The Honourable Barry O’Keefe AM, QC (Chair, Law Advisory Board) The Hon. Barry O’Keefe graduated with Honours in Law from the University of Sydney. He was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1957 and appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1974. He was appointed Chief Judge of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of NSW in 1993. Mr O’Keefe was President of the National Trust from 1991 until 2006 and Chairman of Interpol’s International Group of Experts on Corruption from 2000. He was the ICAC Commissioner from 1994 until 1999, President of the NSW Bar Association in 1990 and 1991 and Mosman's longest serving Mayor. Mr O’Keefe retired from the Supreme Court in March 2004 and joined Clayton Utz as a Consultant, where he specialises in commercial, construction and probity matters. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989, a Freeman of the City of London in 1991 and awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001.
Mr Greg Smith SC
Greg Smith has been the Member for Epping in the NSW Parliament since March 2007. He is the Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Justice, Shadow Minister for Juvenile Justice. He was formerly the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) since 2002. He appeared regularly in the High Court of Australia. His career in the criminal justice system started with the Commonwealth Crown in Sydney, which was followed by a secondment to the Stewart Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking. Later the Commonwealth DPP sent him to Ireland with the extradition request for mafia leader Robert Trimbole. Mr Smith worked for 2 years at the National Crime Authority before his appointment as a NSW Crown Prosecutor in 1987. Since then, he has prosecuted many major trials, and also completed a stint at ICAC as Counsel Assisting.
The Honourable John Dunford, QC
The Honourable John Dunford QC completed his law degree at the University of Sydney in 1959 and practised as a barrister in NSW and the ACT from 1960 to 1986. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1980, and was a Judge of the District Court of NSW from 1986 to 1992, and of the Supreme Court from 1993 until his retirement in early 2005. He was President of the St Thomas More Society for Catholic Lawyers from 1990 to 1992. He is currently Deputy Chairperson of the New South Wales Sentencing Council and is currently (2007) an Acting Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia.
He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Notre Dame Australia.
Mr Robert Balzola
Robert Balzola is a solicitor, admitted since 1995 in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Robert was a sessional lecturer at The University of Notre Dame Australia in 2007 in Property Law and Criminal Law. In 2008, Robert was enrolled in the High Court of Australia, practising in Immigration and Administrative Law in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Magistrates Court and Federal Court of Australia. Robert is a Specialist Legal Reserve Officer with the rank of Flight Lieutenant with 22 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force and is decorated with the Australian Defence Medal. Robert holds six academic testamurs including Masters degrees in Law and Theology. Robert is currently completing his Doctorate of Philosophy in the making of Australian Natural Laws.
The Hon Justice Margaret Beazley AO Margaret Beazley attended the Sydney Law School graduating with Honours in Law in 1974 and was admitted to the New South Wales Bar on 14 March 1975. She was appointed a Queens Counsel in 1989. In 1993, her Honour was appointed as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. In 1996 she was the first woman appointed to the New South Wales Court of Appeal, where she currently sits and is one of the most senior women judges in Australia. She is Chairperson of the NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Administrative Law. Her Honour was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in the Queens’ Birthday Honours List on 12 June 2006 for service to the judiciary and the law, particularly through contributions to professional and ethical standards and to the advancement of women in the legal profession and the community. In May 2008, her Honour was awarded Doctor of Laws honoris causa (Hon LLD) by the University of Sydney.
Mr Andrew O’Connor
Andrew O'Connor studied law and philosophy at Sydney University. His career has been spent in the public sector at both Commonwealth and State levels. He specialised in law enforcement, intelligence analysis and policy development at agencies including the Trade Practices Commission, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the NSW Ministry for Police. He is currently a Policy Manager in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. His portfolio responsibilities include: major and organised crime, fraud, identity crime, drug and alcohol policy, indigenous justice, mental health and traffic law. Mr O'Connor is a member of various national and state working groups on such issues as organised crime and criminal asset forfeiture
