LLB/BA (USYD)
Meara O'Brien
Solicitor
Expertise
Meara is a Solicitor at Terri Janke and Company who supports clients across a range of practice areas and domestic and international policy settings, including intellectual property (IP), Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), corporate governance and Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
She brings strong analytical and communication skills to her work, with experience in legal research, drafting, project management, community consultation and facilitation. Meara takes a practical, solutions-focused approach to supporting clients across complex legal, cultural and governance matters.
Photo by Stephen Wilson Barker
Experience
Meara joined Terri Janke and Company in 2023 as a paralegal and was admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in December 2025. Meara has experience in drafting and reviewing IP, ICIP, and commercial agreements, alongside providing legal and strategic advice on risk, permissions, and best-practice frameworks to protect Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage. Meara supports senior solicitors across commercial, cultural and governance matters for a diverse client base, including government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, language centres, artists and creatives, cultural institutions and health organisations.
Recent Projects
Assisting clients with IP management strategies, branding protection and trade mark registration.
Drafting culturally appropriate governance documentation, including constitutions, rule books and governance policies, and supporting the registration of not-for-profits, Aboriginal corporations, companies, and charities.
Supporting a Yolngu organisation in Arnhem Land on the development of an educational institute, including advising on and implementing strategies to protect IP, ICIP and IDSov.
Developing and delivering tailored governance training workshops for Indigenous organisations.
Advising on the use and protection of Indigenous languages across projects in education, arts, design, built environment and cultural sectors, and supporting Indigenous organisations and language centres to establish governance frameworks to protect and manage language use.
Supporting the development and implementation of best-practice ICIP management frameworks and industry protocols in the GLAM sector, including archiving, exhibition and collection management practices.
Working with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and non-Indigenous health organisations to support the design and implementation of IDSov and Indigenous Data Governance mechanisms, including culturally appropriate data collection practices.
Supporting bush products businesses across Western Australia and Central Australia with IP protection, branding, consumer law compliance, harvesting and regulatory requirements, and access and benefit-sharing frameworks.
Community
Meara values the role of community in driving change and impact, and has volunteered with not-for-profit and community organisations on socio-legal research projects, horticulture and conservation activities, and arts, music and cultural events.
