Our lawyers are dedicated to helping charities, not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises meet their legal needs efficiently, effectively - and in a manner that enables them to accelerate and enhance their impact.
Anne Robinson AM
PartnerBA LLB (Hons) FAICD
Anne Robinson is the founder and a Partner of Prolegis Lawyers. Anne's areas of advice include corporate law, governance, charitable trust structuring and tax issues.
Anne has advised charities, not-for-profits and philanthropists on corporate law, governance, charitable trust structuring and tax issues across the whole range of Australia's charitable institutions.
She has also had 30 years' experience in governance of not-for-profit organisations, including as director and board chair of several significant and well-known charities, including Australia’s largest international aid and development organisation.
Anne was Deputy Chair of the Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council and a member of the NFP Tax Concession Working Group between 2008 and 2013. Anne is currently a member of the Australian Taxation Office Not-for-Profit Stewardship Group, a member of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Professional Users Group and Chair of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Anne holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Macquarie University.
Jon Cheung
PartnerBMedSc LLB LLM GAICD
Jon specialises in protecting the interests of charities and not-for-profits through his work in the areas of governance, operational and contractual arrangements, and dispute resolution.
Jon is an experienced lawyer with a background in corporate and commercial law. He has advised charities, not-for-profits and philanthropists across the sector, over a range of governance and operational areas including corporate and project governance, director and trustee duties, indemnities, health record privacy, tax exemptions, organisational structures, risk assessments, contractual arrangements, disputes and reviews including sponsorships, projects, fundraising, collections and finance. He has provided advice to all organisational levels including to program managers, senior executives, CEO and boards.
With a special interest in cross-cultural issues, Jon previously worked in an aid and development organisation in Mpumalanga, South Africa operating in communities across the region of Southern Africa suffering from the effects of AIDS/HIV.
Jon holds a Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney with a focus on international law and development. He is a member of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and currently serves as board chair of an international aid and development organisation.
Jae Yang
PartnerBTh LLB MA
Jae advises on establishment, re-structuring, obtaining charitable status, tax concessions, and legal compliance.
Jae was admitted as a solicitor in 2006.
Since joining Prolegis Lawyers in 2009, he has advised on establishment, corporate and tax structuring, and legal compliance relating to charities, not-for-profits and philanthropic foundations. In particular, he specialises in advising charities and philanthropic foundations on obtaining charity registration, deductible gift recipient status, stamp duty exemptions and fundraising approvals.
He is a member of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Professional Users Group.
Jae was previously the writer of a regular legal column in a prominent publication in the Australian community and has been the speaker at several legal seminars.
He is currently the company secretary of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand and is a director of an Australian charity carrying out community work in Asia.
Jae has also worked in the Republic of Korea translating foreign legislation and legal journals, and served as an English-Korean interpreter in the Korean military.
Jae holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Queensland University of Technology, a Bachelor of Theology from Wesley Institute (Sydney College of Divinity) and a Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Queensland.
Murray Baird
ConsultantBA LLB FAICD
Murray joined Prolegis Lawyers as a Consultant in 2021 and was formerly Assistant Commissioner General Counsel at the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Murray was the inaugural Assistant Commissioner and General Counsel at the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission 2012-2019 where he was responsible for registrations, compliance, reporting, legal and policy functions of the ACNC.
Prior to that he was Senior Partner and Chair of Moores Legal, Melbourne 1985-2012 and led the Not-for-profit group at that firm.
Murray is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors where he was on the steering committee for the development of the AICD Not for Profit Governance Principles 2019. He is a Director of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, a Member of the Legal Services Council which oversees the regulatory framework for lawyers in Australia, and a member of the Charities and Not for profits committees of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Law Council of Australia.
He has completed studies in advanced mediation at Bond University and the Strategic Management Program at Harvard University Extension School.
He is Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia Law School and a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School where he teaches charity law and policy.
John King
ConsultantBA LLB (Hons) LLM CTA
John joined Prolegis Lawyers as a consultant in September 2011 after 31 years as a Tax Partner at Mallesons.
After joining Mallesons Stephen Jaques in 1972, John became a tax partner in the firm in 1979 and remained in this position until his retirement on 31 December 2010 when he joined Prolegis as a consultant
From 1986-88 he was the resident partner in the firm’s then representative office in New York. During his 31 years as a tax partner at Mallesons, John's practice focused mostly on domestic and cross-border financial services and capital markets transactions and products, inbound and outbound investment, and trusts and partnerships. On many occasions he successfully lobbied the federal Government, Treasury and Parliament to have pending or existing tax legislation amended.
Throughout John's professional career, and especially over the last decade, he also advised on complex tax and related issues affecting charities, universities, cultural bodies, sporting clubs, other not-for-profit entities (amongst them, some iconic NSW institutions) and the philanthropic sector generally.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts Law (Hons) from the University of Sydney and a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics.
Peter Wilson
ConsultantB.Comm LLB CAHRI
Peter has over 30 years’ experience advising organisations on Employment and Workplace law issues and as a Human Resources Executive in a range of organisations.
Peter has over 30 years’ experience advising organisations on Employment/Workplace law issues and as a Human Resources Executive in a range of organisations.
He specialises in providing legal advice and consulting services to organisations on the full range of employment related matters (including restructuring, mergers, contracts, policies, terminations, discipline, investigations, discrimination, injured workers, dispute resolution).
Peter has a particular interest and expertise in developing fit-for-purpose human resources management systems and procedures that enable organisations to minimise risks in people-related matters. He also brings considerable experience in helping organisations undertaking significant change.
Peter is a trusted adviser on people-related issues in not-for-profit entities. He has served on the board of a not-for-profit entity engaged in community development work in Western Uganda and is a member of a group that trains and equips church leaders in Vanuatu.
Peter has a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law from the University of New South Wales. He is also a Chartered Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute, has been an accredited Workplace Mediator and holds a Graduate Diploma in Christian Counselling.
Emma Hodgson
Special CounselBA LLB (Hons)
Emma has extensive experience advising corporate, private and government clients on a broad range of real estate matters, including acquisition and disposals, due diligence and the property aspects of M&A activity.
Emma joined Prolegis Lawyers in 2017. Prior to joining Prolegis, Emma worked in the corporate real estate groups at leading top tier law firms in both Sydney and London and at a boutique law firm in Sydney. Emma has extensive experience advising corporate, private and government clients on a broad range of real estate matters including acquisitions and disposals of commercial, industrial, retail and residential properties, the property aspects of corporate mergers and acquisitions, leasing negotiations, purchaser and vendor due diligence investigations and other general commercial and property matters.
Emma has a special interest in disability issues having acted as principal solicitor of the Disability Discrimination Legal Centre in Kingsford and as a volunteer for Association for Children with a Disability NSW.
Emma was admitted as a solicitor in 2000 and holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney. She is a member of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Tina Lee
Special CounselB.Sc LLB (Hons)
Tina advises in relation to re-structures, mergers, transfers of registration of incorporated associations, corporate governance, compliance and strategy, and tax matters.
Tina joined Prolegis Lawyers in 2013. Tina advises in respect of charity and not-for-profit restructures including mergers and also disaggregations. She also advises on corporate governance matters and has extensive experience in preparing and updating constitutions, which she applies in preparing constitutions for new charities and not-for-profits as well as in advice on constitutions in the context of compliance reviews and restructure/merger matters. She also advises a number of clients in the schools and disability sectors including in relation to the NDIS.
Prior to joining Prolegis, Tina worked at a major Australian law firm, first in the property team advising on real estate development matters including acquisition of property, property finance law and hotel and tourism law, and later in corporate law as a member of the merger and acquisitions team. As a senior practitioner, she advised on legal issues affecting the firm and its associated entities, particularly in the areas of contract and commercial law.
Tina is on the board of an independent girls’ school in Sydney and a charity providing services to people with mental disabilities.
Tina holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Science in undergraduate business studies from Cornell University.
Nameeta Chandra
Senior AssociateB.Com LLB GradCertHR
Nameeta assists clients with dispute resolution and litigation. Nameeta also assists clients with wills and estates disputes, submissions to Royal Commissions and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Nameeta joined Prolegis in 2018.
Nameeta assists clients with dispute resolution and litigation and works closely with Junior and Senior Counsels in Court proceedings in the State and Federal jurisdictions, including in relation to trustee and membership disputes. Nameeta also assists clients in respect of wills and estates disputes, submissions to Royal Commissions and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Prior to joining Prolegis, Nameeta worked for the legal arm of one of Australia’s largest charities, advising charities and not-for-profits in litigation and advisory work concerning contractual disputes, (defendant) personal injury law, work health and safety law, workers compensation law, employment law, aged care law, privacy law, and Government inquiries. She has also worked as a lawyer for the government’s corporate regulator assisting in the conduct and management of civil and criminal investigations. Nameeta has also worked as a researcher and caseworker for asylum seekers for two humanitarian aid and community services charities.
Nameeta is Co-convenor of the NSW Committee of the Australian Lawyers for Human Rights.
Nameeta was admitted in 2007 and holds a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Sydney, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights from the University of Sydney.
Posy McGrane
Senior AssociateBA LLB (Hons)
Posy provides practical legal solutions to help improve the effectiveness, efficiency and
sustainability of a diverse and inspiring range of non-profit clients so that they can focus on achieving their mission.
Posy joined Prolegis Lawyers in 2020. Posy advises charities and other not-for-profit organisations and philanthropic foundations in relation to establishment, structuring and constitutional matters, charity registration and endorsement for tax concessions, including Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).
Previously, Posy practised in Corporate & Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions at a top tier law firm in Sydney and subsequently at a magic circle law firm in London. During that period, Posy undertook a mixture of transactional and corporate advisory work, with an industry focus on the financial services sector.
More recently, Posy advised charities and other not-for-profits in relation to governance and structuring, ACNC, DGR and fundraising matters in her previous role in the Pro Bono practice at another global law firm. Posy was also responsible for developing some of the firm’s pro bono programs, providing access to justice and free legal advice and assistance to disadvantaged or otherwise vulnerable members of the community.
Posy enjoys providing practical legal solutions to help improve the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of a diverse and inspiring range of non-profit clients so that they can focus on achieving their mission - whether that is supporting vulnerable people, delivering human and other critical services, enhancing diversity, promoting culture, bringing the community together, protecting the environment or fulfilling another social purpose.
Posy graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Technology, Sydney, after completing a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (International Studies) degree.
Sam Burnett
Senior AssociateB.Media LLB
Sam specialises in safeguarding, and has particular expertise assisting charities and not-for-profits implement systems to minimise risk to children and comply with regulatory and other reporting obligations.
Sam joined Prolegis in early 2018.
Sam specialises in safeguarding, and has particular expertise assisting charities and not-for-profits implement systems to minimise risk to children and comply with regulatory and other reporting obligations.
Sam also has particular expertise advising on complaint-handing and disciplinary matters within complex governance structures, including in the context of church law.
In addition to safeguarding, Sam assists charities and not-for-profits navigate their responsibilities under discrimination and privacy law, as well as advising on challenging disputes, regulatory investigations, and public inquiries.
Prior to working with Prolegis Lawyers, Sam worked as a senior lawyer with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on public hearings focused on religious institutions. Sam was a contributing writer of the religious organisations volume of the final report, and was involved in the development of recommendations for religious institutions.
Sam holds a Bachelor of Media and a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University.
Stephanie Judd
AssociateLLB BA (Hons I)
Stephanie assists clients with the establishment and governance of charitable and not-for-profit entities, advising on various corporate governance issues, tax concessions, regulatory compliance, and disputes.
Stephanie assists clients with the establishment and governance of charitable and not-for-profit entities, advising on various corporate governance issues, tax concessions, regulatory compliance, and disputes.
Prior to joining Prolegis, she worked in a major Australian law firm in the banking & finance team, with a focus on social finance and impact investment, before reading theological studies at the University of Oxford.
Grace Park
AssociateBA Juris Doctor
Grace advises in areas including establishing and re-structuring charities and not-for-profits, tax concessions, deductible gift recipient endorsement, governance and employment issues.
Grace joined Prolegis Lawyers in early 2017.
She advises clients in areas including establishing and re-structuring charities and not-for-profits, tax concessions, deductible gift recipient endorsement, governance and employment issues.
Prior to joining Prolegis Lawyers, Grace worked at a major Australian law firm in Melbourne. She has also worked overseas, including working for the United Nations Khmer Rouge Tribunal and International Labour Organisation in Cambodia.
With a strong interest in the work of organisations in the charity and not-for-profit sector, Grace is committed to providing high quality legal advice to help further their goals.
Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology, Criminology) and a Juris Doctor, both from the University of Melbourne.
Emma Kostas
SolicitorBA LLB (Hons)
Emma is a Solicitor working in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, grants and fundraising matters, and contractual arrangements.
Emma joined Prolegis in 2018 as a Paralegal while completing her studies at Monash University.
She now works as a Solicitor in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, grants and fundraising matters, and contractual arrangements.
Emma holds a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) and a Bachelor of Law (Honours).
Darrell Bagang
SolicitorBA LLB JD
Darrell assists clients in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, re-structing, registration and endorsement for tax concessions, including Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).
Darrell joined Prolegis in 2021.
Darrell assists clients in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, re-structing, registration and endorsement for tax concessions, including Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).
Darrell is also admitted to the Philippine Bar since 2015 and was previously involved with Pro Bono work in different areas of law overseas. With a strong interest in the work of organisations in the charity and not-for-profit sector, Darrell has worked with a community legal centre and the legal arm of various not-for-profit organisations.
Darrell was admitted as a solicitor in 2019 and holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws degree, both from University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Technology Sydney.
William Messer
SolicitorBA LLB
William works as a Solicitor in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, re-structuring of charities, and deductible gift recipient endorsement.
William joined Prolegis Lawyers in June 2021.
William works as a Solicitor in the areas of charity and not-for profit establishment, re-structuring of charities, and deductible gift recipient endorsement.
William holds a Bachelor of Arts (History) and Bachelor of Laws from Deakin University.
Mukudzei Ruzive-Makura
SolicitorBA LLB
Mukudzei advises clients in the areas of charity and governance including establishing and re-structuring charities and not-for-profits, deductible gift recipient endorsement and regulatory compliance.
Mukudzei joined Prolegis in 2021.
Mukudzei advises clients in the areas of charity and governance including establishing and re-structuring charities and not-for-profits, deductible gift recipient endorsement and regulatory compliance.
Mukudzei graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and is pursuing a Master of Development Studies at the University of Melbourne.