Working with the Courts: Navigating Court Practice Directions and Preparing Ahead
Panel discussion with Shelley Mulherin (Thomson Geer), Jayne Reece (ACT Supreme Court & ACT Court of Appeal), Lisa Quilty (Mills Oakley), Bernice Ellis (Mills Oakley) and Athol Opas (Blackburn Chambers)
An interactive 2-hour panel session, designed specifically for legal practitioners. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the latest practice directions in the Supreme Court, offering practical insights to help attendees stay compliant and effective in their advocacy.
MEET THE PANEL
SHELLEY MULHERIN
PARTNER
THOMSON GEER
Shelley specialises in the resolution of corporate governance disputes, commercial and corporate contractual disputes and residential and commercial construction disputes. She regularly appears for clients in complex litigation in the ACT Supreme Court and Federal Court. In the management of litigation, Shelley has a detailed understanding of the complexities surrounding these disputes which commonly arise from or are related to the form of the underlying commercial structures, the nature of arrangements entered by the relevant parties, the viability of available security and funding matters. Shelley enjoys working with start ups, spin offs and challenger business models as well as with more established and mature operations.
LISA QUILTY
PARTNER
MILLS OAKLEY
Lisa is a partner at Mills Oakley, having been admitted to practice since 2004. Lisa specialises in litigation and dispute resolution and regularly acts for insurers, private corporations and Government clients. She has varied cross jurisdictional experience, having appeared in pre-litigation and litigation processes in most jurisdictions within Australia. Lisa is currently Vice President of the ACT Law Society.
BERNICE ELLIS
PARTNER
MILLS OAKLEY
Bernice has a broad-ranging commercial-disputes practice, but her specialities are insolvency and debt recovery, shareholder disputes, commercial construction disputes, and tax disputes. She is sought out for her sound technical advice, along with her straight-talking and commercially pragmatic approach to protecting the interests of her clients. Bernice has a background in commerce and her forte is managing and resolving complex claims run in ACT, NSW, and Federal courts and tribunals. She has a proven track record of being able to quickly get to the factual and legal heart of a dispute, assemble and analyse evidence, manage personalities and expectations, and develop solutions for her clients. Her career wish is to be considered a fair and competent practitioner always ready to talk settlement over coffee.
ATHOL OPAS
BARRISTER
BLACKBURN CHAMBERS
Athol practices mainly in commercial law and also in general civil law and occupational discipline. Athol was called to the Bar in 2017. Before being called to the Bar, Athol worked as a solicitor in Canberra for 18 years, working in small and large Canberra firms, in a national law firm, and as a Commonwealth government in-house lawyer. Athol served for several years on the ACT Law Society Council, and was president of the ACT Law Society and a director of the Law Council of Australia. Athol has served on various committees of the ACT Law Society and ACT Bar Association, and he is a current member of the Law Society’s Professional Ethics Committee. Athol has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide in Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution and for Commercial Leasing.
JAYNE REECE
REGISTRAR
ACT SUPREME COURT AND ACT COURT OF APPEALS
Jayne Reece has been Registrar of the ACT Supreme Court since September 2020. Between May 2018 – September 2020 she was Registrar of the ACT Magistrates Court. Ms Reece commenced her legal career in private practice in 2004 before moving to the ACT Government Solicitor in 2007. At ACTGS her practice involved acting on behalf of the Australian Capital Territory in personal injury and public liability litigation as well as representing its interests in coronial inquests. Jayne was Associate to ACT Supreme Court Justice Terry Connolly between 2001-2004.
DETAILS
- This is an on-demand webinar you can watch at anytime - a link and password will be sent to you when you register
- Cost: Members - $175, Non-members $105
- CPD: Members will earn 2 CPD points in core area 3
- This event was recorded as part of the March Mastery on Thursday 20 March 2025
- This recording will expire on 31 December 2025
Registration
| Member | $75.00(GST incl.) | Register |
| Non-Member | $105.00(GST incl.) | Register |
