Top 10 young Riverina lawyers changing the game | List
From former high powered executives to homegrown heroes, these are some of the top young Riverina lawyers making waves in the legal industry in country NSW.
The Wagga News
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The future of the Riverina’s law industry has never been brighter with dozens of solicitors changing the game through their legal prowess and never say die attitude.
From Wagga to Griffith and Tumut to Cootamundra, these are 10 of the top young gun lawyers making waves in the Riverina’s legal industry.
Alison Ross – Cater and Blumer, Griffith
Cater and Blumer’s Alison Ross made the change to the Riverina due to the bustling and thriving activity in the southern NSW region, after working with the federal government.
After she joined the firm in April 2022 with a Bachelor of Laws, Ms Ross began to practice in a variety of matters from wills and conveyancing to complex commercial and property disputes in the District Court and the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Taryn Gollasch – Regional Business Lawyers, Wagga
Regional Business Lawyers’ Taryn Gollasch joined the Wagga firm in 2022 and brings a global experience to the team.
Ms Gollasch worked in Tokyo and Singapore in various commercial law and in house roles which related to the global energy industry.
The world star returned to Australia with serious legal credentials and fluency in Japanese and worked in mergers and acquisitions at a firm formerly known as Mallesons Stephen Jaques.
Ms Gollasch moved to Wagga in 2019 to raise her family and has a keen interest in wills and estates, complimenting the firm's reputation for succession planning.
Dominic Smith – Walsh and Blair Lawyers, Wagga
A keen interest in the law and helping others drew Walsh and Blair Lawyers’ solicitor Dominic Smith into the legal industry.
He completed a law degree at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney and forayed into criminal law until 2021, when he was offered a role at Walsh and Blair in Wagga.
Mr Smith works in a mixed practice of litigation, employment and criminal law.
The Wagga lawyer has grown to love the country life after moving from Sydney and has started a family in the Riverina.
Kate Opolski – Commins Hendriks, Wagga
Litigation young gun Kate Opolski has been a pivotal member of Commins Hendriks firm in Wagga since she joined in October 2022.
After her admission in March she went from strength to strength through her level of enthusiasm and dedication to her clients.
Her years of Magistrates Court experience helps her confidently appear in the Local Court while engaging in successful negotiations with NSW police, resulting in reduced and appropriate charges for clients while making submissions before Local Court magistrates.
Lily O’Keefe – Cater and Blumer, Griffith
Cater and Blumer’s Lily O’Keefe embraces the country life for her firm, traversing the Riverina to assist her clients in several areas of the law.
Ms O’Keefe, who holds a Bachelor of Laws with honours, has also acted for plaintiffs in estate litigation in Supreme Courts in NSW and Victoria.
She travels to Coleambally every second and fourth Thursday each month where she provides a broad range of support to individuals and businesses in rural community.
In her role she has begun to notice an emerging trend of land being used within the Riverina for renewable energy sources and provides support to those navigating this field.
Tina Cooper – Regional Business Lawyers, Wagga
A high powered career in marketing has helped Regional Business Lawyers’ Tina Cooper immensely during her time with the Wagga firm in the past 12 months.
Ms Cooper was employed remotely for a Canberra commercial law firm in 2019 where she worked largely in employment and not for profits.
Prior to her legal career she pursued a busy career as a marketing executive for ASX listed companies, Westfield and GPT group for seven years.
Ms Cooper credits this experience in helping her develop strong business acumen and ethics while having a passion for employment law and helps her firm steadily grow.
Rebecca Hartshorne – Commins Hendriks, Tumut
Commins Hendriks lawyer Rebecca Hartshorne first began with the premier firm in 2023 after cutting her teeth in the legal industry in 2019.
Ms Hartshorne enjoys working various legal matters in a fast paced atmosphere in the firm’s Tumut office, with her recent presentation on Estate Planning in Tumut being received well by locals.
Ms Hartshorne was also recently published in the current edition of Australian Property Law Journal.
She has also moved to the Riverina after purchasing a property in Adelong at the start of the pandemic.
Grace Blumer – Cater and Blumer, Griffith
Griffith trailblazer Grace Blumer recently moved back to her hometown and joined with Cater and Blumer after living in Canberra.
Ms Blumer works as a full time clerk while completing her Bachelor of Laws degree and practical legal training with the College of Law.
She was admitted as a solicitor in the ACT in December 2020.
Ms Blumer predominantly works in family law alongside wills and estates along with property law.
The young gun regularly travels to Hillston fortnightly to provide the community with in person advice.
Libby Combes – JMA Legal, Cootamundra
JMA Legal’s junior lawyer Libby Combes has hit the ground running in her time at the Cootamundra office since being admitted to the NSW Supreme Court in 2021.
Ms Combes has gained a reputation in the Riverina while often assisting JMA Legal’s other offices in Gundagai, Junee, Tumut and Sydney.
She practices law in multiple areas including succession law, land acquisition, wills and estate planning and more.
One of her recent notable wins involved working closely with a senior barrister on a successful appeal to the Commissioner of State Revenue for a payroll tax matter.
Samantha Redden - GP Evans & Englert, West Wyalong
Riverina local Samantha Redden has been practising law in the region since her admission in 2014.
Ms Redden has risen through the ranks and will be named partner at the West Wyalong firm GP Evans and Englert from July 1, to join her father and veteran lawyer Patrick O’Kane.
This will make Ms Redden the first female solicitor to enter into a partnership of a law firm in West Wyalong, where she will uphold the reputation of the 129-year-old firm.
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