Nominees for the 2026 Law Society Council election have been announced, and voting opens tomorrow.
Each of the seven candidates for Ordinary Member offers a distinctive perspective and passion for strengthening the legal profession in Western Australia. Discover more about their backgrounds, priorities and vision for the Law Society Council.
Four members are to be elected for a two-year term and one member is to be elected for a one-year term.
On 22 October 2025, all Law Society members will receive an email from CorpVote, which will enable you to vote.
Meet the candidates below.
Marianne Rose
Over the past 20 years, I have served as both a Fractional General Counsel and Senior Inhouse Counsel across Australia, with the last decade based in Perth.
My career has been shaped at the intersection of commercial strategy and legal advice, and now I’m seeking to join the Law Society Council to ensure that the voices of inhouse and fractional counsel – who are often underrepresented despite being key clients of the bar and law firms – receive greater recognition within our profession.
I offer a values-driven perspective informed by deep experience within the business community, and I am particularly focused on equitable briefing practices, the integration of AI, and enhancing billable accountability. I am committed to engaging meaningfully with the full spectrum of legal professionals and to advancing a more inclusive and responsive legal community.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
Which famous leader – past or present – would you most like sitting next to you at dinner, and why?
Elizabeth Broderick. Her leadership on gender equity, workplace culture, and institutional reform in Australia has been transformative – particularly because she achieves change by building coalitions and using evidence, not just advocacy. The legal profession grapples with many issues she’s addressed: diversity, retention, wellbeing, and cultural accountability. At a dinner party it would be great to learn from her experience driving systemic change in traditional institutions and how she maintains momentum when progress feels slow. Her work provides a practical blueprint for how the legal profession can address reforms.
What’s one small change that could make a big difference to the profession?
Elevating ‘trusted advisor’ skills to the same status as technical legal expertise. Clients don’t just need lawyers who know the law – they need strategic partners who understand their business or personal situation, anticipate implications, and communicate advice in ways that drive confident decision-making. A small structural change would be embedding these competencies into our professional development and recognition systems. By teaching lawyers to step into the strategic space – thinking commercially, building relationships, and focusing on outcomes rather than just legal risk – we’d increase our profession’s relevance and value while creating more rewarding career paths. It’s about expanding our definition of what excellent lawyering looks like.
What song would be your walk-on music for a Council meeting?
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams. It’s about positivity and forward momentum. Council work should be purposeful but not grim – this signals optimism about what we can achieve together as a legal profession.
Michael Stork
I am seeking re-election as an ordinary member of the Council.
As the first lawyer in my family, I am grateful for the experiences and privileges that the legal profession has provided me.
My time on the Council has been a professional highlight, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to connect with new people (not just the lawyers) in the WA legal community.
Over my 20-year career I have worked in firms of all shapes and sizes – including stints at big firms and as a sole practitioner.
I understand the pressures and challenges faced by lawyers in the modern legal environment.
The many different roles that I’ve had over the years have led to me now being a principal of my own boutique commercial law firm, Stork Davies Legal Advisors.
I seek re-election so that I can continue to share my knowledge and experience with the Council for the benefit of the profession as a whole, but particularly from the perspective of those in private law firms.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about practising law (or life)?
My Dad told me twenty years ago to find a hobby. It was great advice. I should have taken it. It’s not too late.
What song would be your walk-on music for a Council meeting?
“Don’t You Know Who I Am” by Happyland.
What’s one small change that could make a big difference to the profession?
More positive messaging about legal practitioners, and the legal profession, generally. I feel the commentary can be a bit too negative at times.
Prof. Brett Davies
Why I serve: A commitment forged by experience My commitment to justice began at home. My father, a butcher, never spoke of the war or the bombing of his family’s London home.
My mother, the Dux at her Fremantle school, was forced to resign from her career for the simple act of marrying. Their fight for a fair go is why I fight for others. It’s the reason I became a lawyer and why, after 35 years, I remain deeply committed to our wonderful profession.
A strong society in action
This personal drive is why I believe so strongly in our Law Society. For me, giving back is not a belief; it’s a practice. I have served on eleven Law Society committees, including the Ethics committee, and on the UWA Senate. I donate my time teaching the next generation as an Adjunct Professor at UWA and Adjunct Reader at Curtin.
As a volunteer, I lead the team at the Institute of Legal Studies (IOLT). As volunteers, we provide Australia’s most affordable PLT course. We provide dedicated support to Western Australian regional graduates and sole practitioners, who form the backbone of our profession.
My pledge: A pragmatic voice for members
If elected, I will bring this same pragmatic commitment to the Council. I will be a dedicated voice working to support our members’ well-being, protect our integrity, and build on the success of what I believe is Australia’s best-run Law Society. It would be an honour to serve.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
My drive: Building practical support for the profession
As a butcher’s son with no legal mentors, I know how hard it is to find your footing in this profession, and that experience fuels my commitment to building practical solutions for others.
It’s why I donate my time to lead the volunteer team at the Institute of Legal Training (iolt.com.au). We provide Practical Legal Training (PLT), the mandatory six-month course for law graduates to be admitted to practice. We saw that regional and country practitioners were struggling to attract and train new lawyers, so we built Australia’s lowest-cost PLT course. It’s 100 per cent online, students can start anytime, and the entire course can be done after hours. This frees graduates to focus fully on their work, making them productive members of their firms from day one. I’m heartened that country practitioners and sole practitioners are now offering to take on and even billet our students; it shows what we can achieve when we focus on practical solutions.
My foundation: A fight for a fair go
The best advice I ever received wasn’t spoken; it was lived by my parents. My mother, Dux of her school, was forced from her career for the simple act of marrying. At her job as a senior secretary at Royal Perth Hospital, she was paid less than the 18-year-old office boy. My father, a butcher, quietly rebuilt his life after his family home in London was bombed in the war. They never spoke of victimhood; they spoke of work and integrity.
Their lesson wasn’t in words, but in action: you face injustice not with grand speeches, but with relentless, practical effort. That quiet determination is why I fight for others and have served on eleven Law Society committees, and currently the Ethics Committee. For me, integrity isn’t an abstract ideal; it’s the bedrock of our profession, and I will work tirelessly on Council to protect it.
A pragmatic plan to empower regional members
I want to build on the strong advocacy of President Gary Mack and the Council by establishing a “Regional Court Watch” program. We know our regional court facilities are not fit for purpose—this directly impacts our members’ ability to serve their communities and hinders access to justice. This program would empower our regional members to act as the Law Society’s eyes and ears, formally reporting on issues like inadequate facilities, technology failures, and unacceptable delays. This collated data provides the hard evidence Council needs to advocate more forcefully to the government for specific, targeted upgrades. It’s a practical change that supports the Council’s current agenda, empowers our regional members, and works towards ensuring a “fair go” for everyone in the justice system, regardless of their postcode.
Michelle Sims
As a Wajarri woman, Youth Rights Lawyer at Legal Aid WA, and former Coordinator of First Nations Services, I bring a perspective that bridges the legal profession and the communities it serves.
I am nominating for the Law Society Council to ensure that decision-making reflects the diversity of our membership and responds meaningfully to the needs of all Western Australians.
My professional journey combines frontline advocacy with strategic leadership. In my current role, I represent young people navigating the justice system, often in challenging and sensitive circumstances. Previously, as Coordinator of First Nations Services, I led statewide policy, cultural capability initiatives, and service delivery reforms to improve access to justice for Aboriginal clients. These experiences have required not only technical skill but also cultural insight, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate across government, courts, and community sectors.
Beyond practice, I contribute to governance as a board member of Law Access and Kinship Connections. These roles strengthen my skills in financial oversight, risk management, and organisational accountability skills I will bring to the Council to support sound, transparent, and forward-looking decision-making.
What distinguishes me as a candidate is my ability to bring lived experience together with governance expertise. I understand how legal policy and professional regulation impact people at the margins, and I am committed to ensuring that the Society remains both relevant to its members and trusted by the wider community.
If elected, I will bring to Council a constructive, collaborative, and future-focused voice. My priorities are strengthening governance, promoting cultural inclusion, and supporting members across all practice areas. I will work to ensure the Law Society leads with professionalism and integrity while championing access to justice and public confidence in the profession.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
What is your professional superpower – and how does it help you and others?
My professional superpower is connecting with my clients and meeting them exactly where they are at, so they feel seen, heard, and validated. I find this skill especially important when I am working with young people in the civil justice space as often the issue, they have come to me about is not the only problem they are facing. By building a rapport with them it provides space to unpack bigger problems relating to their rights which they may not have been aware have legal remedies.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about practising law (or life)?
To think things through and look at them deeply from the ‘balcony’ rather than while you are in the middle of something making sure you have a considered perspective. This applies to both scenarios.
What song would be your walk-on music for a Council meeting?
Gosh, that feels like such a loaded question which could lead to much judgement (or favour) given my eclectic tastes. Something upbeat which would encourage positive vibes like Crocodile Rock by Elton John would be my choice.
Anthony Dique
I have been a solicitor for over nine years and have worked for both boutique and top tier firms as well as the pro bono sector.
I am currently a senior lawyer at Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre, assisting vulnerable women who are experiencing family and domestic violence with family law and restraining orders.
I have been an active member of the Law Society for many years. I recently served a four year term on the Young Lawyers Committee and acted as the communications sub committee leader. I was responsible for increasing the YLC’s footprint in Brief, including providing important advice to junior lawyers as Aunt Prudence Juris. I am proud of the work we did on the YLC, in particular our strong advocacy for better working conditions for the junior members of our profession.
I remain passionate about using my time, skills and experience to give back to our community. If elected to Council I will continue to be an advocate for junior lawyers and will also be an advocate for the community legal sector.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
What is your professional superpower – and how does it help you and others?
Patience.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about practising law (or life)?
We are not magicians.
What song would be your walk-on music for a Council meeting?
Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter.
Stefania McGrath
I’m a 48-year-old West Australian. My first vocation was in nursing, driven by a desire to care for others and give back to the community.
Over time, I realised that while I could help from a physical perspective, I wanted to help from a legal perspective.
I’ve now been a legal practitioner for 19 years. I’m married, raising children, and still deeply committed to the values that brought me into both nursing and law: compassion, clarity, and service.
Why you’d like to serve on the Law Society Council
I want members of the Law Society to feel genuinely supported, to grow professionally, and to be part of a strong, connected community of practitioners. Having worked across corporate firms, led and supervised a union law practice, and now operating as a sole practitioner, I bring a broad understanding of the realities lawyers face at every stage and setting.
I know the toll of long hours, high workloads, and the quiet weight of vicarious trauma. I’ve seen how limited support can leave practitioners feeling isolated and overwhelmed. That’s why I’m committed to helping shift the culture – toward healthier expectations, more accessible support, and a profession that takes care of its own.
Perspective or experience that you’ll bring to the table
My approach is practical and grounded. I understand the pressures practitioners face and the importance of returning to the fundamentals: ethical practice, clear communication, and genuine support. I want to ensure our profession remains accessible, sustainable, personable and supported.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
What is your professional superpower – and how does it help you and others?
I wield an invisible shield that flares up during BS-heavy conversations. It’s part of my superhero starter pack. It helps me and others look at evidence objectively.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about practising law (or life)?
Don’t hit send just yet. You’re most likely to notice a mistake the moment after it’s gone. Build in a pause – your future self will thank you.
What’s one small change that could make a big difference to the profession?
Taking 10 minutes at 10am to stretch, walk, talk, engage with others.
Michael Olds
I am a lawyer at the State Solicitor’s Office, having commenced as a law graduate in 2019.
By serving on the Council, I will advocate for my peers and assist in ensuring the voice of the profession is heard.
Serving on the Council will allow me to continue developing my leadership skills.
As a government lawyer with a strong sense of justice, I have experience in evaluating and developing law and policy and advancing the interests of stakeholders which I will draw upon when considering law and policy changes to advance the interests of the Law Society’s members.
Above all, I would love the opportunity to give back to the profession to which I owe much by serving on the Council.
The Law Society invited nominees to provide some quick responses to three questions and these responses are outlined below.
What is your professional superpower – and how does it help you and others?
Being able to recall all manner of cases which stand as authority for esoteric propositions. It has been great for law-themed quizzes and helping colleagues trawl through LexisNexis.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about practising law (or life)?
Never underestimate the power of being prepared and being courteous. You won’t regret where you get to.
What song would be your walk-on music for a Council meeting?
Problematic lyrics notwithstanding – I could rap Holidae Inn from Chingy on the walk-on (the clean version of course).
Voting for vacant Law Society Council positions open on Wednesday, 22 October. All members will receive an email from election facilitator CorpVote, which will feature candidate information and a process by which to vote.
