Global Foods, Adelaide Cemeteries Authority, Adelaide University Business School Advisory Board, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, Uniting Communities and Crime Stoppers SA.
John joined Mellor Olsson as a Partner in 2021 to lead our Employment Law team. He brings with him over 20 years' experience in this area
Biography
John is a graduate of the University of Adelaide and is recognised by Doyle's Guide to the Legal Profession as one of South Australia's leading employment lawyers.
He is noted for his strategic and pragmatic approach to all aspects of employment law. John places importance on amicable and speedy resolutions, wherever possible.
His areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, employment contracts, managing employees, enterprise bargaining, investigations, workers compensation and litigation. John's tailored employment agreements and his capacity to navigate complex litigation are highly regarded.
John's particular advantages are drawn from his combined experience as lead industrial advocate for the United Workers Union as well as 11 years representing employers as a partner at another Adelaide firm.
Jordan works closely with senior members of our Commercial team on a number of business and property matters
Biography
Jordan joined Mellor Olsson's commercial team as a Law Clerk in June of 2021, where she was admitted to practise soon after.
She assists in a wide range of commercial matters with key focuses on agribusiness, wills and estate planning, property and conveyancing and business succession planning, advisory and restructuring.
She is a member of the Law Society of South Australia.
Judith is a Registered Conveyancer and has more than 30 years' experience.
Biography
Judith joined Mellor Olsson in 1990. Prior to this, she operated her own conveyancing practice in Adelaide for approximately seven years.
She specialises in residential and commercial conveyancing and land divisions. Judith also prepares contracts for the sale and purchase of land and mortgage documentation.
Judith is highly regarded within the property market and regularly receives referral work from a number of real estate agents.
Kristen is a Solicitor in our Adelaide office.
Biography
Kristen joined Mellor Olsson as a Law Clerk in 2021 and was promoted to Solicitor in 2023 upon her admission to practise.
She works closely with Partners and senior lawyers on a wide range of divorce and family issues including property settlements and parenting and children's matters. She also assists our Wills & Estates team on estate planning including the drafting of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Advanced Care Directives and Testamentary Trusts as well as the administration of deceased estates.
Career Highlights
Featured in the Adelaide Advertiser as one of South Australia's Top 22 Rising Legal Eagles - June 2024