Josephine Heesh

With more than 40 years’ experience, Josephine has helped clients, implement their philanthropic aspirations by setting out the legal and practical means by which they can be achieved.

When working with charities and not-for-profit clients, Josephine sets up structures, designs governance and management systems and advises on Tax and other regulatory issues. She has engaged closely with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) since its inception and guides her clients in their dealings with the ACNC.

Her major projects are varied and include acting on transactions for various schools and higher education institutions including acquisition of a significant commercial tower for the Australian Catholic University, transactions and advice in the aged care, general education, welfare, and religious institution sectors, as well as creation of charitable vehicles for fundraising and service delivery in those places.

Josephine also assists many of her personal clients with their conveyancing, wills, and powers of attorney, general estate planning and business transactions.

Josephine works extensively with young lawyers and has mentored many during her years of practice. She is encouraged by their enthusiasm.

“We are not a conveyor belt law firm. Each one of our clients is unique. Each client has their own issues, approach and needs. Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers is different because we provide services tailored to each client.”

Key Professional Achievements

• Josephine holds a combined Bachelor of Arts (1977) and Bachelor of Laws (1979) degree from University of Sydney and a Master of Laws degree (1994) also from University of Sydney.
•  In November 2016, Josephine became a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
• Josephine joined Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers in 2009 as an Associate and became a Partner in 2015. Josephine chairs the firm Not-for-profit practice group and supervises publication of the firm’s regular Communities and Associations Newsletter.
• Prior to joining Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers, Josephine practised in other private firms and had been a member of the in-house legal team at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for nine years.
• Josephine is a past member of The Catholic Weekly Newspaper board and Kincoppal Rose Bay School board and a past inaugural member of the Broken Bay Institute company board.
• In 2015 Josephine completed 21 years serving as a member of the Sancta Sophia College Council, University of Sydney, 10 of them as its Chair. In 2016 Sancta Sophia College included Josephine among their notable alumni for demonstrating an outstanding contribution in her chosen profession and for service to the community.
• Josephine is a present director of the North Sydney Retirement Trust which operates James Milson Village at North Sydney and Woolwich and she is a member of the management committee of OLSH Overseas Aid Incorporated. Josephine is also the chair of the Catholic Women’s League Archdiocese of Sydney Investment Advisory Committee.
  

Pro Bono Matters