Public Interest Disclosure Summary: A Record of My Reports to protect the Rule of Law & Society

Public Interest Disclosures from 2014 by Ms Marie Odtojan

Introduction

As a victim, witness and whistleblower, I have made numerous reports exposing systemic misconduct, unlawful practices, and abuse of power across the legal and regulatory sectors.

These disclosures have not been casual or speculative, they have been supported by detailed evidence, carefully referenced documents, and made in good faith to the appropriate authorities.

To ensure transparency and public understanding, I have published this summary of the key reports I made between 2016 to date. This is not a full archive, but a high-level view to demonstrate the extent of my efforts, and the seriousness of what I reported.

This summary shows why I am facing unlawful retaliation, not because I breached the law, but because I reported to the appropriate bodies and provided evidence and told the truth.

1. Incorporated Law Firms and Corporate Entities Reported

1.1 Piper Alderman reported to OLSC on 2 July 2018 and LSNSW PSD on 2 July 2018. A 102 page report dated 27 June 2018, annexed with 659 pages of evidence/documents. 

1.2 Credit Corp Group/Credit Corp Services Pty Limited (“Credit Corp”)

a. Notice by correspondence to CEO Mr Thomas Beregi and Board of Directors dated on 9 May 2018 regarding the conduct of Credit Corp and its lawyers, Certus Partner and Piper Alderman, obtaining judgment by perversion the course of justice and without a proven pleaded contract. No response from Credit Corp to date.

b. Reported to ASIC on 30 October 2018.

1.3 Certus Partners  (incorporated law firm)

a. Certus Partner, principal Solicitor Mr Carlos Toda and solicitor Ms Kelly Witts were reported to OLSC on 1 December 2017 for their conduct and undertaking to provide their pleaded credit contract/agreement recorded in Credit Corp statement of claim signed by Mr Carlos Toda. They had failed their undertaking to produce their alleged contract. To date, Credit Corp and Piper Alderman are in continuous contempt of court without complying with court orders and notices to produce.

1.4 Westpac Bank / St George Bank

Letter dated 30 May 2018 (with 36-page attachments).  Subject: Notice of Conduct – Alleged Criminal Activity. Key Allegations:

a. Raised serious concerns regarding St George Bank, Credit Corp Services Pty Ltd, and Piper Alderman.

b. False statement of claim filed in court based on a purported credit contract which Westpac and St George Bank confirmed they did not and never had in their possession.

c. False evidence allegedly given in court by Mr Trevor Bowen, employee of Westpac.

e. Use of fraudulent or altered account statements by Piper Alderman.

f. Improper reliance by Credit Corp and Piper Alderman on a "card collection form" as a substitute for a legally enforceable contract, declaration and request for credit.  

g. Alleged conduct raised potential administration of justice offences.

h. The letter put all parties on notice that it would be relied upon in submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

1.5 Swann Insurance (2015)

2. Legal Practitioners Reported

2.1 Reported to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC)

1. Piper Alderman legal practice, 7 lawyers and 2 law clerk/paralegal reported on 2 July 2018 to OLSC: 

   1. Mr Florian Ammer (Partner);

   2. Ms Anne Freeman (Partner);

   3. Mr Matthew Mennilli, Solicitor

   4. Ms Hannah Veldre, Solicitor

   5. Mr Malcolm Quirey, Solicitor

   6. Mr Brendan May, Solicitor

   7. Mr Stefano Calabretta, Solicitor

   8. Ms Natalie Miller (Paralegal/JP in 2016) reported for being an unqualified person impersonating as solicitor in court proceedings on 7 occasions. Recording solicitors rates recorded in Mr Ammer’s sworn affidavit. 

   9. Mr Owen Nanlohy (Law Clerk in 2016) reported for being an unqualified person impersonating a barrister in court proceedings on 16 August 2016.

      
      

2. Included in the Piper Alderman report of 102 pp and 659 annexed documents (2.1.1 above):

   1. Mr Sebastian Hartford Davis, junior barrister, misled the court, never proved a contract in contract case and assisted an unqualified person to impersonate a legal practitioner at the bar table, referring to a paralegal Ms Miller at court as his ‘instructing solicitor’.

   2. Mr James Willis, junior barrister, gave evidence in court at the bar table that credit contract was provided in August 2014 when no contract was ever before the court, there was no evidence of the contract and his own client, Credit Corp, admitted in their letter dated 20 May 2015 that no contract was available or in their possession. 

   3. Mr Nicolas Ford, junior barrister at Edmund Barton Chambers in 2016 (Currently Coram Chambers)

   4. Mr Thomas Glynn, Principal solicitor of Glynns Lawyers

   5. Mr Miles Condon SC of New Chambers

   6. Mr James Willis, junior barrister

      
      

3. Mr Carlos Toda of Certus Partners, Incorporated Legal Practice, reported on 1 December 2017.

   
   

4. Ms Kelly Witts of Certus Partners reported on 1 December 2017.

   
   

5. Mr Peter Rosier, Costs Assessor/Legal Practitioner in costs matters: Mr Ford, Mr Glynn and Piper Alderman/Credit Corp reported to the OLSC on 18 April 2018.

   
   

2.2 Reported to the Law Society of NSW Professional Standards Department (PSD)

1. Ms Natalie Miller (Piper Alderman paralegal/JP in 2016) reported on 2 July 2018 to PSD for impersonating a solicitor in court proceedings and charging solicitor rates. See Piper Alderman account statements and Mr Ammer’s sworn affidavits. 

2. Mr Owen Nanlohy (Piper Alderman law clerk in 2016) reported on 2 July 2018 to PSD for impersonating a barrister in court proceedings on 16 August 2016.

   
   

3. Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Officers Reported

3.1 Magistrate Sharon Freund – ICAC Report (10 August 2018)

Magistrate Sharon Freund was reported to ICAC on 10 August 2018 for serious judicial misconduct, including:

a. Falsifying records on a judgment and costs order issued in proceedings heard on 18 and 19 July 2016 (Final hearing) and 29 August 2026 (Costs hearing).

b. Referring to a “contract” approximately 75 times in her judgment without any such contract ever being produced at the court hearings.

c. No evidence of contract was tendered or admitted during the hearing. Her reliance on its existence circumvented the proper adjudication of alleged breaches under the Credit Law and ASIC Act, avoiding potential multi-million dollar penalties payable to the Commonwealth.

d. Falsely recording Odtojan Bryl Lawyers (OBL) as the instructing solicitor in the judgment. No notice of appearance was filed by OBL. Her handwritten contemporaneous notes instead record on the court sheet “N. Ford” as counsel and “T. Glynn” as solicitor.

e. Permitting courtroom misconduct: Ms Natalie Miller (an unqualified person impersonating an instructing solicitor under the direction of Mr Hartford Davis of Piper Alderman) was allowed to handle and tamper with documents at the bar table and tender them as evidence.

f. On 29 August 2017, Magistrate Freund failed to identify or produce the alleged contract when formally requested. She directed Ms Odtojan to “ask her lawyers.” Mr Ford and Mr Glynn, who had claimed in court that the contract was given to their client on 12 January 2015. Both legal practitioners failed to respond to requests for nearly 10 years.

3.2 Costs Assessors & Costs Managers – Reported Misconduct

a. A joint report to ICAC was made on 10 August 2018 on Magistrate Sharon Freund, Mr Brendan Bellach, Mr Peter Rosier, Mr Chris D’Aeth. 

b. Mr Peter Rosier (Costs Assessor) was reported to the OLSC on 18 April 2018 for alleged misconduct, engaging in improper conduct in cost assessment process as costs assessor, involving ignoring serious issues of fabricated account statements, missing trust funds, asking no questions or clarification from Mr Ford and Mr Glynn of their account deficiencies and account recordings. Disregarding reporting duties under the Applicable laws. 

c. Mr Brendan Bellach (Costs Manager), who allegedly condoned Mr Rosier’s conduct and ignored clear evidence of falsified documents and breaches of the law. In the case involving Mr Ford, an appointed costs assessor who raised concerns and notified the parties (Ms Odtojan, Mr Ford, Mr Glynn) that she would inspect evidence in court was promptly removed from the matter after giving such notice.

d. Letter dated 26 April 2018 to the Head of the Costs Committee in, including correspondence to Chief Justice Tom Bathurst and The Hon. Justice PLG Brereton outlining serious concerns about:

1. Tampered and fabricated costs documentation;

2. Unaccounted trust funds; 

3. Failures of oversight in cost matters involving Mr Nicoals Ford, Mr Thoams Glynn of Glynn’s Lawyers, Mr Miles Condon SC and Piper Alderman; and 

4. Failure of statutory obligations to report under the applicable laws. 

   
   

4. Public and Oversight Bodies Notified

4.1 ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) in August 2018 

1. Report on Magistrate Sharon Freund, Chris D’Aeth and Mr Brendan Bellach on 10 August 2018.

   
   

4.2 Attorney General of NSW in March 2019 - Mr Mark Speakman - letter dated 11 March 2019 regarding Legal Services Commissioner Conduct , Mr John McKenzie in relation to the Piper Alderman report dated 27 June 2018.

4.3 Attorney General of NSW in August 2024 - Mr Michael Daley, letter dated 30 August 2024

1. Notice of Ms Valerie Gridwold /PSD unlawful and corrupt conduct. Called for investigation on Law Society of NSW PSD and OLSC for possible cover up of reports made by Ms Odtojan from 2016. 

   
   

2. On 25 October 2024, MP Hugh McDermott and Attorney General condoned unlawful acts, advocating and justified “alleged prior misconduct’ on behalf of the Law Society of NSW Law Council and PSD.

   
   

4.4 Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC

1. Reports of Piper Alderman (See 2.1a and 2.2 above), Mr Peter Rosier, Certus Partners (Mr Carlos Toda and Ms Kelly Witts). Notice of unqualified persons impersonating legal practitioners. Had evidence of Mr Florian Ammer’s sworn affidavit of Ms Natalie Miller 'instructing counsel’ and charging solicitor’s fee rates. 

   
   

4.5 Law Society of NSW of PSD

1. Reported Piper Alderman employees Ms Miller and Mr Nanlohy impersonating legal practitioners (See 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 above)

   
   

4.6 Financial Ombudsman Services (FOS) in 18 February 2015 

1. Reported Credit Corp on 18 February 2015 and identified the issue of the no provision of contract documentation, specifically the ‘credit contract’ and that such ‘credit card contract has never been provided’ to the consumer and sought to ‘investigate the way the credit card was assessed and processed’. FOS forwarded the complaint to the Credit and investment Ombudsman (CIO).

   
   

4.7 Credit and Investment Ombudsman (CIO) in February 2015.

1. Reported Credit Corp misleading the court and materially relying on a credit contract in its statement of claim

2. In May 2015, within the CIO process, Credit Corp confirmed in its letter 20 May 2015, expressly stating ‘...Due to the age of the account a copy of the contract is no longer available…’

   
   

4.8 Code Compliance Monitoring Committee (CCMC) dated 29 April 2015. 

4.9 Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) November 2018 - Report on Credit Corp, St George Bank, Piper Alderman, Certus Partners, and CIO process. 

5. Reports Made to Parliament or Public Institutions

5.1 NSW Premier Chris Minns - Public Notice 14 June 2025 / Formal Notice June 2025 regarding the allegations of unlawful and corrupt conduct involving the Law Society of NSW law council, Professional Standard Department, Ms Valerie Griswold Director of PSD, Ms Nadya Haddad, Legal Services Commissioner ms Samantha Gulliver, Attorney General Michael Daley, and MP Hugh McDermott. See Public Notice via;  https://wix.to/kODbbxP

5.2 Attorney General Michael Daley– letter dated 30 August 2024. 

1. Notice of alleged unlawful conduct by Valerie Griswold of PSD and calling for an investigation into the Law Society of NSW and OLSC for suppressing Ms Odtojan’s reports dating back to 2016

2. On 25 October 2024, both MP Hugh McDermott and the Attorney General condoned the actions of the Law Society of NSW, justifying their unlawful interference with practising certificates and renewal applications, based on "alleged prior misconduct," despite not founded in fact or law, and in absence of any findings of misconduct.

   
   

5.3 MP Claire O’Neil in 2018 during the Royal Banking Commission, alerting her to widespread circumvention of credit laws by Credit Corp and Piper Alderman in courts across Australia.

5.4 Royal Banking Commission in 2018 - Submission made to the Royal Banking Commission detailing these systemic issues. The widespread circumvention of credit laws by Credit Corp and Piper Alderman in courts across Australia.

5.5 Attorney General of NSW in 2018 - Mark Speakman - report on Legal Services Commissioner John McKenzie for concealing serious misconduct, including impersonation of legal practitioners by unqualified persons, as outlined in Ms Odtojan’s Piper Alderman report.

5. 6 Governor-General, Mr David Hurley, in 2018 - Notice concerning the alleged misconduct by Legal Services Commissioner John McKenzie.

5.7  Ministerial and Parliamentary Services - Hon Victor Dominello MP in 2018 Notice of legal and ‘financial syndicate fraud’ Notice on 3 April 2018.

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Note: The above is a high-level summary of the reports I submitted over several years, lodged in the public interest and for the protection of the public, the integrity of the legal system, and the legal profession.

Each report was made through proper channels, supported by documentary evidence (including the respondents' own documents and representations).

To date, no accountability has been imposed on those reported, despite clear evidence of misconduct and alleged offences under law.

The reports referenced here are those I was able to retrieve at the time of writing. Additional reports may surface upon further review of my records and correspondence, and this document will be updated accordingly.

Despite having no findings of misconduct against me, I have been subjected to targeted retaliation, erasion, and reputational harm.

This is not justice.This is the punishment of a whistleblower, who is also a victim and a witness.

Disclaimer: Information only. The information is subject to change where any corrections, amendments or additional information may be required. Contact: oblawyers.media@gmail.com