Executive Committee

Arielle Cirillo is a third year Laws and Arts student at the University of Newcastle, majoring in Politics and International Relations. She is also involved in yearly mooting and legal skill competitions. Arielle is passionate about the development of transnational law and driven towards a career balancing international corporate law with international human rights. She is focused on the development of young women lawyers and law students; she is heavily involved in developing programmes for up-and-coming lawyers.

Rochelle Cortan-Alvar is a Conflicts and Compliance Lawyer at Dentons. Rochelle pursued her law degree as a mature age student while working full time, studying full time – attending night classes, and raising a family. Rochelle strived to complete her degree while juggling work, parenting, and studying because she believes that the only failure in life is not trying. Rochelle believes that determination, resilience, and great support network are important factors in achieving one’s dream. This is Rochelle’s first time to be involved in Women Lawyers Association, and she is determined to support women lawyers and law students who are trying to achieve their dreams even at the later stage of life.

Renée Bianchi is a barrister at 13th Floor St James Hall Chambers, having been called to the Bar in 2013 after practising as a solicitor in private practice for five years.

Renée joined the Executive Committee of the Women Lawyers Association of New South Wales in November 2018 as a general Committee member, becoming Vice President in November 2019 and was President from 2020-2022. As the incoming President, she introduced the first Strategic Plan for the Association, continued the work for the advancement of women within all facets of the legal profession and the community, and increased the profile of WLANSW by way of advocacy and by having an active social media presence, particularly as WLANSW celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022.

Women Barristers Forum, Australian Women Lawyers (and is its Vice President and the AWL delegate to the Law Council of Australia’s Equal Opportunity Committee) and the NSW Bar Association’s Diversity and Equality Committee.
Renée was the Chair and Immediate Past Chair of the Law Council of Australia’s Young Lawyers Committee from October 2016 – April 2019 and was the President of NSW Young Lawyers in 2016. She is also a volunteer with Girl Guides Australia and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts; as well as the Board Secretary of the B Miles Women’s Foundation.

Renée was a finalist in the WLANSW ‘Barrister of the Year’ category in 2017, and Doyle’s Guide has listed her in its Wills and Estates Litigation Leading Lawyers list since 2016. Renée graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours) and a Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Legal Practice.

Jessica Koot is the Chair of the Wollongong Chapter of the Women Lawyer’s Association. She is the Practice Leader of Australian Family Lawyers Wollongong with over 20 years in the legal industry.

Jessica advocates for women in the legal industry. She is a mentor in the Lucy Mentoring Program. A program run by the University of Wollongong pairing female students with female lawyers.

Jessica is passionate about supporting women and their health and wellbeing. She is Chairwoman for the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre. A not-for-profit organisation that provides support to women including victim survivors of domestic violence. The centre are pioneering the establishment of Australia’s first Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre.

Yasmin Georgievska is a Family and Criminal Law Associate at Access Law Group in Wollongong.

She is a strong advocate for her clients and supports many women and their children as domestic violence survivors.

Yasmin is the vice-chair of the Women Lawyers Association Wollongong Chapter. She first became an executive member of the Wollongong Chapter in 2020, and is fresh to the WLANSW Committee.

Yasmin is also an executive committee member of the Wollongong District Law Society.

Yasmin is committed to advancing women in the profession. She understands what it means to be a working mother and looks forward to contributing her skills to the WLANSW to support the association and women in the profession.

BA (Syd) LLB (UNSW) LLM (UNSW)
Barrister at Frederick Jordan Chambers
Accredited Mediator

Anne Healey was admitted as a solicitor in 1986, and called to the Bar in 1994 where she practices from Frederick Jordan Chambers. She has long been involved in WLANSW and was a member of the Executive in the late 1980’s. She was a member of Bar Council from 2006-2014 and a member of the Executive as Honorary Secretary from 2011-2012. In her 36 years as a lawyer, she has held positions on numerous committees. She is currently a Primary Member of the Legal Aid Review Committee which hears appeals from the refusal of legal aid in all types of matters.

Her varied practice has included criminal trial and appellate work (for prosecution and defence in Commonwealth and State matters), personal injury, discrimination and human rights, family provision matters, disciplinary matters for nurses, doctors and teachers, and inquests, commissions and enquiries. During 2021-2022 she appeared for numerous witnesses at the Disability Royal Commission.

Anne is also an accredited mediator, approved by BARADR to act as a mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation Scheme (NMAS) on the General Accredited Mediators List.

In 2015 she was awarded the inaugural award of Woman Lawyer of the Year (NSW Women Lawyers Achievement Awards) for her ‘outstanding contribution to the legal profession, providing leadership and demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting and advancing women in the legal profession.