Committee

Mala Heffernan

President
Show Details

Callum Lee

Vice President
Show Details

Michelle Close

Secretary
Show Details

Alicia Lucas

Treasurer
Show Details

Pippa Colman

Committee Member
Show Details

Jessica Popple

Committee Member
Show Details

Jodie Bruce

Committee Member
Show Details

Jayana Kerr

Committee Member
Show Details

Emma Middleton

Committee Member
Show Details

Kylie Anderson

Committee Member
Show Details

Maddy Veivers

Committee Member
Show Details

Bronte Crowley

Committee Member
Show Details

Ben Rynderman

Committee Member
Show Details

Jenna Ryan

Committee Member
Show Details

Georgia Coen

Committee Member
Show Details
Scroll to Top

Mala Heffernan

President

Mala completed a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Business at Southern Cross University. 

Following her admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland, Mala has practised predominantly in the field of personal injuries, including as a Principal Lawyer at a national firm.

In 2024, Mala co-founded L&H Injury Lawyers, where she now works as a Principal Lawyer and Director.

Mala was a finalist in the Women Lawyers Association of Queensland Regional Women Lawyer of the Year.

Callum Lee

Vice President

Callum completed a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce at University of Sunshine Coast. He has gone on to complete a Master of Laws (Applied Law) majoring in Estate Planning and Wills and Estates.

Callum is a Lawyer at Pippa Colman & Associates, where he practises in family law, wills and estates, and estate planning. 

Callum is also a committee member of LifeFlight Queensland. He was a nominee for the Sunshine Coast Council Young Citizen of the Year (2018).

Michelle Close

Secretary

Prior to being admitted as a solicitor, Michelle was a paralegal for many years working in most areas of law, finding her niche in the Family Law arena.

Michelle completed a Bachelor of Laws at Southern Cross University.

Michelle is as a Senior Solicitor in the  family law team at Lynch Law, with a particular interest in children’s matters.

Michelle is also part of the remote volunteers’ team at the Women’s Legal Service Queensland and regularly volunteers at the Sunshine Coast Community Legal Centre at Pomona.

Alicia Lucas

Treasurer

Alicia completed a Bachelor of Laws at University of New England. She has gone on to complete a Master of Laws (Family Law) at College of Law in 2022.

Alicia has been working exclusively in family law since 2015, initially as a Law Clerk and then as a Solicitor following her admission to practice in 2020. 

Since February 2025, Alicia has been Director of her own firm Lucas Family Law, practising in parenting matters, property settlement, divorce and child support.

Pippa Colman

Committee Member

Pippa commenced her legal career at the age of 17. Having lived and worked for most of her life on the Sunshine Coast, she is an established member of the legal community.

Pippa founded her own firm in 2001, Pippa Colman & Associates, where she continues practising and acting as a Director. She is also a qualified Mediator and Arbitrator. 

Pippa is a Family Law Accredited Specialist. She is frequently named as a Doyle’s Guide Leading Family Lawyer.

Jessica Popple

Committee Member

Jessica completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (University of Sunshine Coast). She has also completed a Master of Applied Law (Family Law).

Jessica is a Solicitor at Pippa Colman & Associates. She has a keen interest in Domestic Violence, Child Protection, Family Law and Wills and Estates matters.

Jessica sits as a board member for Suncoast Community Legal Service and Mingary Care. 

In 2022, Jessica was named the WLAQ Emergent Woman Lawyer of the Year.

Jodie Bruce

Committee Member

Jodie has completed a Bachelor of Laws (CQUniversity) and Bachelor of Business (Monash Uni). 

She is an experienced Solicitor practising in the areas of in commercial and property law in her role as the Legal Practitioner Director of Jodie Bruce Law.

Jodie also volunteers with the Suncoast Community Legal Service.

Jayana Kerr

Committee Member

Jayana completed a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Business Management at University of Queensland.

Jayana completed a graduate program at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. Following her admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2021, she continued as a personal injury Lawyer.

Jayana assists clients with workers’ compensation, motor vehicle accident and public liability claims.

Emma Middleton

Committee Member

Emma completed a Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Emma has been working exclusively in family law since 2013, initially as a Paralegal and then as a Solicitor following her admission to practice in 2019. Emma is a Senior Associate at Toomey Family Law. She has a keen interest in complex property settlement matters and assisting families in all aspects of a family separation including parenting issues, child support and domestic violence.

Kylie Anderson

Committee Member

Kylie completed a Bachelor of Law at Griffith University and Masters of Law specialising in Governance and Development at Australian National University.

Kylie is a Principal Lawyer at Legal Aid Queensland. 

Kylie has extensive experience in a range of legal services, including legal advisory roles, project evaluation/management, juvenile justice, child protection and gender issues. She has a passion for contributing to international development particularly in legal, governance and human rights.

Maddy Veivers

Committee Member

Maddy started her journey as a Legal Assistant whilst studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) at University of Sunshine Coast. She was President of the USC Law Students’ Association. Following completion of her degree in 2021, she went on to complete a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at College of Law.

Maddy was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2022. She is a Medical Negligence Lawyer at Slater and Gordon Lawyers.

Bronte Crowley

Committee Member

Bronte Crowley is a nationally accredited mediator and registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. Bronte is also a family lawyer, admitted to legal practice in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

Ben Rynderman

Committee Member

Ben is the Director and Principal Lawyer of Rynderman Law and was admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2015.

With a decade of legal experience across the Magistrates, District, and Supreme Courts throughout Queensland, he has developed a particular interest in the intersection of mental health and criminal law. His areas of expertise incorporate violent crime, drug and sexual offending, domestic violence, and traffic law.

Jenna Ryan

Committee Member

In 2023, Jenna graduated from the University of the Sunshine Coast with a Bachelor of Laws and received the Student Leadership Award as recognition for her contributions through co-curricular activities, particularly with the UniSC Law Students Association.

Jenna joined Toomey Family Law in September 2023 before obtaining a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and being admitted to the Queensland Supreme Court and High Court of Australia in June 2024.

Georgia Coen

Committee Member

Georgia graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor or Criminology from the University of Sunshine Coast. She has worked in the legal profession since 2020, was Associate to a District Court Judge in 2024 and was admitted as a Lawyer in 2024.

Georgia is a personal injuries Lawyer at Travis Schultz & Partners.