Our People
At Meerkin & Apel we have a strong team committed to the work we do. Our dynamic team combines the strengths of our younger lawyers with many years experience of our longer serving lawyers supported by a dedicated and efficient administrative personnel.
Isaac ApelPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email ia@meerkinapel.com.au |
Isaac’s practice focus is litigation and commercial law
for both corporate and private clients. Isaac is a skilled advisor
and negotiator in the commercial field and a tough adversary in
Litigation. He also specialises in entertainment and
intellectual property. Isaac Apel is the Managing Partner of the Firm and is responsible for the strategic direction and management of the Firm both as to the quality and type of legal work performed, as well as the human and capital resources. Isaac graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Laws. |
Michael CzarnyPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email mc@meerkinapel.com.au |
Michael practises in Banking & Finance specialising
in both residential and commercial property mortgage transactions
as well as a variety of non-real estate secured
transactions. Michael assists his private lender clients in negotiating, due diligence, documenting and completion of transactions. Michael was admitted to practice 1977. |
Rodney SawPartner LLB, B.Com (Melbourne) ContactT 95100 366 Email rks@meerkinapel.com.au |
Rodney has been a partner in the Commercial and Property law section of the practice since 1986. He draws on over 30 years' experience to provide personal and practical advice and assistance to private and corporate clients in a broad range of commercial and property related transactions. Rodney has advised clients in a wide range of commercial matters including:
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Gary KatzPartner (BA.LLB) ContactT 95100 366 Email gk@meerkinapel.com.au |
Gary heads up the Firm’s Employment Law and Workplace/Industrial Relations Department and has extensive experience in all aspects of these areas including:- ·Employment Contracts; |
Marvin WeinbergPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email mw@meerkinapel.com.au |
Marvin is a Partner in the Commercial and Property Departments of the Firm. He has extensive experience in dealing with Testator's Family Maintenance Claims, challenges to Wills and other estate related matters. Marvin also practises in the areas of sports law and acts for a number of high profile sportsmen and women. Marvin is a practitioner with over 30 years experience and has been involved in many large and complex transactions on behalf of his clients. Marvin graduated from Monash University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Bachelor of Economics degree. |
Emanuel TuminoPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email et@meerkinapel.com.au |
Emanuel was admitted to practice in 1981 and is a Litigation Partner of the Firm. His areas of focus are general and commercial litigation, building disputes and mediation in all courts from the Magistrates Court to complex Supreme Court cases. Emanuel also conducts matters in the building and the retail tenancy lists in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and has extensive experience in contract disputes, Trade Practices Act and Fair Trading Act issues, professional negligence matters, estate disputes and corporate debt recovery. Emanuel is fluent in Italian and his many years in practice bring a wealth of experience, broad knowledge and incisive and effective negotiating skills to his client's matters. Emanuel is a member of the Rotary Club of Footscray and is a committee member of the Rotary District 9800 Youth Exchange Committee. |
Felicity Cara-CarsonPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email fcc@meerkinapel.com.au |
Felicity Cara-Carson is a Partner of Meerkin & Apel in the commercial department. She has experience in and provides advice on commercial matters inlcuding commercial transactions such as sale of businesses, intellectual property, entertainment law, wills and estate planning, and the drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements. She has been involved in substantial and complex commercial transactions for various clients including in the wholesaling and retailing sector, the hospitality sector and the fashion industry. Felicity is also a registered trade marks attorney and has experience in trade mark related matters including but not limited to the registration of trade mark applications in Australia and internationally. She graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Asian Studies), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree and a Master of Laws degree. |
Hugh MaclarenPartner ContactT 95100 366 Email hm@meerkinapel.com.au |
Hugh is a Partner in our litigation department, focusing on commercial litigation. He was admitted to practice in 1995 and has a wide range of experience in general commercial litigation, corporate and securities litigation including director’s duties and partnership disputes. Hugh is an accredited commercial litigation specialist. Hugh acts for a range of clients from individuals through to major corporations advising and where appropriate, litigating. Whether enforcing a matter through to judgment, or resolving disputes on commercial terms, his particular emphasis is on finding practical and commercial solutions. Hugh also has an insolvency practice and advises creditors, directors and insolvency practitioners in matters from bankruptcies through to liquidations of corporate groups. |
Darren SommersPartner Contact T 95100 366
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Darren, a Partner in the Commercial Section, specialises in providing commercial advice and specialist technology law advice to clients in the IT industry and other technology industries. In addition to his law degree, Darren has both an honours degree in Science and a Master of Information Technology. Darren has also previously worked as a software developer and business analyst for leading multi-national companies. His vocational experience in IT assists in providing his clients with practical and well targeted legal advice. Darren has previously worked as General Counsel for one of Australia’s largest online companies. Whilst focusing on technology companies, Darren also acts for clients in a range of industries and is well versed in corporate law and general commercial legal issues. Darren’s experience extends to the following areas of law:
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James PerglSenior Associate ContactT 95100 366 Email |
James Pergl is a senior associate with Meerkin & Apel and was admitted to practice in 1996. James practises in commercial litigation and family law and has experience in all jurisdictions with expertise in large commercial disputes, Trade Practices, disputes between directors and shareholders, building disputes and complex family law property matters. James graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons). He has practised both in London and Australia. |
Joanne RandelloSenior Associate ContactT 95100 366 Email |
Joanne Randello is a senior associate of Meerkin and Apel practising in Family Law disputes and litigation. Joanne has extensive experience in complex property disputes and children's matters. Joanne has particular expertise in agreements which protect assets prior to, and during, cohabitation or marriage. Joanne recognises the unique nature of family law disputes and provides her clients with commercially prudent legal advice delivered in an empathetic manner. Joanne leaves no stone unturned in achieving the best result for her clients. Joanne is an advocate of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, such as mediation and often uses ADR to commercially resolve a dispute. Joanne also lectures and conducts tutorial sessions in family law for tertiary students as part of the LLB degree. |
Jonathan KaplanConsultant ContactT 95100 366 Email jk@meerkinapel.com.au |
A consultant with the firm, Jonathan graduated from the University of Cape Town, South Africa in 1977 where he also completed a Masters Degree in Commercial Law. He has lived in Melbourne since 1989. After initially practising law in Melbourne for a number of years, Jonathan entered the hospitality industry and for more than a decade joint ventured several cafés and restaurants before returning to the profession where he now utilises the skills acquired to also service that industry. Being principally a commercial lawyer Jonathan is also involved in business to business transactions including:
Jonathan is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as an Accredited Specialist in Mediation. He is a panel mediator for VCAT, the Small Business Commissioner, the Office of the Franchising Mediation Adviser, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Australian Mediation Association, LEADR and the Horticultural Code of Conduct. Jonathan also mediates in private commercial matters and workplace disputes and co-presents a workshop in “Understanding and Managing Conflict in the Workplace” He sits on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (Litigation Lawyers Section) and the Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria and writes a monthly column on legal issues in the hospitality industry for “foodservice”, a popular national food industry publication. |
Fotini KypraiosSenior Associate Contact T 95100 366 |
Fotini is a Senior Associate with Meerkin & Apel practising in commercial law. Fotini’s career commenced in a boutique law firm as a commercial litigator before going on to manage Springvale Monash Legal Service, Australia’s largest client based community legal service. Fotini was also an Honorary Lecturer of the Monash University Faculty of Law and taught the Professional Practice subject to final year law students. Fotini lived and worked in Europe for a number of years a legal consultant in Financial Services at Deloitte in Duesseldorf in Germany prior to focusing her practice on commercial and corporate advisory legal work. Fotini’s extensive experience in litigation, management, commercial law and international financial services has enabled her to develop expertise in commercial and corporate issues in a diverse range of contexts. Fotini’s experience and business background enables her to give practical and commercial solutions to clients whilst providing exceptional client service. Fotini’s main areas of practice include:
Fotini completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees at Monash University in 1999 and was admitted to practice in 2000. Fotini completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance in 2011. Fotini is actively involved in the both the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the German Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and is a member of the Multicultural Ministerial Business Council. Fotini is an accredited Family Business Adviser and is fluent in Greek and German. |
Mari RossContactT 95100 366 Email |
Mari Ross is a solicitor with Meerkin & Apel. Mari practises in the commercial department with a particular focus on leasing and banking and finance. She acts for both landlords and tenants in all aspects of commercial and retail leasing, and is involved in a wide range of mortgage transactions. Mari also has experience in franchising, construction contracts and general commercial agreements. Mari qualified as a solicitor in London in 1994 and was admitted to practice in Victoria in 1998. She has practised in both jurisdictions. |
Caroline CallegariContactT 95100 366 Email cfc@meerkinapel.com.au |
Caroline Callegari was admitted to practice in April 2008 after completing her Articles with the Firm. She is currently specialising in Commercial Litigation, where she has been involved in a number of major commercial matters in various Courts including the Magistrates', County and Supreme Courts of Victoria, and the Supreme Court of New South Wales. She has provided legal, strategic and practical advice to clients in a range of disputes including contractual and partnership disputes. She also has extensive experience and knowledge of debt recovery procedures. In addition to practising in Commercial Litigation, Caroline has a variety of experience in the area of Employment Law and Industrial Relations including:
Caroline graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2007, with a combined Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree (with a major in Genetics). |
Allana BurroneContactT 95100 366 Email ab@meerkinapel.com.au |
Allana Burrone is lawyer at Meerkin & Apel and was admitted to practice in 2009 after graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Diploma in Languages (French). Allana practises in commercial litigation and has assisted in matters including contractual disputes, trade practices and corporate disputes. Allana also practises in the area of banking and finance, assisting in transactions including the preparation and advice of security documentation, commercial property mortgage transactions and non-real estate secured transactions. |
Amy MillarContactT 95100 366 Email |
Amy Millar is a lawyer at Meerkin & Apel and was admitted to practice in 2009 after graduating from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Business (Hons). Amy practises in our Employment department where she has developed experience and expertise in the interpretation of Awards and the drafting of employment contracts. She also provides valuable legal research and litigation support, having been involved in equal opportunity and anti-discrimination claims, unfair dismissals, restraint of trade matters and industrial disputes. |
Sean GreenlandContact T 95100 366 Email |
Sean is a lawyer practising in both our Commercial/IT team and our Property team at Meerkin & Apel and was admitted to practice in 2011 after graduating fromMonash University with a Bachelor of Laws. |
Rob WallContactT 95100 366 Email rw@meerkinapel.com.au |
Rob is a Workplace Relations Advisor with Meerkin and Apel providing advice and assistance on a wide range of human resources/industrial relations issues mainly in the Local Government and Water sectors. As a practical, hands on Advisor, Rob provides advice tailored to the situation with the benefit of 20 years experience in these sectors. This includes negotiating enterprise agreements and advice on human resource management issues. Over this period of time, Rob has established and developed ongoing relationships both on an individual and corporate level. Rob has a Bachelor of Business degree from Monash University. |
Steve WilsonContactT 95100 366 Email sw@meerkinapel.com.au |
Steve is a Workplace Relations Advisor with Meerkin and Apel and provides an advisory service to the Local Government and Water sectors on employee relations issues with an emphasis on industrial relations matters. Steve is an experienced advocate and has over 20 years experience in these sectors and provides practical and understandable advice on a wide range of issues. Dispute resolution, representation, award and agreement interpretation are some of the areas of advice provided. Steve has a Bachelor of Economics degree from Monash University. |
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David Tozer Contact T 95100 366
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David is a Workplace Relations Advisor with Meerkin & Apel,
providing human resources and industrial relations advice in
respect to Local Authority related matters. David was
recently appointed after twelve years in Local Government .
David started his Local government career at Mildura Rural City
working in the Rates Best Value Units. A 12 month appointment
at Mount Alexander Shire as Accountant was followed by a move
to Moyne Shire, where he has been Manager Organisational
Development for the last six years. Apart from conducting
numerous senior appointments including CEO recruitment, David has
supervised the conduct of municipal elections, negotiated several
enterprise agreements and co-ordinated Council’s internal audit
process. David provides support to Rob Wall and Steve
Wilson on matters regarding enterprise bargaining, disciplinary
process, banding classification, recruitment process and
governance.
David holds a Diploma in Human Resources from South West TAFE. |