DTL Media Releases
- All
- ACON Honour Awards
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Law Society of NSW President's Medal
- LOVE Project
- Transgender rights
Media release
For immediate release — 25 May 2023
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) is honoured to be recognised by the Australasian Law Awards 2023, as the winner of the Diversity Initiative of the Year award.
The Australasian Law Awards bring together 600 professionals to recognise excellence in the Australian legal sector. The Diversity Initiative of the Year category acknowledges the tangible efforts made by nominees to promote diversity inclusion in the legal profession.
DTL’s win follows consistent and extensive efforts to promote a diverse culture in the firm, but also, genuinely bettering Australian society. In particular, DTL has led the charge for two NSW parliamentary inquiries into LGBTQA+ hate crimes, with the objective of truth telling and justice. Following recommendations of the committees conducting those inquiries, we also led the charge for an independent judicial commission of inquiry into LGBTQA+ murders in NSW.
The Australasian Law Awards’ judges’ comments on DTL included:
“Impressive and tangible contributions that deserve recognition”.
“Used their skills and resources to make meaningful change and a significant impact beyond the firm.”.
DTL Managing Partner Stacey Dowson, said:
“Though we do not do our work for praise, but rather for assisting our clients who are quite often apart of minority groups, it is nevertheless spiriting to receive this award. I am extremely grateful of our team of lawyers and am excited for our team to continue its great work.”
Diversity is central to our work and DTL is humbled to be recognised in this way. Following this win, we are even more motivated and committed to continue servicing all communities, as we have since our inception🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
For immediate release — 31 March 2023
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) recognises and celebrates International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) on 31 March.
In 2009, activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker founded TDOV to unify the transgender and gender diverse communities from all over the world, to celebrate the community’s achievements and to platform their lived experiences. With the Biden administration issuing a proclamation to recognise TDOV last year, this day has evolved to one that is widely celebrated.
The staff at the Gender Centre, who admirably assist those in their gender affirmation journey, released a powerful statement to commemorate TDOV:
“By existing we challenge. By embracing happiness we confound. By speaking our truth we contradict the harmful claims that continue to be propagated; that women exist to make babies, that men are mean to dominate; that destiny is chromosomes or religious doctrine or unreflected tradition…we disrupt convenient stories about what is possible.”
DTL acknowledges our incredibly inspiring trans staff, clients, friends, and family, who we value immensely.
DTL Managing Partner Stacey Dowson, said:
“Transgender Day of Visibility reminds us that we must remain committed to supporting our transgender and gender diverse community. However, our celebration, acceptance and inclusion of diversity must not be confined to one day. As an out loud and proud LGBTQA+ law firm, DTL will continue to listen to and honour our Transgender community, not just today, but every day.”
While important to celebrate, we also acknowledge the barriers that the transgender community experience. Furthermore, we condemn the proliferation of the deeply transphobic rhetoric fuelled by so-called activists, such as Posie Parker, and recognise how this re-traumatises the transgender community.
DTL is proud to service our transgender and gender diverse community. We love what we do and are proud to be who we are. 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
Photograph produced by Ted Eytan (2018)
For immediate release — 23 March 2023
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) is proud to announce that it is an Excellence Awardee in the Australasian Law Awards, 2023.
The Australasian Law Awards bring together 600 professionals to recognise excellence in the Australian legal sector. The Diversity Initiative of the Year category acknowledges the tangible efforts made by nominees to promote diversity inclusion in the legal profession.
DTL’s nomination reflects our enormous efforts, since foundation, to be an out loud and proud LGBTQA+ law firm, servicing all communities across Australia, but also recognising intersectionality within the Australian legal profession.
DTL’s diversity programs have not just about building a diverse culture in the firm, but to ensure our society is more inclusive. We have led the charge for two NSW parliamentary inquiries into LGBTQA+ hate crimes, with the objective of truth telling and justice. Following recommendations of the committees conducting those inquiries, we led the charge for an independent judicial commission of inquiry into LGBTQA+ murders in NSW.
DTL’s recognition of diversity also extends to our ongoing collaboration with ACON NSW in the ACON Honour Awards, Pride in Diversity and the LOVE Project, celebrating LGBTQIA+ people from all walks of life.
DTL Managing Partner Stacey Dowson, said:
“We are honoured to be recognised for our work. We don’t do it for praise, we do it for the benefit of all minority groups in Australia. But it is nevertheless wonderful to be nominated for such a prestigious award, and I am hugely grateful to our team of lawyers who not only are brilliant technical lawyers, but are social justice advocates that care about their clients and the world they live in. This nomination encourages DTL to continue our important work.”
Diversity is central to our work. Our clients come from all communities, yet they choose technically brilliant LGBTQA+ lawyers to act for them. We love what we do and are proud to be who we are. 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
Media: Matt Mitchell – Hired Gun Media – matt@hiredgunmedia.com.au Ph: 0431 980 365
Media release
For immediate release — 16 February 2023
On Thursday, Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) partner, Nicholas Stewart, spoke at a breakfast hosted by The Inclusion Circle and MinterEllsion, alongside Alex Greenwich MP, Lara Husselbee from Wear it Purple, and Carmen Juarez from MinterEllison. The speakers panel tackled some of the big issues affecting LGBTQ+ people in the workplace.
The panel was chaired by LGBTQ+ employer support program, Pride in Diversity, which provides specialised assistance to employers, through consultation, training and internal policy review.
Nicholas stressed the systemic and sociocultural barriers faced by LGBTQ+ communities in business, education and government. He said that businesses should ensure they build policies around both young and older generations of the community, in discourse, and with urgency.
DTL looks forward to contributing to the Inclusion Circle and Pride in Diversity network in 2023.
Media: Jordan Anderson (he / they), 02 8000 7300.
Dowson Turco Lawyers is extremely proud of one of our partners, Nicholas Stewart, who is the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Law Society of New South Wales’s President’s Medal.
Nicholas received the Medal because of his outstanding contributions to the NSW justice system, primarily through his tireless work bringing about two parliamentary inquiries into LGBT hate crimes in the NSW Parliament, and, now, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into LGBT Hate Crimes. Nicholas’s President’s Medal also recognises his work on the redraft of the Charter for the Advancement of Women, which Nicholas led in his capacity as Chair of the Women’s Advancement Committee, on the Law Society of New South Wales’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
NSW Attorney General posted a photo on Twitter of Nicholas Stewart receiving the President’s Medal and congratulated Nicholas for his contributions to the NSW
Nicholas said:
“It was the best thing to happen all year. I have been speaking a lot about victims of hate crimes and the experience of their family members and the LGBTQA+ community, and sometimes it breaks me. I get overwhelmed with sadness telling the stories of gay men and trans people who were senselessly murdered. So, to receive the highest accolade in the NSW legal profession was an enormous surprise, but also a wonderful thing to symbolise my profession’s recognition for the work I have done for our community, as well as other human rights work at the Law Society of NSW and through Australian Lawyers for Human Rights.”
Dowson Turco Managing Partner and founder, Stacey Dowson, said:
“I am so pleased for Nicholas. He is an authentic leader, a brilliant lawyer and someone who cares for vulnerable groups in society. He is key to our firm’s success as the go-to law firm for the LGBTQA+ community in Australia. I am grateful to the Law Society of New South Wales and our colleagues across the profession who have recognised Nicholas’s work for our community, and women. We now need a federal royal commission to investigate hate crimes in all states and territories.”
9 December 2022
Joanne van der Plaat, President of the Law Society of NSW, and Nicholas Stewart
LGBTQA+ elders joined Dowson Turco Lawyers and the LOVE Project for the inaugural LOVE Social Celebration at the Beresford Hotel on 18 October 2022.
Over 100 people came together for a three-course sit down dinner, speeches and entertainment, with a focus on love and socialisation of the LGBTQA+ community.
Dowson Turco Lawyers partner, Nicholas Stewart, congratulated ACON NSW on its first LOVE Social event:
“We are all conscious of the prevalence of mental health in our community. We are at risk of isolation, a leading cause of depression. Feelings of despair or worthlessness are common when a person lives in isolation. ACON is combatting this by fostering socialisation, to allow people to feel loved and valued. This event creates a sense of belonging, which we know means that we have people who we can turn to share life’s ups and downs. Those of us who have lost a close friend or a partner particularly need to belong.”
Dowson Turco Lawyers recognises the critical issues affecting our community including self-esteem and purposeful living.
Stewart continued: “A place to go, an important task to complete, people to see or help, gives us purpose. A social life gives us a good reason to get up in the morning and the connections we have with others create meaning in our lives, giving us fulfillment. Dowson Turco Lawyers is proud to sponsor this event, and to continue on a journey of support for the LOVE Project. We want our community to maintain its sense of self-regulation, its love and support for one another. We are in this together with you, so let’s stay connected and grow together.”
END
LGBTQ leaders, collaborators and hard working heroes, advocates and activists, were among a diverse mix of people joining Dowson Turco Lawyers and ACON NSW for the 2022 Honour Awards.
Over 300 people came together at the Ivy Ballroom to celebrate the LGBTQ community’s 2022 leaders, whose work has made a difference to the lives of sexuality and gender diverse people in NSW. Winners were selected from across NSW, with 35 finalists, drawn from over 200 nominations.
First held in 2007, the Honour Awards is an annual celebration of outstanding service and achievements in LGBTQ communities in NSW, and a gala fundraising event for the state’s leading HIV and LGBTQ health organisation, ACON NSW. This year marked the return of Honour, after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Dowson Turco Lawyers proudly supported ACON during 2020 and 2021, despite the Honour Awards being cancelled during this time.
Dowson Turco Lawyers Managing Partner, Stacey Dowson, congratulated all the Honour recipients and finalists on their achievements, community service and recognition.
“It was wonderful to come together again and celebrate the many wonderful achievements and acts of service in our communities,” Ms Dowson said.
“As an LGBTQ law firm, we loved celebrating those amongst us who are giving up their valuable time to make our society a safer place. The Honour Awards give us the opportunity to acknowledge incredible efforts and community service. So we thank ACON for its meticulous production of this event, and for leading the way for LGBTQ health in NSW. Seeing our community shine was a reminder of the importance of physical events and socialisation.”
“We also thank other sponsorship partners including, SBS, people2people, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Sydney Mardi Gras, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association, Positive Life NSW, OUT@NBCUniversal, Friends of Cayte and The Star Observer.”
“Dowson Turco Lawyers values its partnership with ACON NSW and particularly thanks Nicolas Parkhill and Karen Price for their commitment to truth and justice for victims and families of LGBTQ hate crimes”
Media Release
For immediate release: 11 August 2022
As the Principal Partner of the 2022 ACON NSW Honour Awards, we congratulate all finalists on reaching this point in the awards. We look forward to celebrating the winners on 17 August 2022.
You can read about the finalists here. But meet the finalists for the Community Hero Award below:
We are members of the LGBTIQA+ community and we have been fighting for our community since our humble beginnings.
Community Heroes
Ann-Marie Calilhanna: For her passionate and dedicated work in documenting Sydney’s vibrant LGBTQ culture over 20 years through photography, and for supporting LGBTQ causes, organisations and businesses. A beloved figure in Sydney’s LGBTQ scene, Ann-Marie has been at the forefront of capturing people, places and events for the past two decades, ensuring a lasting photographic record of our unique LGBTQ history and heritage.
Brodie Gray: For her work in supporting LGBTQ communities in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven. In 2021, Brodie established the LGBTQ social and support network, Queers Down South, which provides a much-needed forum for sexuality and gender diverse people in the south coast regions of NSW. Queers Down South enables networking, connection, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building for LGBTQ people in the NSW south coast, helping to improve community strength and resilience.
Katherine Wolfgramme: For her tireless work as a trans advocate, activist and educator. As a consultant and trainer, Katherine delivers important inclusion training for large corporations and organisations that helps deepen understanding of trans people and communities. Katherine is also a passionate activist, elevating causes and issues that progress trans rights, empower trans lives and strengthen trans health and wellbeing.
Nyx Harris: For their work in advocating for the health and wellbeing of sexuality and gender diverse autistic people. Through their involvement with Autism Spectrum Australia, Nyx provides vital support to LGBTQIA+ autistic community members, ensures access to vital support mechanisms and pathways to appropriate services, advocates for greater inclusion and serves as a role model for young autistic community members.
Media release
For immediate release 31 May 2022
As Australia’s only Out Loud and Proud® LGBTQ+ law firm, Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) is thrilled to announce its return as Principal Partner of the ACON Honour Awards 2022. DTL has been Principal Partner since 2018, marking this year as the firm’s sixth time as proud sponsors of the annual awards celebration.
An ongoing collaboration with the ACON Honour Awards has allowed DTL to be involved in strengthening the richness of the LGBTQ+ community by recognising individuals, businesses, or organisations that have displayed outstanding leadership or exceptional service to the LGBTQI+ community in NSW. We are grateful for ACON’s approach to authentic recognition of our community stars.
DTL remains in a strong position to contribute to the LGBTQ+ community having been an LGBTQ+ firm for all communities across Australia – since 2008 – and having led the campaign for parliamentary and judicial inquiries into LGBTQ hate crimes. DTL will continue to engage in community collaboration on all fronts to celebrate and reward individuals and businesses who take part in progressing the community’s safety and prosperity.
Nicholas Stewart, Partner at DTL, said: “It is important that we celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of those who make an outstanding difference to the lives of LGBTQ+ people in NSW. The ACON Honour Awards aspire to do exactly this and we are thrilled to be able to contribute to this event as both a Principal Partner and a long-time supporter of the Honour Awards.”
DTL Managing Partner, Stacey Dowson said, “The Honour Awards represents an array of diverse achievements and efforts towards the LGBTQ+ community. It is an important event that DTL feels extremely proud to be a part of, solidifying our standing as the trusted lawyers within the LGBTQ+ community.”
Media Contact: Matt Mitchell
M: +61 431 980 365 E: matt@hiredgunmedia.com.au
Media release
For immediate release 15 March 2022
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) welcomes the NSW State Coroner’s 
decision to hold a coronial inquest into the death of Jasmynd Gibbs, an Indigenous man who died six weeks after being released on parole and, who was at the time of his death, under the supervision of NSW Community Corrections.
A request for an inquest into a person’s death, like that of Mr Gibbs, is subject to the powers of the NSW State Coroner under the Coroners Act 2009 (NSW). The objective of an inquest is to enable coroners to investigate certain kinds of deaths in order to determine the identities of the deceased persons, the times and dates of their deaths and the manner and cause of their deaths, but also to enable coroners to identify systemic failures in health, law enforcement or other services, and make recommendations to improve services in an effort to prevent similar deaths occurring in future.
DTL crime partner, Nicholas Stewart said, “It is in the public interest that an inquest be held into Mr Gibbs’ death because he died in circumstances, while on parole (and therefore under supervision of NSW Community Corrections). Mr Gibbs suffered a disability and died an unnatural death, despite being under the supervision of Community Corrections. Mr Gibbs’ family believe there was an enormous failure in post-release planning for Mr Gibbs.”
DTL managing partner, Stacey Dowson said, “While Mr Gibbs’ death did not occur when he was in custody, DTL is of the view that the definition of a death in custody must be expanded to post-release care, and so, it must be recognised that a duty of care does not cease on the day of release.”
Nicholas Stewart continued, “This is a matter of truth-telling for Mr Gibbs’ family. They have petitioned for an inquest because they believe Mr Gibbs’ death was preventable. Further, the family wants changes to the way inmates are managed upon release, and while on parole, and seeks to ensure that culturally appropriate supervision for Indigenous parolees is available on release.”
Media Contact: Matt Mitchell
M: +61 431 980 365 E: matt@hiredgunmedia.com.au
Media release
For immediate release 26 February 2019
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) welcomes the interim report of the NSW Parliamentary Committee inquiring into gay and transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010 in NSW.
The report outlines the interim findings of our parliament and confirms that a “prevailing acceptance of, and indifference towards, violence and hostility directed at gay men, principally during the period prior to the mid-1990s, impacted on the protection of and delivery of justice to victims of hate crimes.”
Nicholas Stewart, partner at DTL, who led the LGBTI community’s push for this inquiry said, “Dowson Turco is grateful for the investment of the NSW Parliament in this issue. We are now making progress on justice for victims of LGBT hate crimes in NSW and I want to thank our community partners, ACON NSW and the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, as well as our pro bono client, Alan Rosendale, for helping to shine a light on this dark period of our history.”
DTL endorses the Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations, but maintains the view that a judicial commission of inquiry with broad powers to compel witnesses to give evidence is required to bring about justice for victims.
The full report can be accessed on the NSW Parliament’s website here.
Media Contact: Matt Mitchell
P: 0431 980 365 E: matt@hiredgunmedia.com.au
Dowson Turco Lawyers celebrates a successful campaign for a parliamentary inquiry into LGBTI hate crimes in NSW
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) welcomes the announcement of a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into historic LGBTI hate crimes in NSW, including the response of the NSW justice system.
The NSW Legislative Council’s Standing Committee on Social Issues will hold an inquiry into institutional responses to gay and transgender hate crimes committed in NSW between 1970 and 2010.
DTL acts for Alan Rosendale, who was bashed in a violent assault at a gay beat near South Dowling Street in 1989. A third-party independent witness recorded the numberplate of the vehicle carrying the perpetrators and it was subsequently confirmed with senior NSW Police officers that the number plate was that of a NSW Police Force vehicle. The inquiry should investigate Alan’s matter from all angles.
Nicholas Stewart, a DTL partner, said: “We commend the NSW Parliament for inquiring further into gay and transgender hate crimes committed in NSW between 1970 and 2010, and how justice agencies responded to these violent crimes.
“So many victims of this epidemic of LGBTIQ hatred have not received the treatment they would have received had they not been LGBTIQ,” Nicholas said.
“One victim’s mother wrote repeatedly to the NSW Police Force asking for it to investigate her son’s disappearance, but her multiple letters over many years were ignored. It was not until a brave NSW Police officer, Steve Page, saw the victim’s mother’s letters and used considerable personal time and energy to prompt an investigation.”
“It’s time to look at the past wrongs of our justice agencies and ensure not only that they are put right, but are never made again,” Nicholas said.
In May, the AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) released the report “In Pursuit of Truth & Justice”, which looked at suspected anti-gay and anti-transgender homicides that occurred in NSW between the 1970s and 1990s. Among its recommendations was an independent inquiry that would explore the extent of historical violence experienced by the LGBTI community.
“We extend our gratitude to members of the NSW Parliament, particularly those who helped bring about this inquiry. Those members include The Hon. Shayne Mallard MLC, The Hon. Trevor Kahn MLC, Alex Greenwich MP, Ms Jenny Leong MP and The Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC. Their leadership means a lot for the survivors, their loved ones, the families of victims and the broader LGBTI community,” Nicholas said.
DTL has campaigned for this inquiry for many years. We are grateful to our friends in the NSW Parliament but also those friends within ACON as well as Rick Feneley, Susie Thompson, Steve Page, Duncan McNab and Stephen Tomsen. We look forward to assisting victims of hate crimes, including lesbians, bisexuals, intersex people and queer people, to tell their stories and inform our parliamentarians of the extreme violence our community suffered and still suffers.
Media Contact: Kel Murray
P: (02) 0407 675 529
E: km@dowsonturco.com.au
Drug search and arrest courtesy Elvert Barnes
For immediate release
Dowson Turco Lawyers (DTL) is alarmed by statements of senior NSW Police Force officers say that they will instruct police officers to ban festival-goers from attending the Above & Beyond event in Sydney this weekend if the festival-goers happen to have a drug dog sit down next to them.
In response to this ostensible overreach of executive power, crime partner at Dowson Turco Lawyers, Nicholas Stewart said:
“The NSW Police Force does not have the power to prosecute civil penalties against innocent party-goers simply because a police drug dog has given an indication that they have drug particles on their clothes or skin. The law requires a criminal act to have been committed before an accused person can be penalised and an indication by a drug dog in respect of a civilian does not, at law, trigger a criminal prosecution. This is a dangerous over-reach of executive power and inconsistent with ancient laws that require accused people be presumed innocent until they are proven guilty of contravening the law.”
“Drug dogs have been shown, time and time again, to be ineffective at accurately detecting drugs on people. Unfortunately, drug dogs remain used by law enforcement agencies in NSW but, if they are used for the purposes of banning innocent people from attending events, then there is a real risk that the NSW Police Force will undermine public confidence in the integrity of its work.”
“Not only is this police activity beyond the legislated power prescribed and delegated by the Parliament of NSW, it is also activity capable of constituting civil torts including the torts of trespass to the person, battery and unlawful imprisonment.”
In response to legal proceedings brought by NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge, Mr Stewart said “David Shoebridge MLC has sought injunctive relief which may or may not be successful. I admire his advocacy on this issue but cannot speak further about the proceedings.”