Author: John Barbaro

Welcome our new Reader Brendan Johnson

Lennon’s List welcomes our new reader Brendan Johnson on the 8 May 2020.

Brendan accepts briefs in a broad range of areas, including:

• TAC
• WorkCover
• Public Liability
• Medical Negligence
• Dust Diseases
• Employment and Industrial
• Criminal law
• Administrative Law & Judicial Review
• Coronial Inquests

Before signing the Bar Roll, Brendan worked as a solicitor for over a decade, specialising in the area of personal injuries.  He practised in the Supreme, County and Magistrates’ Courts.

Brendan became an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law in 2017 and has extensive experience managing both common law and statutory benefits claims.

Brendan was admitted to practice in April 2013, having completed his traineeship at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.  Most recently, Brendan led the Workcover Team at the Maurice Blackburn Sunshine office, and obtained successful outcomes for hundreds of plaintiffs in statutory benefits, and common law claims including many litigated matters.

Prior to his admission to practice, Brendan worked as a Federal Industrial Officer for the Transport Workers’ of Australia appearing regularly in the Fair Work Commission in conciliations and arbitrations in industrial disputes, unfair dismissals and full bench appeals. Brendan also authored a chapter in an edited book: Johnson, B., ‘Developing Legislative Protection for Owner Drivers in Australia: The Long Road to Regulatory Best Practice’ in Fudge, J., McCrystal, S. and Sankaran, K (eds.) Challenging the Legal Boundaries of Work Regulation, Onati International Series in Law and Society (2012).

Brendan is reading with Maria Pilipasidis and his senior mentor is Paul O’Dwyer SC.

Magistrates Court Appointment – Justin Foster (11/02/2020)

Lennon’s List congratulates Justin Foster on his appointment as a Magistrate.

Magistrates Court Appointment – Michael Richards (11/02/2020)

Lennon’s List congratulates Michael Richards on his appointment as a Magistrate.

Doyle’s Guide 2020

Congratulations to Bruce Geddes QC for featuring in the following categories in the Doyle’s Guide 2020:

Leading Family Law Senior Counsel – Victoria 2020

– Leading Counsel

Leading Parenting & Children’s Matters Barristers – Victoria 2020

– Recommended Counsel

Leading Family Mediators – Victoria 2020

– Recommended Mediator

Welcome our new Reader Sonari Fernando

Lennon’s List welcomes our new reader Sonari Fernando on the 25 October 2019.

Sonari accepts briefs in common law, occupational health & safety, criminal and quasi criminal matters.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Sonari was Associate to his Honour Judge Jordan at the County Court of Victoria.  There she assisted his Honour with a broad range of personal injury matters including; common law damages trials, serious injury applications and a variety of interlocutory hearings.  In addition, she also gained experience in criminal trials, pleas and appeals.

Sonari is reading with Angus Macnab and her Senior Mentor is Róisín Annesley QC.

Welcome our new Reader Kathy Karadimas

Lennon’s List welcomes our new reader Kathy Karadimas on the 25 October 2019.

Kathy accepts briefs in personal injury, common law, defamation, commercial and intellectual property.

Before coming to the bar, Kathy was a partner in a boutique law firm.  She practised exclusively in personal injury and civil litigation. She has extensive experience across all Victorian courts and tribunals in workers compensation, transport accident and occupier’s liability claims.

Kathy was listed in the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Doyles Guide as leading and recommended lawyer in Victoria and Australia across the areas of TAC, WorkCover and Public Liability claims.

Prior to practising in personal injury, Kathy worked for national and multinational corporates, Coles Group Ltd and at Colgate-Palmolive (UK) respectively. Her commercial experience includes advising on copyright and trade mark infringements, retail leases, supplier contracts, business and asset sale agreements, competition and promotion terms and conditions and liquor licensing compliance.

Kathy holds a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and Bachelor of Business degree (Music Industry). She has a keen interest in media and entertainment and intellectual property law. She worked at Sony Music whilst undertaking her degrees.

She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, Australian Lawyers Alliance and Hellenic Australian Lawyers and is fluent in Greek.

Kathy is reading with Fiona Ryan. Her senior mentor is Tim Tobin SC.

Welcome our new Reader Geoff Smith

Lennon’s List welcomes our new reader Geoff Smith on the 25 October 2019.

With a decade’s worth of experience in personal injury law, Geoff has practiced extensively in statutory benefits and common law claims, specialising in workers’ compensation.

He also appears in motor vehicle accident and public liability matters, and has experience in the Supreme, County and Magistrates’ Courts.

Geoff commenced his career at Slater & Gordon in 2008, before joining Zaparas Lawyers as a Senior Associate in 2015.

In 2013, he acted as a solicitor in the Court of Appeal case of Victorian WorkCover Authority v Elsdon (2013) 42 VR 434, which addressed the assessment of spinal fractures under the AMA Guides, and in 2015, he was accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as being a Specialist in Personal Injury Law.

Geoff is currently reading with James Fitzpatrick and his senior mentor is David Purcell SC.

New Silk Appointment Garry Livermore 23/10/19

Lennon’s List congratulates Garry Livermore on his appointment as Senior Counsel.