David Morris, CEO
David is Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Defenders Office following the EDO merger, which saw the creation of the single regionally focused EDO in 2019. He is responsible for leading the organisation to advance the EDO’s mission of ‘A world where nature thrives’. David oversees the strategic direction of EDO’s public interest environmental law services and is based on Awabakal Land (Newcastle, NSW).
Before being appointed as CEO of the EDO, David previously served from 2017 to 2019 as the CEO of the Environmental Defenders Office NSW. Prior to that David held a range of legal roles in private practice, government, and for nearly 5 years served as the Principal Lawyer of the EDO in the Northern Territory. Highlights of David’s time in the Northern Territory include acting for the Traditional Owners of Watarrka National Park, assisting them to successfully oppose oil and gas exploration within the Park and acting for community members on Garawa, Yanuwa, Mara, and Gurdanji land on a wide range of issues relating to Glencore’s McArthur River Mine.
David has broad environmental law experience, but has had a particular focus on disputes related to mining, gas, and cultural heritage. As a solicitor, David regularly acted for NGOs, community groups, and Aboriginal traditional owners and appeared as solicitor advocate in a variety of court and tribunal proceedings.
David currently serves on the advisory council of the GrataFund and previously held governance roles with the Australian Conservation Foundation as both a Council member and Board Director. In 2016, David received the Law Council of Australia’s Mahla Pearlman Young Australian Environmental Lawyer of the Year Award. David has undertaken a range of leadership training. In 2018 he was selected to participate in the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program, run by the US Department of State and in 2021 was awarded a scholarship to attend the McKinsey Executive Leadership Program.
David received his B.A and LLB from Monash University.
Office of the CEO
The longest serving EDO solicitor in Australia, Jo joined EDO Qld in 1992 after working in company and commercial law with Minter Ellison in Sydney.
For the past 25-plus years, Jo has been dedicated to providing legal advice and education to Queensland communities. She has been instrumental in the reformation of Queensland’s environmental laws, including successfully advocating for expanded third-party enforcement rights. Jo has worked on more than 20 successful test cases concerning Commonwealth and State environmental laws.
As Director of the Queensland office, Jo successfully grew the office from a small government-funded community legal centre to a vibrant and effective public interest law office with 13 staff and diverse funding sources that is now part of a strong merged national EDO.
Jo-Anne graduated from Sydney University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.
In 2020 Jo was the recipient of the Queensland Law Society’s Agnes McWhinney Award and the Access to Justice Award
Tracy Stubbs is skilled senior executive assistant with a focus on strategic partnership. As the EA to the CEO & Board Secretariat at EDO, Tracy brings over 20 years of experience across c-suite support, event & project management, and board secretariat.
As passion-projects on the side, Tracy ran the Writer’s Green Room at Sydney Writers Festival for 7 years and was an ASM in theatre specialising in outdoor productions, giving her invaluable experience outside her corporate environment in collaboration, event management & stakeholder engagement at all levels.
Nicole Sommer, Principal Lawyer
Nicole leads EDO’s Healthy Environment & Justice Program, working in human rights and environmental justice.
Her team of lawyers work across Australia, connected with communities in 8 locations.
Nicole has almost 20 years of legal experience, appearing as counsel in Courts and Tribunals, and advising clients on a broad range of environment protection issues.
Nicole sits on the Law Council of Australia’s Environment and Planning Law Group, the Board of Disability Voices Tasmania, and holds a Masters of Environmental Management.
More coming soon…
