Criminal/Community Panel
Simon McGregor is currently a Coroner at the Coroners Court of Victoria. Prior to being appointed as a Coroner in 2018, Simon was a member of the Victorian Bar for 21 years. On his way there, he was President Winneke’s researcher and a Court of Appeal Registrar before he read with H.H. Jack Forrest, had six readers of his own, and two indigenous lawyer mentees. He both practised, and published in, administrative and human rights law, health and regulatory law, inquests, commissions, proceeds of crime and other investigation spaces. During his career, he worked on the Police Shootings trials, the HMAS Melbourne/Voyager litigation, the Kerang Train & Truck Collision and the Parolee Murder cluster inquests. As a Coroner, he is best known for his work triggering the AFL to review its concussion policies, his review of the appropriateness of Victoria’s pill testing and Voluntary Assisted Dying schemes and his recent indigenous deaths in custody; care inquests (re Veronica Nelson ; re XY respectively], although he has also presided over in excess of 4,000 other coronial determinations during his term, all of which are equally important to those associated families.
Emma Turnbull is an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist and the Managing Partner of Emma Turnbull Lawyers, one of Victoria’s leading criminal defence firms. Known for her sharp courtroom advocacy and strategic leadership, Emma regularly appears in complex indictable matters and jury trials. She is a sought-after speaker on legal practice, law firm leadership, and lawyer wellbeing. Emma is also the founder of CLIP, a nationally recognised internship program bridging the gap between law school and practice. She has been recognised as a finalist and winner in multiple national legal awards for innovation, mentorship, and excellence in criminal law.
Shehara Skilbeck is a Family lawyer/Family violence lawyer at the South-East Monash Legal Service. Shehara Skilbeck began her career as a social worker which inspired her to be an advocate inside and outside of the court room. In 2017, Shehara received the Monash University Law Dean’s Scholarship and was admitted in 2021. She began her legal career as a tenancy lawyer and now works at South-East Monash Legal Service as a Family Lawyer/Family Violence Lawyer. During the week, Shehara appears at the Magistrates Court and provides outreach services through justice health partnerships. Shehara regularly appears in complex Directions Hearings and assists in the preparation of Further and Better Particulars.