Corporate Advice, Business Services & Commercial Contracts

Areas of Expertise: 
Jackie Ruby and Kim Berrigan join Williams +Hughes, and our new premises in Geraldton
Post by Damian Quail | Posted 3 weeks ago on Tuesday, April 1st, 2025

Williams + Hughes are delighted to announce that Jacqueline Ruby and Kim Berrigan at Ruby & Associates, a long standing Geraldton law firm, have joined the Geraldton office of Williams + Hughes Commercial Lawyers.

We are very excited to welcome Jackie and Kim to our Geraldton team. Their wealth of experience and deep connections in Geraldton will take our regional office to the next level. We will now have two lawyers, Anthea Shaw and Jackie Ruby,  permanently in our office, along with June Burton, our paralegal and Geraldton Office Manager. Kim Berrigan, Leanne Scott and Jodi Heinrich round out our Admin/Office team in Geraldton.

Jackie Ruby has almost 30 years’ expertise in a range of commercial and private client matters. She established her own law firm in 1998 and operated Ruby & Associates until joining Williams + Hughes. She has assisted clients from all walks of life in respect of a range of issues including Criminal and Traffic matters, Personal Injuries actions, Restraining Orders, Property matters, Wills, Deceased Estates and Estate Disputes. More recently her focus has been on assisting clients in administering Deceased Estates and in relation to contested Wills proceedings. Jackie is also a District Public Notary for the Midwest Region.

Kim Berrigan joined Ruby & Associates in April 1998 and worked as Practice and Accounts Manager of the firm for over 22 years. She brings a wealth of knowledge to Williams + Hughes, and is looking forward to the new challenges her role will bring.

Along with the expansion of our office team, we have also expanded our Geraldton premises- by moving to 146 Fitzgerald Street, Geraldton, where Ruby & Associates were based. Williams + Hughes opened our Geraldton branch office on 17 December 2007, and after 18 years at Foreshore Drive we are very excited to move to larger and nicer premises on Fitzgerald Street. We have more offices, more meeting rooms, more natural light and a private carpark with a discrete entry to our office.    

The Directors and staff of Williams + Hughes welcome Jackie and Kim to W+H. Our Geraldton office is well placed for the future.

Felix Singh

Solicitor

LLB (Hons)

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EXPERIENCE

Felix is a solicitor in the corporate and commercial team at Williams + Hughes, with a particular interest in corporate advisory, corporate governance and M&A work. 

He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Tasmania in 2023. His Honours thesis explored the impact of employer discretion on Australian workers’ private lives and their out-of-hours conduct in relation to termination of employment. Felix then completed his Practical Legal Training with the College of Law and was admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in September 2024. 

Prior to joining Williams + Hughes, Felix served as an Associate to the Honourable Justice Glancy at the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the Western Australian State Administrative Tribunal. 

Having studied in Singapore, England and Australia, Felix can converse in Mandarin and Bahasa Melayu. 

Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, e-sports and travelling.

Felix is based in our West Perth office.
 

Rebecca Harms

Solicitor

B.Com, LLB

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EXPERIENCE

Rebecca commenced as a Law Graduate in our West Perth office in 2024, after completing a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Notre Dame. She completed her Practical Legal Training and was admitted as a Lawyer to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in March 2025.

Rebecca first joined Williams + Hughes as a Law Clerk in 2022. Throughout her time at the firm she has experienced various aspects of both commercial and litigation practice. She now works in our Commercial Law practice focussing on general commercial legal advice and conveyancing matters. 

Rebecca’s Commerce studies provided her with a broad understanding of the financial realities of business. Rebecca applies this background to ensure that our clients receive commercially realistic legal advice and guidance.

Outside of work, Rebecca likes to stay active and enjoys spending time outdoors.

Rebecca is based in our West Perth office.
 

Anthea Shaw

Solicitor

LLB, Grad. Dip. Family Dispute Resolution, Grad. Dip. Legal Practice

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EXPERIENCE

Anthea works predominantly in our Geraldton office, while spending regular time each month in our West Perth office. Moving between both offices provides opportunities for Anthea to assist clients both in Perth and throughout the Midwest region.

Anthea practices in general commercial law, with a particular focus on business sales, preparation of Wills, Will disputes, Estate planning, probate, trusts, commercial sales and leasing and residential conveyancing.

Following admission as a legal practitioner in WA and NSW, Anthea practiced as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner for several years. Her mediation skills are particularly helpful when managing estate matters involving family members in conflict.

When not at work, Anthea enjoys water sports, running, cycling and travelling.

Greg Mohen joins Williams + Hughes
Post by Damian Quail | Posted 2 years ago on Friday, January 27th, 2023

Williams + Hughes are delighted to announce that Greg Mohen has joined our commercial law team.

Greg has over 40 years’ expertise in a range of commercial and private client matters.

In his commercial legal practice he has represented a variety of clients including Local Governments, property development, building, mining services, power infrastructure, accountancy, pharmacy, real estate, settlement, and financial advisory businesses.

Greg also has a strong association with the provision of community legal services. For 8 years between 1992 and 2001 he worked with the Law Society of Western Australia to manage the Law Society’s community legal services, including establishing the Law Access pro bono referral service and overseeing the management of other community projects such as the Litigation Assistance Fund, Law Week and the Francis Burt Law Education Centre.

Greg regularly provides probono legal assistance to individuals and organisations including Australian Red Cross, Cancer Council, the Salvation Army and the Francis Burt Law Education Centre.

Greg was formerly a Partner at Kott Gunning and Civic Legal.

 

Greg Mohen

Commercial Counsel

B.Juris (1980), LLB (1981)

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EXPERIENCE

Greg has over 40 years’ expertise in a range of commercial and private client matters.

In his commercial legal practice he has represented a variety of clients including Local Governments, property development, building, mining services, power infrastructure, accountancy, pharmacy, real estate, settlement, and financial advisory businesses.

Greg’s legal practice includes:

  • Drafting tenders and managing tendering and/or procurement processes, including Local Government preparation and documentation of tenders for services and construction of infrastructure.
  • Private client property development including oversight of subdivision and settlements in land subdivisions, drafting and review of contract documents, restrictive covenants, easements and notifications.
  • Negotiating, drafting and advising on contracts for sale or purchase of businesses, assets and equipment.  
  • Advising on commercial transactions including drafting and negotiating contacts, tenders, memorandums of understanding, development agreements, road construction agreements, power infrastructure contracts, mining services contracts, waste management, design and construct contracts and contracts of employment.
  • Advising on and drafting contracts for sale of land, access agreements, easements, restrictive covenants and development deeds.
  • Drafting and negotiating property related agreements, including leases, licences, easements and restrictive covenants.
  • Advising on, drafting and negotiating contracts for sale and/or purchase of property for development purposes, including off the plan development contracts for both broad-acre subdivisions and strata apartments, drafting of standardised contracts of sale and oversight of the settlements.
  • Advising on and drafting development and construction contracts for infrastructure, including waste processing and energy projects, from EOI, tender, negotiation of development agreements to Contract closure.
  • Negotiating and drafting contracts for merger and acquisitions of SME companies.
  • Drafting bespoke terms and conditions for supply of goods and services.
  • Drafting and advising on general terms and conditions for supply of goods and services. 
  • Advising on estate planning and preparation of estate documents including Wills, Probate applications for deceased estates and trusts.

Greg also has a strong association with the provision of community legal services. For 8 years between 1992 and 2001 he worked with the Law Society of Western Australia to manage the Law Society’s community legal services, including establishing the Law Access pro bono referral service and overseeing the management of other community projects such as the Litigation Assistance Fund, Law Week and the Francis Burt Law Education Centre.

Greg regularly provides probono legal assistance to individuals and organisations including Australian Red Cross, Cancer Council, the Salvation Army and the Francis Burt Law Education Centre.

Greg was formerly a Partner at Kott Gunning and Civic Legal. Greg is based in our West Perth office.

Chris Osborn

Commercial Counsel

Qualified as a lawyer in Western Australia; Victoria; England; Hong Kong and California

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EXPERIENCE

Chris qualified as a lawyer in 1979 and joined the firm in 2003. He has practiced law and is qualified as a lawyer in Western Australia, Hong Kong and England and is also qualified as a lawyer in the USA.

Chris has worked extensively on resources, corporate and electricity transactions in Australia and Asia. Chris has particular experience in large cross border mergers and acquisitions and capital raising transactions for both listed and unlisted companies. Prior to joining the firm Chris was Head of Legal in the international investment and development division of one of Asia's largest power companies.>

Chris has extensive experience in advising on Project Finance, Group Finance and Debt Finance matters and is Williams + Hughes’ inhouse expert on complex financings and related securities. Chris has advised several of our largest clients, covering industries as diverse as chemicals and agri-business on syndicated financing facilities and debt restructurings, including negotiating with banks to remove selected assets from group wide securities. In his former role as in house counsel Chris represented the borrower in the $1 billion refinancing of the Yallourn Power Station. Chris has in his previous career acted for Australian and foreign banks in project finance and realisation of assets.

Chris understands the business needs of clients and is able to look over the horizon at the next stage of development of a client's business. He is able to function in a cross culture environment. He has studied in China and Hong Kong and speaks conversational Cantonese and Mandarin.

Chris also works in estate planning, trusts and the charitable and not for profit sector. He is passionate in delivering advice on practical solutions for charities and not for profits. Chris has experience as a Board member of charities.

He is a member of the Association of Australian Mining and Petroleum Lawyers Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), where he is recognised as a Trust and Estates Practitioner.

Outside of work Chris enjoys following rugby union and rugby league; playing lawn bowls and golf and listening to jazz. He is a board member of the Dogs’ Refuge Home (WA) Inc, one of Perth’s oldest animal charities.

Chris is based in our West Perth office.

David Williams

Commercial Counsel

B.Juris, LLB

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EXPERIENCE

David established Williams & Hughes in 1986. He practices as a commercial lawyer in the corporate, business and resources fields and has acted on numerous commercial transactions including major acquisitions and sales.

David combines his considerable legal experience with an incisive and pragmatic approach to commercial transactions which is highly valued by his clients. Those skills have also been sought after and applied in resolving issues for high net worth families in their estate planning and business structuring.

David is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a member of the Australian Mining and Petroleum Lawyers Association, the Law Society of Western Australia and the Business Law Division of the Australian Law Council. He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Recent matters David has managed include:

  • acting over a period of years and in an ongoing role in negotiating, drafting and settling comprehensive relationship documents with third parties for a multimillion dollar private group's technology venture
  • advising a high net worth family on succession planning for its predominately trust structures and resetting its relationship documents both internally and with third parties
  • advising and assisting on the expansion and restructuring of a significant wine making group of companies
  • acting for both private and public listed companies on acquisition and disposal of resource projects, including negotiating and drafting documents for joint ventures, royalties and project related transactions.
  • He has been active in various service and professional bodies, including serving for eight years' as a State Councillor of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has held directorships in both private and public companies.

David is based in our West Perth office.

Wills, Probate and Bequests to Charities

Make an Enquiry

At Williams + Hughes we have more than 30 years’ experience advising a range of charities and not-for-profit organisations. Many of our Principals have experience as Board members of charities. We understand the distinct commercial and legislative requirements of this sector and are well placed to deliver advice on practical solutions for  charitable and not for profit organisations. 

We have experience in advising charities on governance; registering with the Australian Charities & Not for Profits Commission (ACNC); tax concessions, DGR status, compliance and other matters.

The services we provide in this sector include:

  • Advising Boards on corporate governance and compliance;
  • Structuring, establishing and transitioning for not-for-profits and charities;
  • Securing charitable status and tax concessions for charities;
  • Negotiating settlements on behalf of charities and private clients in relation to disputed estates;
  • Applying for probate for charities and not-for-profit organisations; and
  • Establishing school scholarship funds and obtaining Designated and Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

Our work includes: 

  • Acting for two leading Perth private schools in:
    • establishing Scholarship and Bursary Funds and obtaining DGR status for those funds
    • advising the Schools and their Foundations on their Constitutions and governance matters
  • Acting for a school in regional Western Australia in establishing a school Foundation
  • Completing the re-structure of a leading Western Australian heath related charity from an association to a company limited by guarantee and obtaining DGR status as a public ancillary fund
  • Assisting charities in re-structuring including changing from an association to a company limited by guarantee
  • Advising religious orders
  • Undertaking the Western Australian element of a national restructure of a religious order and its property holdings and obtaining exemption from stamp duty
  • Advising well known national and local charities on estates and disputes concerning estates and applying for letters of administration with the will annexed on behalf of charities where the executor does not wish to act
  • Acting pro bono for the Dogs Refuge Home (WA) Inc, one of Perth’s oldest animal charities

Establishing Foundations, Charities and DGR’s

Make an Enquiry

At Williams + Hughes we have more than 30 years’ experience advising a range of charities and not-for-profit organisations. Many of our Principals have experience as Board members of charities. We understand the distinct commercial and legislative requirements of this sector and are well placed to deliver advice on practical solutions for  charitable and not for profit organisations. 

We have experience in advising charities on governance; registering with the Australian Charities & Not for Profits Commission (ACNC); tax concessions, DGR status, compliance and other matters.

The services we provide in this sector include:

  • Advising Boards on corporate governance and compliance;
  • Structuring, establishing and transitioning for not-for-profits and charities;
  • Securing charitable status and tax concessions for charities;
  • Negotiating settlements on behalf of charities and private clients in relation to disputed estates;
  • Applying for probate for charities and not-for-profit organisations; and
  • Establishing school scholarship funds and obtaining Designated and Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

Our work includes: 

  • Acting for two leading Perth private schools in:
    • establishing Scholarship and Bursary Funds and obtaining DGR status for those funds
    • advising the Schools and their Foundations on their Constitutions and governance matters
  • Acting for a school in regional Western Australia in establishing a school Foundation
  • Completing the re-structure of a leading Western Australian heath related charity from an association to a company limited by guarantee and obtaining DGR status as a public ancillary fund
  • Assisting charities in re-structuring including changing from an association to a company limited by guarantee
  • Advising religious orders
  • Undertaking the Western Australian element of a national restructure of a religious order and its property holdings and obtaining exemption from stamp duty
  • Advising well known national and local charities on estates and disputes concerning estates and applying for letters of administration with the will annexed on behalf of charities where the executor does not wish to act
  • Acting pro bono for the Dogs Refuge Home (WA) Inc, one of Perth’s oldest animal charities

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