Established in mid 2021, the Pacific Legal Association NSW (PLAN) endeavours to bring together as a business and support network, legal professionals with affiliations to the Pacific that primarily work or live in NSW.

Are you someone working in the legal field in NSW who wants to see if there are other 'islanders' in the same work area?

Are you a law student who wants to connect with lawyers of pasifika descent?

Did you want to know if there were other people of pasifika descent or background in Sydney who also work in law?

Are you a legal professional with a passion for working with pasifika communities?

If you have ever asked yourself these questions, or heard them being asked, PLAN can provide the answer.

PLAN promotes being a network of professional contacts and mutual support for people from a pasifika background (or who feel affiliated with pasifika matters).

Over time, we have aspirations to become a pathway of continuing legal education for pasifika lawyers as well as promoting issues of relevance to law and pasifika people, particularly in NSW.

PRESIDENT

PLAN's Inaugural President hails from Samoa, by way of New Zealand, and is now a resident of western Sydney. Brenda Milo is a practising and dual qualified (NZ and Australia) environmental, planning, government and infrastructure lawyer with strong roots in Resource Management law in NZ, now working as a senior government lawyer for the State's primary environment regulator in Parramatta. Brenda finds working for state government an ideal way to integrate meaningful and interesting work, with the commitments of raising two young children with her husband John (a dual qualified lawyer (NZ and Samoa) specialising in family, immigration and criminal law litigation).

The past 16 years has seen Brenda work as a Senior Associate in private practice 'Big Law' Tier 1 firms in Auckland and Sydney, as well as in upper mid-tier and boutique law firms, as a corporate lawyer in a professional services consultancy, and now a Principal Lawyer in a busy Legal branch of a State Government agency. In all that time, Brenda has only known three other environmental and planning law practitioners in NZ of pasifika descent, and even fewer here in Australia. One of the aspirations and goals for PLAN is to connect more pacific legal professionals that call NSW home, be it from legal practice or legal academia. Despite the pandemic presently influencing how (often) and where we can connect, Brenda hopes PLAN spurs conversations and acts as a vehicle for more collegial connections to be made among pasifika legal professionals in NSW as well as across Australia.

VICE PRESIDENT

Angela Pale gained her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) from Western Sydney University, Australia. She then obtained a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law in New South Wales, Australia, and was admitted as a legal practitioner in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia, in 2014. With a high level of experience working for government regulatory authorities and now a top-tier commercial law firm, Angela's expertise focuses on defending complex professional conduct and administrative law matters including Health Care Complaints Commission, NSW Medical Council and AHPRA investigations, Coronial Inquests, Medicare investigations and Hospital based investigations. Separate to this work, Angela maintains active involvement with a Probono clinic in Sydney.

Angela became the first lawyer in her family (and wider family) and is a proud member of the Pasifika Community with roots from Vaini and Nukunuku, Tonga; and Ba located in Fiji. Angela is incredibly passionate about mentoring younger members of the Pasifika and wider community.

TREASURER

Mauaiseaso Fatuiva Aluni is proudly of Samoan descent with lineage from the villages of Tauese and Masina Fagaloa (paternal), Apia and Afega (maternal). She is currently working towards completion of her LLB combined with a BA at the University of Notre Dame Sydney. At present, she is working as a Legal Assistant in the Superannuation and Insurance Department at a leading plaintiff law firm as well as a Legal Clerk at a boutique human rights law firm.

The Samoan proverb, 'O lupe sa vao ese'ese, ae ua fuifui fa'atasi' / 'We are from different parts of the forest but connected in one cause' is Maua's interpretation of PLAN's purpose and drive to achieve in all of its offerings. Seeing a current opportunity to embrace as well as celebrate pasefika representation in both legal studies and professional environments, Maua hopes to magnetise those who seek the same by joining PLAN.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Kristina Tato graduated with a Bachelor of Laws / Arts (Psychological Studies Major) from Western Sydney University (WSU) in 2021. She commenced as a Legal Cadet in 2016 and is now a practising Lawyer having been at Coleman Greig Lawyers for over 6 years. Kristina currently works in the Employment law team and also has experience in other areas including, Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Migration law. As an employment lawyer, she regularly deals with both employer and employee clients, looking into Modern Award coverage, contract and policy drafting, dealing with Fair Work Commissions claims and providing advice relating to entitlements.

Kristina is a proud New Zealand born, Australian raised, Samoan. Her parents are from the villages of Faleatiu and Fa’ala. She is also proudly from Western Sydney and has a passion for speaking to and mentoring young Pasifika students, having been a Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE) Student Ambassador at WSU.

She is excited to be apart of the PLAN team as this association allows Pasifika professionals to connect with each other and to share experiences. Being able to connect and know other Pasifika people in a similar field is encouraging and makes it more tangible for Pasifika students who also aspire to work in the legal profession.