Dominic Brunello
For over 20 years Dominic has practiced in criminal defence at a high level, successfully representing individuals and corporations in the most serious matters.
In his early-career Dominic was trained as a solicitor at Robertson O’Gorman. He then took a job with the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia. After steady promotion, he was appointed in-house criminal Counsel. Dominic appeared for Aboriginal defendant’s before the District and Supreme Courts in jury trials (including for murder), sentence hearings, bail applications and pre-trial applications. He successfully argued a substantial number of appeals in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. Dominic twice appeared before the High Court of Australia.
In 2016, Dominic returned to Brisbane and to Robertson O’Gorman. In 2020 Dominic attained specialist accreditation in criminal law, achieving the highest score of the applicant group.
From investigation to trial, Dominic offers a complete defence service. He is a criminal litigator with a forensic mind and a focus on detail. His training as a solicitor and experience as a barrister aptly equip him to perform his current role as a solicitor-advocate with Robertson O’Gorman and Chair of the QLS Law Committee. He knows how to identify and exploit weaknesses in an opponent’s case, and formulate strategies most likely to secure the best outcome. He also possesses the advocacy skills to persuasively argue his client’s cause in Court.
In addition to general criminal matters, Dominic has substantial expertise in criminal appeals, applications for judicial review, administrative appeals, coronial inquests, workplace misconduct matters, professional and public service disciplinary proceedings and parole matters. Where required, Dominic works with senior barristers; undertaking the preparatory work so vital to laying the foundation for a successful defence.
Dominic understands that legal proceedings may constitute the biggest crisis of his client’s lives. In all his cases, he gives the same commitment: to protect his client by all ethical and lawful means.
Leigh Rollason
Leigh Rollason initially joined the Robertson O’Gorman in 1991. Leigh obtained a Specialist Accreditation in Criminal Law, having topped the QLS Accredited Specialist Criminal Law Course in 2008. Leigh was been named as a leading criminal lawyer in Queensland by Doyle’s Leading Lawyers List from 2015 to 2023.
While primarily working in criminal law, Leigh conducted a wide range of cases dealing with administrative law, corrective services law, immigration, professional misconduct and coronial inquests.
Leigh appeared as solicitor advocate in the Magistrates Court, the District Court and the Supreme Court. In addition, Leigh has prepared cases and instructed counsel in the Mental Health Court, Court of Appeal, Federal Court, and High Court, as well as interstate Courts such as the Supreme Court of Western Australia and NSW courts. He has also represented clients appearing in the Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Australian Crime Commission.
Leigh came to practice in law after an early career in education with experience in Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. Leigh is married with one son and is now enjoying a well-earned retirement.
Leon Ackermann
Leon Ackermann obtained at the University of Cape Town a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) in 1997 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1990. He was included in the Dean’s merit list in the second and final year of his law degree.
Mr Ackermann then undertook one year of full-time study towards a master’s degree, following which he worked as a prosecutor, mostly in the Regional Court of South Africa (the equivalent of Queensland’s District Court).
Mr Ackermann completed his LLM degree (Advanced Criminal Law and Criminology) in 1992. He was admitted as Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1994. At the end of 1995 he moved to England and qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
Mr Ackermann returned to South Africa in 1998 and resumed working as a Prosecutor with the Director of Public Prosecutions, mostly in murder trials and criminal appeals in the High Court (the equivalent of Queensland’s Supreme Court).
Mr Ackermann moved to Queensland in 2000 and, after completing further study at QUT, completed the PLT course at QUT in 2002. He then worked as a solicitor for a couple of private criminal firms in Brisbane, before commencing work at Robertson O’Gorman in 2005.
Mr Ackermann undertook the Bar Practice course in 2008 and has been at the private Bar in Queensland since then. He practices almost exclusively in criminal defence, mostly in Queensland. He is also regularly briefed to appear in the Local and District Courts of New South Wales.
Craig Eberhardt KC
Craig Eberhardt began working as an articled clerk to John Robertson and Terry O’Gorman in February 1989. Following graduation from University, Mr Eberhardt was admitted to practice in 1994, after which he worked as a solicitor at Robertson O’Gorman.
Mr Eberhardt worked in Perth during 1995 and 1996 as a barrister and solicitor at Kott Gunning Barristers and Solicitors. In September of 1997, Mr Eberhardt returned to work as a solicitor for Robertson O’Gorman until March 2000 when he went to the Bar.
Mr Eberhardt is admitted in, and has appeared before, the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Supreme Court of West Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the High Court of Australia and the High Court of the Solomon Islands.
Mr Eberhardt has been practicing as a Barrister exclusively in criminal defence since April 2000. He specialises in criminal trials and is often briefed by Robertson O’Gorman.
Craig Eberhardt was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2021.
Louisa Pink
Ms Pink has enjoyed an extended and successful career in the legal profession.
Ms Pink has held senior positions in the research and development of legal policy. Initially, she worked with Parliamentary Committees. Ultimately, she worked as a Senior Executive in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet as an advisor on law and justice policy. Ms Pink also served on the management committee of the Prisoners Legal Service and was the inaugural Secretary of the Law & Justice Institute (Qld) Inc.
Ms Pink began working in criminal defence in 2004. She came to Robertson O’Gorman in 2006, and worked as a solicitor until 2016.
Ms Pink was appointed to the Magistrates Court of Queensland on 3 May 2016.
Benedict Power, District Court Judge
Ben Power was admitted as a solicitor in 1997 and worked initially with Freehill, Hollingdale and Page solicitors. He then went on to work in criminal defence and related law with Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors between 1998 and 2001.
After leaving Robertson O’Gorman, Ben Power worked with the New York Legal Aid Society, and then Legal Aid Queensland. In 2005 he commenced as a Crown Prosecutor at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Queensland). He has been at the private bar since July 2015.
Ben Power was admitted as a barrister in 2004 and completed a Masters degree at Oxford University in 2008.
Ben has appeared in many high profile and legally significant criminal trials for both prosecution and defence and maintains a regulatory law practice. His particular area of expertise is appellate advocacy in criminal and quasi-criminal matters.
Mr Power was appointed King’s Counsel in 2021 and a District Court Judge in 2023.
His Honour John Robertson
His Honour John Robertson is a founding partner of Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors and was a judge of the Childrens Court of Queensland for his whole judicial career and President of that Court from 1999 to 2001.
He is presently a part-time judicial member at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and was recently Chair of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council from 2018 to 2023.
He has served on a number of District Court committees. His Honour was the first District Court judge appointed to Ipswich in 1994, and worked in Brisbane from 1999 to 2001, when he moved to Maroochydore as the second permanent judge in that region.
His Honour is actively involved in seminars conducted by the Sunshine Coast Law Association and Bar Group, and lectures from time to time at the Sunshine Coast and Griffith Universities.
Judge Robertson was a foundation member of the Sunshine Coast University Law School Advisory Committee, and was the first solicitor to be appointed a judge of the District Court of Queensland in 1994. His Honour retired on 18 May 2018.