Nathan Donovan
Director
Kristel Winkler
Director
Miriam Sadler
Associate
Natalie Ross
Law Clerk
Jessica Michael
Law Clerk
Nathan is a Brisbane based lawyer who is married with three young children. Before children, Nathan played golf, like every single weekend, even in the rain. Now, he is an expert at impersonating dinosaurs and hosting tea parties for ponies with rainbow manes. Nathan is a coffee snob who cringes every time he listens to himself smugly ordering a doppio. He also breaks the cardinal rules of good social manners by happily talking about politics and religion. Nathan is an active member of his local church and volunteer director and advisor to a number of charities.
Kristel Winkler is a Brisbane based lawyer, married, and mum to five beautiful girls. In her down moments she loves reading and is a particularly avid history buff. She loves to surf and fish, although in recent days she is more likely to be found building sandcastles on the shore with her children. Being raised on cattle farms, she loves the outdoors and to garden, and when motivation strikes will evict the weeds from her vege patch and plant up a storm. Kristel is active in her local church and in the community, serving on the governance committees of schools and churches.
Kristel’s fields of practice include charity and not for profit law, business & corporate law, contracts & property law, wills & estates, and elder law.
Kristel’s clients include not for profit and charitable entities, including churches and schools throughout Australia, and she aims to provide them with full service within the commercial division of the practice, including:
- Establishment of structures
- Drafting constitutions, governance documents, rules and governance policies
- Tax issues, tax & duty concessions
- Philanthropic structures
- Director and governance duties
- Policy development, general advice, and dispute resolution
- Mergers & acquisitions
- Property transactions
- Contract drafting and review, including terms & conditions
- Attending board and general meetings to provide advice and guidance
Kristel’s clients have included:
- Charities and not for profits large and small, including public benevolent institutions, churches and parachurch organisations, schools, child care centres, aged care facilities, retirement villages, cultural and environmental charities;
- Businesses, from large corporations to small business owners; and
- Individuals.
Kristel has extensive experience advising on governance matters within charitable organisations, and assisting clients in their dealings with the ACNC, ATO, ACECQA, Non-State Schools Accreditation Board, Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority and various other stakeholders.
Recent Experience
- Large Acquisitions – Acquisition of a large school site by large educational institution from the Queensland Government, including internal licencing arrangements.
- Mergers & Acquisitions – Acquisition of large religious institution(s) by another religious institution, including complex trust considerations, real and personal property transactions, duty considerations, capital gains & GST issues, transfer of employees, dealing with control of multiple entities and novation of various contractual arrangements.
- Corporate Restructures – Restructure of national charity comprising various entities existing for differing charitable purposes, and including transfer of employees and property, and implementation of inter-entity management and services agreements.
- Business Acquisitions – sale and purchase of child care centres by large school; acquisition of retirement villages by large corporate client
- Charitable endorsements – dealing with complex and novel concepts around the definition of charity and religion, successfully answering notices of intention to refuse application for charitable registration with ACNC
- Incorporation of unincorporated entities (schools & churches).
- Corporate Governance – “on call’ legal and corporate governance advice for board and corporate governance & risk committees of multiple national and state-based charities.
- Financial institutions – advising large charitable lenders in relation to inter-company loans, Banking Act & AML/CTF Act compliance.
Board Experience
Kristel sits on the governance board of Good Shepherd Christian School (incorporating Little Shepherd Pre-Prep), in Albany Creek, Queensland.
Kristel formerly sat on the management committee of the Christian Lawyers Association (Inc).
Miriam is a lawyer and an avid wordsmith with a passion for Shakespeare and an unfortunate penchant for quoting both philosophical wisdom texts and episodes of “The Simpsons”.
In her almost-non-existent spare time, she pursues her love of literature, philosophical and religious discourse (making her a hazard at social events), ancient history, flute music, amateur dramatics, and the consumption of coffee (however, she is not a “coffee snob” and will consume virtually any beverage containing caffeine). As a member of her local church, she has been known to play the flute in worship services (at least when they leave the back door unattended).
After attaining a Bachelor of Laws (Hons IIA) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (both from QUT), Miriam initially served as a research and chambers clerk to a Brisbane-based barrister, affording her both theoretical and practical exposure to many fields of legal knowledge.
She has spent the last 6 years as a practicing solicitor in the areas of:
- property and commercial law, with a particular focus on residential and commercial conveyancing (including off-the-plan property contracts);
- business sale and purchase agreements and associated licensing arrangements;
- leasing (including both commercial and retail shop leasing, with some involvement with residential tenancy agreements);
- charity and not-for-profit law; and
- indigenous legal issues (in which she was privileged to assist with disputed ancestry claims).
As a committed Christian, Miriam maintains a personal and professional interest in the intersection between human rights law and religious legal issues.
Natalie is completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Business (Accounting) at Queensland University of Technology and works part-time as a Law Clerk for Donovan Winkler Lawyers.
Natalie enjoys connecting with others through law, and values the opportunities this brings to empower others and journey with them as they go through both the exciting and challenging times life can bring.
Outside of study and work, Natalie enjoys keeping active playing netball, bike riding and going for walks in nature. She also loves cooking and creating healthy, new dishes for others to enjoy.
Natalie is completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Business (Accounting) at Queensland University of Technology and works part-time as a Law Clerk for Donovan Winkler Lawyers.
Natalie has assisted clients with numerous property transactions, including residential conveyances, commercial property transactions, and retirement village conveyancing.
Natalie is experienced in the administration of deceased estates, and is an important member of our estate planning team.
Jessica is a law student and part-time Law Clerk who is passionate about people and advocacy. When she isn’t working or studying, Jessica likes to cuddle her very affectionate Golden Retriever, explore scenic walking trails across Brisbane and grow her collection of indoor plants. Jessica is an active member of her local church and she regularly volunteers with parachurch organisations that provide support to University students living in Brisbane.
Jessica is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) with a Minor in Law, Technology and Innovation from Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Jessica has previously worked as an advocate for at risk university students as an Academic Advocacy Officer at the QUT Guild.
Jessica is the University Ministry Coordinator her local church and the University Ministry Team Leader at Red Frogs Australia.