Hema has 18 years’ experience in native title law across New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. She advises and represents native title holders and Traditional Owner groups in complex negotiations and litigation, including resource extraction matters, and provides strategic advice on governance, intellectual property, corporate structuring and economic development.

Prior to specialising in native title, Hema practised in corporate and commercial law, bringing transactional and structuring expertise to her work with Aboriginal corporations and Traditional Owner groups.

Hema has served as Managing Director of Arma Legal for the past seven years, leading the firm while working closely with clients to advance their social, cultural and economic aspirations.

She was recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Native Title Lawyer (Traditional Owner Representation) in 2021 and 2022.

Damien is the Chief Executive Officer of KRED Enterprises and Arma Legal. Damien is a proud Yawuru and Jabirr Jabirr man from the Kimberley in Western Australia. Damien has worked in Native Title for more than 19 years and has managed various Aboriginal corporations and organisations in the Kimberley.

Hayley, a Practitioner Director of Arma Legal, is an experienced Legal Practitioner whose areas of practice include complex commercial dispute resolution and human rights advocacy. In her time working with Arma Legal, Hayley has run successful Full Federal Court litigation, setting a new precedent for the protection of native title parties’ rights under the Native Title Act 1993. Hayley has also negotiated high benchmarks in cultural heritage protection and achieved strong commercial outcomes for native title parties faced with resource development in the Kimberley.

Grace is a Practitioner Director, who has been practising in native title since 2015. Grace has previously worked in New South Wales and Queensland for Native Title Service Providers as well as for Government. Based out of Queensland, Grace has experience in native title determination applications, future act matters, cultural heritage matters and corporate governance.

John is an experienced Lawyer with over 20 years’ experience, including 8 years as Legal Manager for an ASX Top 50 mining company. He has worked on mine development project teams, native title negotiations, land access and commercial and corporate issues.

Merrilee is a non-practicing Director of Arma Legal. She is also COO for KRED Enterprises. Merrilee is a Kimberley Aboriginal woman of Bardi and Yawuru descent, born and raised in Broome. Merrilee has had over 20 years’ experience working with Aboriginal Corporations, across the Kimberley region.

Hannah is a Senior Associate who has been practising in native title and Aboriginal land rights since 2020 in New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

Prior to working in native title, Hannah practiced environmental law at the Commonwealth and NSW Government for over 5 years.

Hannah’s native title experience includes ILUA negotiation (including settling compensation), native title determination applications, negotiating s47 agreements, future act matters and technical legal advice.

Matilda (Tilly) is an Associate Lawyer based out of Sydney. Tilly previously worked as a Senior Solicitor for a native title service provider for NSW and the ACT. Tilly has worked within a multi-disciplinary team of Aboriginal Community Facilitators, Anthropologists, Historians and Lawyers to deliver outcomes for a diverse range of Aboriginal clients in pre and post native title determination spaces. Tilly has run successful consent determination settlements in two disparate and historic native title determination applications, inclusive of complex negotiations for whole of government settlement under an ILUA. Tilly has been recognised on the 2025 Doyle’s List for Leading Native Title Lawyers.

Hannah is a Senior Lawyer with 4 years' experience at the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) in the Commonwealth Government.  Hannah brings her experience in providing legal advice in the areas of native title, First Nations policy development, public, constitutional, corporate and commercial and intellectual property law.  Hannah has knowledge of Commonwealth funding mechanisms for First Nations policies and programs and was part of the team who delivered on the Government's commitment to replace the Community Development Program with the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program, helping to make the legislative instruments authorising expenditure under the program. Hannah is also experienced in litigation, managing multiple cohorts of historic abuse claims during her time at the NIAA. Hannah has experience as researcher, reviewing Australia's Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and Their Children.

Sarah is a lawyer with experience in litigation, future acts and cultural heritage, corporate governance, and commercial law. She previously worked in the Northern Territory and has held a range of roles across community development, advocacy, and legal research. At her time in Darwin, she led the development of specialised legal training for the Aboriginal Interpreter Service. Sarah brings a community-focused approach grounded in equity and self-determination.

Laurie is a respected and highly experienced corporate lawyer who has now retired from practice after fifty years involvement in the law and business. His corporate expertise included capital
raising, reconstruction, mergers and acquisitions, director’s duties, corporate governance, due
diligence, risk management and ASIC licensing and investigations.