Joanne specialises in the Charities & Not-for-Profit (C&NFP), Property, Commercial and Education sectors, working with an array of organisations and private clients operating in these areas holistically to navigate their commercial, property, regulatory and compliance requirements and their general legal needs..
Joanne has extensive experience acting for and advising:
- Catholic Church entities including the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Dioceses throughout NSW and Australia (including each of their systems of schools, parishes, social welfare agencies and development funds) and including in respect of both civil and canonical requirements.
- Other Catholic religious orders and congregations.
- Anglican entities and entities of other religious denominations.
- Education organisations across the entire education life-cycle – from early learning all the way through to tertiary education and training.
- Aged care facilities and hospitals.
- An array of charities and not-for-profits, including overseas aid funds, incorporated and unincorporated associations.
- An array of private and commercial for-profit organisations, servicing their wide range of legal needs.
Joanne invests in developing a thorough understanding of each client’s organisation, mission, values, and ethos, ensuring she delivers value and consistently advances their objectives in all aspects of her work.
Joanne’s experience includes working as a Partner in private practice over a long period and also working in-houseas General Counsel of her long-term client, Sydney Catholic Schools, which is comprised of 147 schools, 75,000 students and 11,000 staff. Joanne’s mix of private practice and in-house experience ensures that she has a unique understanding of her clients’ challenges and pain points, and is well-placed to provide appropriate, accurate and efficient advice.
Joanne joined Keypoint Law in 2025 and is based in Sydney.
Expertise
- Charities and NFPs: From creation to cessation and everything in between, including establishing and incorporating charities and NFPs and systems of schools and advising in respect of corporate governance, regulatory and other requirements in an ever-changing regulatory environment.
- Property and Commercial: Acting in a vast array of property and commercial transactions including purchase and sale of commercial and residential property (freehold and leasehold), property subdivision, property development, construction, environment and planning, leasing and due diligence for all such transactions; acting in a range of commercial legal work including the buying and selling of businesses.
- Intellectual Property
- Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity
- Education Law: Including related family law and child protection issues.
Although Joanne focuses on the above areas of law, she also has experience in:
- Employment
- Discrimination and Disability
- Work Health and Safety
- Insurance and Personal Injury
- General Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Recognition
- LLB B.Bus, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Management)
- Member on the Finance Council of Bishop Anthony Randazzo, Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, in an advisory capacity on matters of strategic importance
- Member of the Property Committee of the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta, in an advisory capacity on matters of strategic importance
- Member of the St Peter and St Paul Fund, Chatswood Parish, advising the Vicar General on matters of strategic importance
- Member of The University of Notre Dame Australia Law School Mentoring Program
- Member of the Canterbury Schools High School Mentoring Program, supporting and advising students on completion of their high school and tertiary experience
Career
| 2025 | Keypoint Law | Consulting Principal |
| 2024 – 2025 | Holman Webb Lawyers | Partner |
| 2023 – 2024 | Sydney Catholic Schools | General Counsel |
| 2010 – 2023 | Makinson d’Apice Lawyers | Partner (final role) |