Partner

Luke Geary

Luke regularly acts for ASX200 listed companies, impact financiers, non-profits and religious institutions nationally. Luke also acts for individuals in high profile, social justice issues cases.

Luke has particular expertise assisting institutions in responding to claims of child sexual abuse under a restorative justice framework and in accordance with best practice principles identified by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. In other instances, Luke acts on behalf of survivors in certain cases against government agencies and other institutions.

Additionally, Luke has been recognised as one of Australia’s leading lawyers representing victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation. Luke is a recognised expert in modern slavery law and assists large organisations in their compliance with this new regulatory regime.

Luke is often called upon by NFPs / charities at times of crisis to assist them to manage governance, operational and reputational issues which have arisen and which are critical to their survival, typically in Royal Commissions, Coronial Inquests and other major public Inquiries.

Luke is the founder and former managing partner of the unique social enterprise law firms ‘Salvos Legal’ and ‘Salvos Legal Humanitarian’, which are wholly owned by The Salvation Army.

Expertise

Luke’s expertise includes:

  • Delicate and compassionate dispute resolution expertise
  • Strong board-engagement skills
  • Extensive sector-wide relationships and understanding of the regulatory environment
  • Intimate involvement in major public social policy areas (refugees, education, youth, health, corrections, addiction, welfare and aged care), acting for government in some instances and others acting for agencies in partnership with government
  • Careful strategic approach to complex legal, stakeholder and reputational issues

Recent Projects

  • Lead legal adviser to The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern and Southern Territories on their historic merger and consolidation into a single national organisation; daily advice on operational issues arising from providing large scale charitable activities.
  • Lead legal adviser to The Salvation Army for its humanitarian work on Nauru & Manus Island.
  • Advising and assisted a major Australian  aged care provider on all aspects of its successful completion of its $5m acquisition of a UK based Dementia care organisation.
  • Lead legal adviser to the Uniting Church in designing and implementing a redress scheme under a restorative justice framework, and advising the Church and its schools on matters of appropriate redress and common law claims.
  • Lead legal adviser to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in designing and implementing a redress scheme under a restorative justice framework, and advising the Church and its schools on matters of appropriate redress and common law claims.
  • Advising numerous major global corporations on their preparations for compliance with Australian modern slavery laws.

Professional Memberships / Accreditation & Activities

  • Recognised Lawyer, Non-Profit/Charities Law, The Best Lawyers Australia 
  • Ranked Lawyer, (Band 2) Charities, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Board appointments (Chair – Everyday Justice; and Management Committee member, Domus 8.7)
  • Lawyer of the Year, Non-Profit/Charities Law, Best Lawyers in Australia
  • Named as one of the 10 Most Innovative Lawyers in the Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers showcase
  • Named in Pro Bono Australia’s ‘Impact 25’ list of the most influential people in the Australian social sector
  • Managing Partner of the Year, Australian Law Awards 2013
  • Anzac of the Year Award for service to the legal profession and the community, 2010
  • Inaugural member of the Advisory Panel to the NSW Anti-slavery  Commissioner, 2023-2024

 

location

Brisbane

Thinking

NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
The new world of child abuse claims: the High...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Permanent stay applications considered by the...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Case Note: Clancy v Plaintiffs A, B, C and D;...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Case Note: RC v The Salvation Army (Western...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Modern Slavery Amendment Bill 2021 (NSW) ...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Case Note: Grant v Bird [2021] VSC 380 ...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Case Note: Villan v State of Victoria [2021]...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Changes to Anti-Money Laundering and...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Modern Slavery Legislation: Compliance,...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Mills Oakley provides new free legal service...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Recent Amendments to Associations...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
New “Director Identification Numbers” for...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
New Sanctions for National Redress Scheme...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
The evolution of Vicarious Liability for...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
The Ties That Bind Parent and Subsidiary...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Case Note: Equity Trustees Ltd (As Sole...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Third Dimension – Issue 25, Winter...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
The role of the Australian Competition and...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
New Charitable Fundraising Guidelines in New...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Know thy rules: The importance of governing...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Third Dimension – Issue 24, Summer...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Update on Disability Royal Commission ...
MO
MO
Commercial Disputes
“Neglect” – Royal...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Update on Disability Royal Commission ...
MO
Insurance
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse,...
MO
Commercial Disputes
Voller Prompts High Alert for Defamatory...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Third Dimension: Royal Commission into...
MO
MO
Commercial Disputes
Aged Care Royal Commission – Themes...
Insurance
Aged Care and Disability Royal Commissions...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Third Dimension: Issue 22, Summer 2019 ...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Third Dimension: Royal Commission into Aged...
MO
Insurance
Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
Australia becomes one of the first nations to...
NFPs, Human Rights & Social Impact
National Redress Scheme for Institutional...

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Sonya Parsons

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