About the Authors

Our team of authors has an excellent blend of hands-on legal and educational experience that provides the reader
with invaluable, practical insights into the application of the law in a variety of real-life contexts.


Roger Woodgate B.A. (Hons), B. Econ., LLB, Dip. Ed. (Qld), Principal, Woodgate Lawyers. Accredited Family Law Specialist. Nationally acredited mediator.
Roger is one of the original authors of Legal Studies for Queensland Volumes 1 and 2. He is a former teacher and is a practising lawyer. Roger entered teaching in 1967 and was Head of Social Science at Craigslea High School in July 1983, prior to becoming a lawyer and has practised law now for 28 years. He has extensive experience as a teacher in the Social Sciences and English. Roger holds undergraduate degrees in Arts (English Honours), Economics and Law. He also holds a Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland.

Dr Ann Black B.A., B. Soc. Wk., LLB (Hons), LLM, SJD, Lecturer in Law, University of Queensland.

Ann Black is a senior lecturer-in-law at the TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland, Australia. She is also the Deputy Director of its Centre for Public, International & Comparative Law. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in criminal law, legal method, the legal systems of Asia, Islamic law and comparative law with research and publications also concentrated in these areas.She is also the co-author of the 2011 book: Law and legal Institutions of Asia: traditions, adaptions and innovations.

David Owens B. Comm., LLB (UQ), Grad Dip. Ed. (QUT), Legal Studies Coordinator at Hillcrest Christian College, Gold Coast.

David Owens has 16 years experience as a teacher of Senior Legal Studies in Queensland and has been a member of the Queensland Study Authority’s Gold Coast Legal Studies District Review Panel for 15 years. Before moving into education, David practised law as a solicitor in a Brisbane City law firm for four years after completing his two years articles of clerkship at the same firm.


Jeff Biggs B. Econ., LLB, Dip. Ed., B.A., Partner, Biggs Fitzgerald Pike, Solicitors, Accredited Family Law Specialist.

Jeff Biggs is the Senior Partner in a legal practice and has been practising law full-time for over thirty years and continues to practise today. He is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and has presented papers at legal conferences for Lexis Nexis and at Legal Educators and Young Lawyers conferences.