Harwood Andrews delighted by the appointment of Janet Dore as Chair of the firm

Harwood Andrews Managing Principal Dan Simmonds & newly appointed Chair Janet Dore (photo courtesy Committee for Geelong)

Powerful regional business figure Janet Dore has been appointed Chair of the Lantern Legal Group, the parent company of law firms Harwood Andrews and Sladen Legal, which have a significant footprint across the major commercial centres in Victoria.

Her appointment is likely to shake up the legal landscape in Victoria, particularly in Geelong where recently Ms Dore was named by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews as one of the key appointments to the new Geelong Development Authority.

The appointment will also not go unnoticed in Ballarat where she was recently appointed Chair of the influential Committee for Ballarat.

Ms Dore, who last month ended a seven-year tenure as Chief Executive of the Transport Accident Commission, will bring high-level organisational experience to the Sladen Legal and Harwood Andrews businesses.

In her role at TAC she was responsible for the implementation of TAC2015, a six-year strategy to achieve a $600m reduction in liabilities.

Sladen Legal is a substantial Melbourne legal practice specialising in corporate and private business clients. Harwood Andrews is the leading regional law firm in Victoria, where it is the market leader in Geelong and Ballarat and has recently entered with growth aspirations into Bendigo.

“Janet’s appointment is a clear signal about our intentions in Victoria: we want to consolidate our position as the leading regional law firm,” said Dan Simmonds, managing partner of Harwood Andrews and Sladen Legal. “Our approach has always been unconventional. Janet is the first non-lawyer Chair of our firm and she brings a unique and valuable perspective shaped by her diverse experience with private business, the public sector and government agencies in Melbourne, regional Victoria and interstate.”

Ms Dore has a background in regional government and business; she was the first CEO of the newly amalgamated City of Ballarat in 1994 and later the General Manager of Newcastle City Council. She has held board-level roles with NIB Health Funds, Newcastle Airport, NSW Heritage Council, NSW Sustainability Advisory Council and the Victorian Planning Appeals Tribunal.

“Regional business and development have been my focus and passion for much of my career and this new role provides me with the opportunity to get involved with regional business from an exciting new perspective,” Ms Dore said. “I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in such a progressive and vibrant firm and continuing to play a role in the development of business in Victoria’s key regional centres.”

For more information or comment

Dan Simmonds
Managing Principal
Harwood Andrews
T: 03 5226 8513
E: dsimmonds@harwoodandrews.com.au