Key data on our Senior Executive

Number of Senior Executives

Band2022–232023–24
Band 3 Senior Executives11
Band 2 Senior Executives25
Band 1 Senior Executives1415
Total number of Senior Executives1721*

*This figure includes three National Legal Aid roles that were not previously included in Legal Aid NSW staff data.

Average Executive remuneration

Band2022–232023–24
Band 3 Senior Executives$391,189$391,189
Band 2 Senior Executives$287,809$297,324
Band 1 Senior Executives$226,238$241,482

Percentage of total employee expenditure related to Senior Executives

Band2022–232023–24
Band 3 Senior Executives0.3%0.2%
Band 2 Senior Executives0.2%1.3%
Band 1 Senior Executives2.3%2.4%
Total for all Senior Executives2.9%3.9%

Changes to our Senior Executive in 2023–24

  • Alexandra Colquhoun was appointed Executive Director, Family Law.
  • Jane Cipants was appointed Executive Director, Client Service.
  • Meredith Osborne was appointed Executive Director, Civil Law.
  • Robert Hoyles was appointed Executive Director, Criminal Law.
  • Anna Baltins was appointed Director, Domestic and Family Violence.
  • Brett Goodridge was appointed Deputy Director, Human Resources.
  • National Legal Aid roles occupied by Jasmine Stanton, Katherine McKernan and Susannah O’Reilly have not been previously included in Legal Aid NSW staff data for the purposes of annual reporting.

Senior Executive staff

Band 3 Legal Aid NSW staff

Portrait of Monique Hitter, Chief Executive Officer

Monique Hitter – Chief Executive Officer (Band 3)

BSW, Dip Law

  • Budget total: $559.9M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent)*: 1,642.01
  • Total actual staff: 1,772

Our CEO is responsible for the whole organisation’s budget and staff, and her listed totals reflect this.

Band 2 Legal Aid NSW staff

Portrait of Alexandra Colquhoun, Director, Family Law

Alexandra Colquhoun – Executive Director, Family Law (Band 2)

BA, LLB, MA, LLM (Hons), Accredited Specialist Family Law

  • Budget total: $106.8M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 280.41
  • Total actual: 299
Portrait of Jane Cipants, Director, Client Service

Jane Cipants – Executive Director, Client Service (Band 2)

BSW, M Social Policy, EMPA

  • Budget total: $13.7M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 149.93
  • Total actual: 177
Portrait of Meredith Osborne, Director, Civil Law

Meredith Osborne – Executive Director, Civil Law (Band 2)

BA (Hons), LLB

  • Budget total: $45.2M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 230.83
  • Total actual: 244
Portrait of Robert Hoyles, Director, Criminal Law

Robert Hoyles – Executive Director, Criminal Law (Band 2)

EMPA, LLB (Hons), BA, Accredited Specialist Criminal Law

  • Budget total: $175.4M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 327.67
  • Total actual: 339
Portrait of Trent Wilson, Executive Director, Digital Transformation

Trent Wilson – Executive Director, Digital Transformation (Band 2)

B Comm, MBA

  • Budget total: $3.2M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 8
  • Total actual: 8

Band 1 Legal Aid NSW staff

Portrait of Anna Baltins, Director, Domestic and Family Violence

Anna Baltins – Director, Domestic and Family Violence (Band 1)

BA (Government and Public Administration and Sociology), LLB, Master of Applied Law (Family Law)

This role shares management of the budget and staff of the Domestic Violence Unit overseen by the Executive Director, Family Law.

Portrait of Brett Goodridge, Deputy Director, Human Resources

Brett Goodridge – Deputy Director, Human Resources (Band 1)

Graduate Diploma Employment Relations

This role shares management of the budget and staff overseen by the Director, Human Resources.

Portrait of Cherie Pittman, Director, Legal Services and In-House Counsel

Cherie Pittman – Director, Legal Service & In-house Counsel (Band 1)

BA (Hons), Grad Dip, InfM LLB (Hons)

  • Budget total: $141.0M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 424.16
  • Total actual: 473
Portrait of Jackie Finlay, Deputy Director, Civil Law

Jackie Finlay Deputy Director, Civil Law (Band 1)

BA, LLB

This role shares management of the budget and staff overseen by the Executive Director, Civil Law.

Portrait of Jocelyn Flanagan, Director, Grants

Jocelyn Flanagan – Director, Grants (Band 1)

BA, LLB

  • Budget total: $8.4M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 71.6
  • Total actual: 76
Portrait of Katie Kelso, Deputy Director, Family Law

Katie Kelso – Deputy Director, Family Law (Band 1)

B Comm, LLB

This role shares management of the budget and staff overseen by the Executive Director, Family Law.

Portrait of Kimberley Hamer, Director, Aboriginal Services

Kimberley Hamer – Director, Aboriginal Services (Band 1)

BA, LLB

  • Budget total: $3.1M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 18.7
  • Total actual: 23
Portrait of Koshala Nishaharan, Director, Enterprise Project Management

Koshala Nishaharan – Director, Enterprise Project Management (Band 1)

BBS, MBA

  • Budget total: $1.6M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 3
  • Total actual: 3
Portrait of Melissa Burgess, Deputy Director, Criminal Law

Melissa Burgess – Deputy Director, Criminal Law (Band 1)

BA, LLB

This role shares management of the budget and staff overseen by the Executive Director, Criminal Law.

Portrait of Michael Brodie, Director, Finance

Michael Brodie - Director, Finance (Band 1)

B Ec, CA, GAICD

  • Budget total: $559.9M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 24
  • Total actual: 24

Our Director, Finance has responsibility for the budget for the whole organisation, and his listed budget total reflects this.

Portrait of Michelle Jones, Director, Human Resources

Michelle Jones – Director, Human Resources (Band 1)

Dip Community Organisations, BA Community Management, Grad Cert Adult Ed (Community), M Public Administration

  • Budget total: $6.2M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 42.71
  • Total actual: 44
Portrait of Wayne Gale, Director, Information and Communications Technology

Wayne Gale – Director, Information and Communications Technology (Band 1)

BA (Computing) M Comm (Accounting)

  • Budget total: $21.0M
  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 50.6
  • Total actual: 51

Band 1 National Legal Aid staff

Portrait of Jasmine Stanton, Director, Defence and Veterans Legal Service

Jasmine Stanton – Director, Defence and Veterans Legal Service (Band 1)

BA, LLB (Hons), LLM, Accredited Specialist Children’s Law

  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 5
  • Total actual: 5
Portrait of Katherine McKernan, Executive Director, National Legal Aid

Katherine McKernan – Executive Director, National Legal Aid (Band 1)

BA (Hons), MA (Policy Studies)

  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 2
  • Total actual: 2
Portrait of Susannah O'Reilly, Director, Disability Royal Commission Legal Service

Susannah O'Reilly – Director, Disability Royal Commission Legal Service (Band 1)

BA, LLB (Hons), Dip Mgt, EMPA

  • Total staff (full-time equivalent): 0
  • Total actual: 0

*Staffing totals in this list reflect staffing as at 30 June 2024.