Established in 1949.
Hunter Valley Law Society
Membership to the Hunter Valley Law Society is $60 per year. Included in this fee the society offers the mandatory 10 continuing professional development points to our members throughout the year for free.
Looking to join? Hunter Valley Law Society memberships are open.
Meet the Committee
Nada Vujat
President
Nada Vujat has practised personal injury law and employment law for over 25 years. Nada has been a principal/partner/director of Emery Partners since 2002. Prior to Emery Partners, Nada was awarded the inaugural BHP Newcastle Scholarship which facilitated six years of work at multiple departments within BHP Newcastle including steelmaking, the bloomcaster, public affairs and the training department.
In 1992, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Newcastle, majoring in psychology. In 1995, she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales. In 2005, she graduated with a Master of Health Law from the University of Sydney.
Nada is committed to collaborative learning, and regularly hosts workshops and presentations for professional organisations, businesses, members of the legal profession and the local community. She has been honoured to have been invited to present at the International Congress on Law and Mental Health on multiple occasions, including in New York, Berlin and Amsterdam. She has presented for Continuing Professional Development Seminars, writing a workshop paper entitled “Personal Injury Damages in NSW”.
Nada is the current President of the Hunter Valley Law Society and the Women’s Network [Hunter]. She is also a member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, the Women Lawyers Association of NSW and is an approved Independent Legal Assistance and Review Service Lawyer [NSW Workers' Compensation].
Daniel Smyth
Vice President
Dan Smyth (Daniel Thomas Smyth) B.A 1969 LLB 1972 born and educated in the Hunter Valley until attending Law School in Sydney was admitted as a Solicitor in 1973 and has practiced as the senior partner or sole principal in various eponymous firms in Hunter towns including Singleton, Cessnock, East Maitland and Medowie from 1975 to the present time; when he is semi-retired.
In his long career he has been an Arbitrator in the District and Local Courts, a lecturer at the University of Newcastle Law School (1998-2000), Convenor of the Legal Aid Duty Solicitor Scheme in Cessnock and Maitland for 10 years and a Costs Assessor appointed by the Supreme Court 1999-2009 and 2012 -2019. He was an active Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law from 2001 until he retired from that work in 2020. He has been an active member of this regional law society since 1975 holding every committee position except treasurer and serving three terms as President.
He remotely qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2001 but has never practiced in that jurisdiction whereas he still enjoys practicing as a Notary Public having been appointed to that office in 1991 and meeting many interesting people in the course of that practice.
For decades he has been the organiser of the continuing legal education seminars presented by this society for its members which are proudly and uniquely free of charge for our members.
Dane Twohill
Secretary
Dane Twohill is Secretary of the Hunter Valley Law Society. He was admitted as a Solicitor in 2011 and has specialised in personal injury for over 12 years. He currently works at Turks Legal in their Newcastle Office where he specialises in workers compensation and work injury damages.
Dane holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Newcastle.
Outside of the law, Dane was born and raised in the Newcastle and Hunter Region, and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his family, golf and gardening.
Andrew Vile
Committee Member
Andrew Vile is a committee member of the Hunter Valley Law Society, and has been for many years. Andrew was admitted as a Solicitor in 1981 following attaining a Bachelor of Legal Services degree from Macquarie University. Andrew was in partnership with his mother for some years, and became a sole practitioner in 1990, practising mainly in Conveyancing (Property and Businesses); Commercial Law, particularly Leases; Wills and Deceased Estates; and Elder Law (Powers of Attorney, Guardianships etc).
Andrew was raised on a farm at Hillsborough, between Rosebrook and Lambs Valley.
Andrew is currently an Executive Committee member of Maitland Business Chamber; a Board Member of Hunter Region Business Enterprise Centre; and a member of Maitland Rotary Club and West Maitland Centennial Lions Club. He has been actively engaged in the Maitland community since his admission.
The little time that Andrew has to spend away from the Law and his community involvement is enjoyed maintaining his small orchard block, gardening, collecting model vehicles, and spending time with his current wife Jan and chocolate Labrador Millie, and his four children and increasing number of grandchildren.
Renée Newland
Committee Member & Young Lawyer Representative
Renée graduated with Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) from the University of New England. She also holds a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and a Certificate of Legal Business Skills from the College of Law. Renée is admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of NSW and holds an Australian Practicing Certificate.
Renée’s is proud to be the Young Lawyer representative for the Hunter Valley Law Society. She has a passion for property law and is a member of the Young Lawyers Property Law Committee.
Renée became a member of the professional, friendly, experienced and dedicated team at Julia Clarke Solicitor in 2019. Since admission she has gained a wide range of experience in general practice and in particular, in the areas of property law, wills and estate planning. Renée prides herself on enthusiasm and passion for the law and approachability for clients.
Before joining Julia Clarke Solicitor, Renée was employed as a Law Clerk with O’Brien & O’Brien Solicitors and gained experience working within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Renée always welcomes the opportunity to develop and expand upon her current legal knowledge.
Daniel Conway
Committee Member
Dan is a dedicated lawyer employed with Julia Clarke Solicitor. He has experience across wills and estate planning, probate and estate litigation, family law, property law, and employment law. He attended the University of Sydney’s Law Extension Committee and graduated with a Diploma in Law in 2021.
Before practicing law, Dan had a successful 20+ year career in Higher Education, where he was a respected technical manager and innovator. In 2021, he won the Australian Financial Review’s ‘Excellence in Education Award’. As President of the National Tertiary Education Union for a number of years, Dan negotiated and advocated for staff, including in the Fair Work Commission. He continues to be heavily involved in the drafting and negotiating of the University of Newcastle’s enterprise agreements, having formerly led such processes from a Union perspective.
Dan is passionate about using his skills to help those in need and make a positive difference in people's lives. To that end, he volunteers with the Far West Community Legal Centre and was the Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Coordinator (Legal Aid Funded role) for the Far West region for a period.
Away from work, Dan is a keen aviator, holding both plane and helicopter licenses. He is also a proud parent to his three young children, whom he loves to travel with alongside his wife.
Lucy Kelly
Committee Member
Lucy graduated with a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce from the University of New England in Armidale in 2009 and was Admitted to practice in NSW in 2011. Lucy completed her Masters in Wills and Estates through the College of Law in 2014.
Lucy worked in conveyancing in her junior years in regional NSW, before moving to a Sydney Law Firm specialising in wills and estates. Lucy then returned to regional NSW to practice before moving to a firm in Maitland, working in Wills, Estates and Property she now practices in the same areas of law at Braye Cragg Solicitors in Newcastle.
Lucy lives in the Maitland area and outside of the law loves spending time with her family and is kept on her toes by her young son. Lucy and her family love visiting her family farm in North-West NSW.