Our People

Colquhoun Murphy is large enough to specialise,
but not so large as to risk becoming bureaucratic
and unaffordable.

Clients maintain close contact with the partners of the Firm, receiving first hand the benefit of our partners’ experience. Work by our team of solicitors is allocated
so that each task is completed by an appropriate member of staff at the appropriate cost. This ensures a lower cost for our services but at the same time ensuring that our partners are available for you when it counts.

Colquhoun Murphy has a policy of employing the best available staff. We believe that our clients will benefit from this emphasis on talented people, and that our service will be more cost-effective, because good
people work more efficiently.

Amongst the professional staff who will assist you,
we have solicitors with considerable experience and enviable reputations in industrial relations, copyright, personal injury, defamation and commercial litigation.

The firm also employs four very experienced conveyancing staff who, under the supervision of the partners, conduct an extensive practice in A.C.T. and N.S.W. conveyancing.

Ric Lucas

Ric Lucas was an academic lawyer for eight years,
with teaching and research interests in business and media law and tax, before joining Colquhoun Murphy.
Ric has provided strategic legal advice to many local
and national businesses and associations, especially
in respect of their corporate structure, franchising, intellectual property, media and restructuring and insolvency issues.

Ric has developed one of Australia’s leading defamation practices. He regularly advises and represents leading figures in politics, business and the media. Ric has acted in a number of legal proceedings which have defined defamation law in Australia, including acting for Peter Costello, Tony Abbott and their wives, against Random House. Ric is the Chair of the Defamation Committee
of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory.

Ric is an experienced litigator and advocate. Ric has
acted in major commercial litigation matters in areas
such as the enforcement of securities, copyright, media and technology, trade practices, professional indemnity, banking law, debt recovery and insolvency.

ric.lucas@cmsolicitors.com.au

Karen Fogarty

Karen Fogarty has been a partner at Colquhoun Murphy since 1992. She practices in the areas of commercial advice and litigation.

She has developed a reputation for the speedy and efficient conduct of major litigation. She has particular experience in personal injury litigation and has conducted a wide variety of commercial litigation in the areas of trade practices, building, contractual disputes, estates and trust issues.

Karen also runs a busy and professional commercial property practice. Having cultivated an interest in commercial property matters after acting for a number
of private clients, she now attends to the legal needs
of many local and national businesses and associations.

Karen maintains her active involvement in the Canberra business community through membership of several
key business and professional organisations. Karen is
a former director of ACTTAB Ltd, and member of the St Edmunds College Board.

Karen’s professional and private business expertise make her an exemplar of Colquhoun Murphy’s approach to the law and dispute resolution: legal advice must be guided by a sound knowledge of a client’s commercial needs.

karen.fogarty@cmsolicitors.com.au

Jamie Ronald

Jamie Ronald has been practicing at Colquhoun Murphy since 2002. He has developed a broad practice in the areas of personal injury, employment law, sports law
and building disputes.

Prior to commencing practice Jamie gained an intimate understanding of industrial and workplace relations whilst employed at the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. Throughout his time with Colquhoun Murphy he has utilised that experience to build a practice where he provides accurate, timely and economical employment and discrimination law advice, including drafting employment contracts, agreement making, advocacy and negotiation.

Jamie also provides advice and advocacy services
in planning and building matters, representing both developers and community associations. He has had a number of recent successes in the ACT planning jurisdiction.

In addition to his legal qualifications, he has a degree in sports administration. He understands the intricacies of sports clubs and sports people, and uses this understanding to his clients’ advantage when he advises sporting organisations.

Jamie advises and represents clients with personal injuries arising in circumstances including motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, and as a result of medical negligence.

jamie.ronald@cmsolicitors.com.au

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