Profile
"West Oak’s success has come from always putting our clients’ best interests first and always finding ways to improve and add more value to them"
Andrew mcquiston,
west oak family office, wellington-altus private wealth
Rather than let her ambitions be constrained by others, Anne Frances O’Donoghue founded a firm in her own name in 1993. She explains, “I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny”.
The firm was built as a practice for law professionals who share the same passions, ethics and ethos as Anne. It grew solidly and was renamed Immigration Solutions Lawyers 16 years later. The firm is now set to celebrate three decades of success.
Describing herself as “very hands on,” Anne places a lot of importance on mindset.
“I strongly am of the belief that skills can be taught but you cannot teach passion, to an extent. So, my passion-forward approach sees me collaborating with my staff and encouraging new learning opportunities, as this was the fabric of my career progression and success,” she says.
The extent of this success is deep. Anne now holds positions with the International Bar Association (IBA), the International Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and is a committee member specialist for the Accreditation Advisory Committee of the NSW Law Society.
Anne’s recent duties include being diversity and inclusion officer of the Global Employment Institute of the IBA and speaking at the IBA’s Miami Conference 2022, in the session titled Modern slavery – punishing the victims and why this must stop. She was a session chair at the IBA’s Biennial Global Immigration Conference 2022, for the session titled The world in crisis: how lawyers and NGOs responded to the Afghan airlift and Ukraine invasion.
Anne came into her own during the pandemic, as she was also chair of the IBA Immigration and Nationality Law Committee who organised webinars on global immigration topics, for members and migrants to maintain a grasp on the evolving situation. “Coming out of the pandemic this year, we see rapid changes to immigration law, and it is crucial for law firms and practices alike to exercise their due diligence and to ensure they are advising their clients correctly and accurately, in their best interests.”
Looking forward, Anne plans to create a foundation to assist migrants and refugees. This ambition has been magnified by the work of her firm. In 2022, they led the effort to secure safe passage for 20 Afghan judges when the Taliban took control of their country.
Anne adds, “The group consisted of 20 main applicants and a total of 90 applicants altogether, including family members. By application to the immigration minister, we were able to obtain a visa grant for all 90 applicants which was a remarkable and unique outcome.”
Despite being a decorated lawyer, Anne still relishes her role and is humble about being recognised as part of Australasian Lawyer’s Elite Women 2022.
“My journey to success was shaped by opportunity, perseverance, and courage,” says Anne. “I am very honoured to be a part of an award that recognises the movement and change women have created in the legal sector.”
Suite 1304, World Tower Commercial, 87-89 Liverpool St, Sydney
61 02 02646432
info@immigrationsolutions.com.au
au.linkedin.com/in/anneodonoghue
immigrationsolutionslawyers.com.au
Anne Frances O’Donoghue
Principal Solicitor and Director
Immigration Solutions Lawyers
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Bio
Milestones
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Milestones
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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1981–1987
1998
2009–present
2015–present
2017–present
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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1998
2009–present
2015–present
2017-present
Read on
Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
2022
2015–present
2009–present
1998
1981–1987
2017–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Head of English at Ascham School
2017–present
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2015–
present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Became a member of the specialist accreditation advisory committee of the NSW Law Society. She has been instrumental in developing the field of immigration law in NSW and is the founding vice president of the Migration Law Committee of the LCA.
Ranked on Who’s Who Legal as Global Elite Thought Leader
December 2015: Committee Member Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee of the NSW Law Society
September 2019: Co-Chair of the Presidential Taskforce of the IBA on Migrant Children, presented at IBA Annual Conference in Seoul
October 2019: High Commendation of NSW Law Society President’s Medal
January 2019–December 2020: Co-Chair of Immigration and Nationality Committee of the IBA
2015–present
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2009
–present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Principal Solicitor and Director at Immigration Solutions Lawyers
2012–2016: Served as treasurer of the international law section of the LCA
2009–present
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1998
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Received specialist accreditation as an immigration lawyer from the NSW Law Society
1998
1997
1981–1987
human resources | key media
1981: Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria
1982: Admitted to practice in the High Court of Australia
1987: Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New South Wales
1981–1987
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Milestones
2017–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
2022
Excellence awardee – Independent Mortgage Adviser of the Year category at the New Zealand Mortgage Awards
2022
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2022
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
2017-present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1981–1987