Claire McNamara, Legal Officer, Office of the Public Advocate Claire McNamara has worked at the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) since 2005. Initially Claire worked as an Advocate/Guardian and since 2008 she has worked as a legal officer. Claire provides advice, training and resources for OPA staff and has also developed a number of information sheets for legal and health professionals about the Powers of Attorney Act and the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act, which are available on OPA's website. Claire has a longstanding interest in advance care planning, medical substitute decision making and supported decision making and has delivered many presentations on these topics to legal and health practitioners. Claire is a member of both the LIV's Health Law Committee and Elder Law Committee. In 2013 Claire was the recipient of a LIV Certificate of Service.
Rebecca Edwards, Principal Lawyer, Senior Rights Victoria Rebecca has a passion for social justice and has spent the majority of her working life in this field. She has over 10 years’ experience as a practicing lawyer working in private practice in rural and regional areas, for Victoria Legal Aid, for the UNICTR in Tanzania, for the Kimberley Land Council (a Native Title Representative Body), and now as Principal Lawyer at Seniors Rights Victoria. In addition, Rebecca has over 10 years’ experience teaching the next generation of lawyers as a lecturer at La Trobe University, teaching subjects with a focus on social justice such as Dispute Resolution, Rural and Regional Issues in Justice, and Law, Ethics and Human Rights. Rebecca also has a strong commitment to the community sector and is currently the Chair of Castlemaine District Community Health.
Emily Hart, Senior Associate, Maurice Blackburn Emily Hart is a Senior Associate in Maurice Blackburn’s medical negligence department in Melbourne, and a Law Institute of Victoria personal injury accredited specialist. She is also the first point of contact for many people at The Alfred Hospital through the HeLP clinic, which she helped to establish. Emily graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Arts and Honours in Law in 2007. Within the broad medical negligence field, Emily’s main practice areas are obstetrics, Coronial matters and mental health.
Julian Gardner AM, Deputy Chair of the Board, Alfred Health Julian has a long-standing interest in human rights laws. He was the first salaried lawyer in a community legal centre, the founding Director of what is now Victoria Legal Aid, has been was head of several tribunals and was the Public Advocate. He was made a member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community through leadership roles with social welfare, mental health, legal aid and other legal organisations. In 201,7 he was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Panel that prepared the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill and is now chairing the Implementation Taskforce for the Act.
Ines Kallweit, Principal Solicitor, KHQ Lawyers Ines Kallweit leads the Wills & Estates team at KHQ Lawyers. She is an Accredited Specialist in Wills & Estates (with the Law Institute of Victoria) and a member of the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners. Ines’ practice ranges from estate planning, the preparation of Wills and Powers of Attorney to complex estate administration and estate litigation. Her broad knowledge in this area and solutions-focused approach allows her to assist clients with the preparation of comprehensive estate plans and the administration of complex estates. Her estate litigation work involves both defending estates and representing individuals in resolution of disputes involving Wills, property, estate and guardianship matters.