Profile
“My approach in my career and practice is very hands-on, collaborative and rooted in encouraging women in their passions and pursuits”
Anne Frances O’Donoghue
Immigration Solutions Lawyers
Immigration Solutions Lawyers helped 90 Afghan women judges, prosecutors, activists and their families start new lives in safety in 2022. Working alongside Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws LT KC and the International Bar Association, the firm secured permanent visas after the Taliban’s return to power.
For managing director and principal solicitor Anne Frances O’Donoghue, it was a moment that showed how immigration law can change the course of lives, and it remains one of the most meaningful milestones of her career.
O’Donoghue’s path began in 1993, when she launched Anne O’Donoghue and Associates while raising a three-year-old son. Determined to set her own course, she built a practice for lawyers who shared her ethics and drive.
By 2009, the firm had incorporated and steadily developed into one of Australia’s best-known immigration practices. Her motivation has remained consistent. She combines technical expertise with empathy for people whose futures depend on complex and often unpredictable legal systems.
Leadership has been the constant in her career. O’Donoghue emphasises collaboration inside her firm, ensuring that young lawyers gain opportunities and encouragement. She is equally active outside the office, holding senior roles with the International Bar Association and receiving recognition from the NSW Law Society in 2019 for her work on international task forces.
“My approach in my career and practice is very hands-on, collaborative and rooted in encouraging women in their passions and pursuits,” she explains.
Achievements extend across policy influence, client advocacy and pro bono service. The Afghan Women Judges project, which later earned her firm a finalist spot for the 2023 Pro Bono Program of the Year Award, highlighted her capacity to combine humanitarian commitment with legal precision.
She has also guided individuals, families and corporations through thousands of cases over three decades, often in circumstances where the margin for error was nonexistent. For her, the technical victories carry equal weight with the human outcomes.
Suite 1304, World Tower Commercial, 87-89 Liverpool Street, Sydney 2000
0292 646 432
anne@immigrationsolutions.com.au
linkedin.com/in/anneodonoghue
immigrationsolutionslawyers.com.au
Anne Frances O’Donoghue
Principal Solicitor and Managing Director Immigration Solutions Lawyers
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Bio
Milestones
“Representation matters, and by sharing my journey, the challenges as well as the triumphs, I hope to encourage young women to pursue leadership roles in law and beyond”
Anne Frances O’Donoghue
Immigration Solutions Lawyers
1981
1982
1987
1998
Present
Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria
1981
Admitted to practice in the High Court of Australia
1982
Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New South Wales
1987
Received specialist accreditation as an immigration lawyer from the NSW Law Society
1998
Founding Vice President of the Migration Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia (LCA) since 2002
Member of the International Bar Association (IBA) since 2002
Member of the Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee of the NSW Law Society since 2015
Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion in the Global Employment Institute of the International Bar Association since 2022
Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law in Australia
Present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
As a founding member of WOW! (Women. Opportunity. Winning.), an employee resource group created for all women of Ryan Specialty, Phillips Topping has long championed for women in the industry.
“It’s very important to set an example and to not only inspire but mentor other females,” she adds.
In addition to her sharp marketing eye, the key to Phillips Topping’s success lies in her high-energy approach and positive attitude.
“As the leader of a team, it’s important to motivate and encourage your team members. People work very hard and do their best and it’s important to recognize these efforts. For my career overall, my attitude has been one of curiosity. The more you can learn, the better you’ll understand the business, and then the deeper your knowledge will become, making you a better team member.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
The differentiators for Immigration Solutions Lawyers are clear. O’Donoghue has built a practice that prioritises empathy and trust in a sector often defined by bureaucracy and stress.
Clients are supported through a process that blends legal accuracy with communication designed to reduce uncertainty. Staff are trained to see cases as more than files, a culture that helps retain employees and clients in a demanding field.
Challenges persist, particularly in adapting to rapid changes in immigration policy and recruiting the right people. O’Donoghue acknowledges that her perfectionist streak once made it difficult to share responsibility. But experience has reinforced the value of collaboration with colleagues and external partners. She has continued to invest in professional development to ensure her team keeps pace with legislative complexity while still maintaining a human focus.
Recognition on Australasian Lawyer’s 2025 Elite Women list affirms the balance she has struck. O’Donoghue treats the award as validation of her firm’s culture. “Representation matters, and by sharing my journey, the challenges as well as the triumphs, I hope to encourage young women to pursue leadership roles in law and beyond,” she says.
Future priorities include advocating for more structured dialogue between the Department and the profession, with a dedicated immigration summit that amplifies women’s voices in policy discussions.
She also intends to keep mentoring the next generation, ensuring that opportunity becomes the standard. For O’Donoghue, legacy will be measured in advocacy, impact and the doors she opens for others.