Environmental Defenders Office of Northern Queensland

Meet Our Staff

EDO-NQ's current staff are:

Adam Millar - Principal Solicitor & Coordinator
Patrick Vuleta - Second Solicitor
Angela Strain - Administrator

Staff profile

Adam Millar - Solicitor/Coordinator

Adam Millar joined the EDO-NQ team as Principal Solicitor & Coordinator in early October 2006, taking over from Kirsty Ruddock who then moved on to lead the EDO-NSW legal team. After completing his Bachelor of Laws at the James Cook University in Townsville and being admitted as a solicitor in Cairns in 1999, Adam worked as the Coordinator of the then Office for Joint Management on the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory (an NGO integral to the effective joint management of the UKTNP). More recently Adam worked with a local firm, Williams Graham Carman, as a commercial and civil litigator with a focus on dispute resolution. Since admission he has also spent some considerable time travelling throughout central Australia, western Europe, Cuba, Central and South America, and India.

Adam was born and raised in Cairns, and all of his immediate family are ‘local’ far north Queenslanders. He is passionate about the unique and priceless natural environments in both north Queensland and throughout Australia, and sees his position with the EDO-NQ as an excellent opportunity to use his skills and passion to help protect those environments, educate the community about environmental protection and work toward increasing the standing and relevance that the environment has within the community and governments.

Patrick Vuleta - Second Solicitor

Patrick joined the EDO-NQ team as a solicitor in November 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, a Bachelor of Environmental Science majoring in environmental policy and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from Griffith University. Prior to joining the EDO he worked with the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

At university he focused his studies on the interaction between environmental law and policy, and took a keen interest in the environmental impacts of the urban environment. His honours research was on the reforms to the Integrated Planning Act 1997, under the guidance of Dr Philippa England.

He enjoys keeping current with the ongoing developments in environmental law and policy, and sees his position as an EDO solicitor as an excellent opportunity to raise the importance of the environment in all levels of decision making. During his spare time he enjoys keeping fit, cycling, writing short story fiction and building his own environmental law website.

Angela Strain - Administrator

Angela comes to EDO-NQ with a broad background in management accounting, bookkeeping, administration and marketing. She gained experience in management accounting, financial management and human resources with a national communications company. Since taking a career break and completing a Bachelor of Business in 1999, Angela has worked in the small business sector with a Labour Hire Firm, Human Resources and Training Consultant and spent some time in Local Government.

She has always been actively involved in the community working with such groups as Trees for Life, Local Council Environmental Advisory Committee, School and Sporting Groups. From a family passionate about the environment and natural landscape she is enjoying the opportunity to support and contribute to the protection and preservation of the beautiful environment of Far North Queensland.

Thanks

Many thanks also to the number of dedicated staff who have served EDO-NQ over the years, members who have served on the Management Committee and volunteers who have generously given their time, skill and energy. It is only through the dedication and hard work of our staff, Management Committee and volunteers that we are able to continue our work.