Our People

Angela Sdrinis

Angela graduated with an Arts/Law degree in 1982 and commenced practice handling workers compensation claims for injured workers. Between 1985 and 1986, Angela worked as an Industrial and Legal Officer for the Federated Fire Fighter’s Union. In 1986, Angela returned to personal injuries and has been a personal injuries Law Institute Accredited specialist since 1993. Angela is supported by a team of experienced solicitors and paralegals dedicated to the provision of expert, trauma informed legal advice. Angela is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the Law Council.

Abbey McNally

Abbey graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts in 2017, double majoring in Criminology and Sociology. Abbey then commenced her Juris Doctor at Melbourne Law School and graduated in 2021.

She completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in early 2023 and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria in April 2023.

Abbey has been a valued member of our Workcover and TAC team for over 2 years now, and continues her work in this area as a solicitor.

Anthie Stephanou

Anthie completed her Bachelor of Law and Arts at Swinburne University of Technology and her practical legal training at the College of Law. Anthie started working with Angela Sdrinis Legal in 2018 and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2020. Anthie specialises in the area of Institutional Abuse. She appreciates pursuing justice and providing clients a platform to tell their story. Anthie is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

David Longano

David is a solicitor with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Monash University majoring in Criminology and the focus of his thesis was Sexual Assault. He completed his Bachelor of Laws in 2017 and has been with the firm since February of 2018 where he is working in the area of Institutional Historical Abuse. David was admitted to legal practice in April 2019. David is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Ellen Fitzgerald

Ellen graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedical Science in 2022.

Ellen completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in November 2022 and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria in April 2023.

Ellen has worked within the Institutional Abuse team since commencing work at Angela Sdrinis Legal in January 2021, and has experience in the Victorian and Tasmanian jurisdictions. Ellen also has experience and a special interest in applications for compensation for victims of crime under the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic).

Ellen is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Gino De Biase

Gino is a senior consultant at Angela Sdrinis Legal and has been a LIV Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law since 1993. He has over 35 years extensive experience, across all aspects of defendant and plaintiff personal injury matters, having worked with leading, mid-tier national law firms and also at the TAC.
His areas of expertise include: Common Law Serious Injury Applications, Complex Statutory Compensation, Transport Accidents, WorkCover, ComCare, Medical Negligence, Product Liability, Professional Negligence, Crimes Compensation, Industrial Accidents and Insurance Litigation. Gino is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Jonathan De Biase

Jonathan is a personal injury lawyer who has particular interest in Commonwealth Compensation. Jonathan has experience running litigated matters before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. He works closely with his clients and is passionate about his work and strives for positive resolutions for clients.

Kim Sweeney

Kim is a Senior Law Clerk with 18 years’ experience. Her areas of interest include Crimes Compensation, Comcare, workers’ compensation and institutional abuse. She currently works in the VOCAT practice assisting Victims of Crime with their claims. Kim has studied Personal Training and enjoys playing tennis, paddle boarding and snow skiing.

Nikola Henkul

Nikola graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of International Studies with Distinction in 2021 from Deakin University, with a particular focus on the rights of children in detention. She was admitted to practice in 2022 and has experience in Supreme Court litigated matters. Nikola works predominantly on historical institutional abuse matters, and is passionate about providing trauma informed legal resolutions for clients.

Nikola is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Robert West

Robert graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science in 2022.

He completed his Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in early 2023 and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria in October 2023.

Since joining the team in early 2022, Robert has worked predominantly in the Commonwealth workers compensation (Comcare) team. He will continue working in this area, providing advice to injured workers and assisting them to resolve disputes with their employers.

Zachary Tsinanis

Zac has completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of International Studies, majoring in Middle East Politics. He was admitted to legal practice in December 2022. Zac’s main area of interest is workers’ rights particularly in the Comcare area. Zac is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and The Australia Lawyers Alliance.

Allanna Lovell

Allanna has worked predominantly in all areas of personal injury compensation and damages claims in Sydney and Tasmania for over 25 years. In her last position she worked in a senior executive role for 16 years at one of Hobart’s largest firms focusing on all areas of litigation with a particular interest in personal injuries compensation.

Allanna has commenced working as Practice Manager of our Hobart office overseeing our institutional abuse claims.

Allanna is very passionate about client needs ensuring ongoing contact with them to guide them through the legal process. She brings with her to that position her vast knowledge of practice and procedure in the Tasmanian jurisdiction.

Allanna is a member of the Australasian Legal Practice Management Association.

Annabelle Ward

Annabelle graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Law from the University of Tasmania in 2014, majoring in psychology and political science. Annabelle was admitted to the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 2023 and works as a solicitor on the Ashley Youth Detention Centre Class Action. She is passionate about social justice and is currently based in the Hobart office working within the area of historical Institutional Abuse, with a focus on youth detention.

Kiara Zolati

Kiara graduated with a Bachelor of Law in 2020 and completed her Practical Legal Training early 2021. Kiara was admitted to the Supreme Court of Tasmania as a solicitor in October 2021. Kiara is currently based in the Hobart Office and works in the area of Institutional Abuse. She is very passionate about her work in pursuing justice for survivors. Kiara is a member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Rowena Macdonald

Rowena graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2014 and was admitted to practice in 2015. Before commencing with Angela Sdrinis Legal she worked as a solicitor in civil litigation and dispute resolution with a particular focus on workers compensation, employment and anti-discrimination law, and as an industrial officer with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.

Rowena has a strong industrial relations background having worked as a union official with various trade unions prior to embarking on her legal career. She has extensive experience advocating on behalf of hundreds of workers in both the public and private sectors and is a skilled negotiator.

As a law student Rowena undertook an internship with the Ombudsman Tasmania. She also worked as a researcher on a consultancy between the University of Tasmania, the Kingdom of Tonga and the Commonwealth Secretariat, contributing to the development of a Freedom of Information policy for the Kingdom of Tonga. Following the launch of the policy in 2012, Rowena co-authored an article on Freedom of Information Law Reform in South Pacific Micro-States published in the Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.

Rowena is passionate about social justice and animal welfare and volunteers as a member of the board of animal rescue organisation Just Cats Tasmania.