President - Michael Cope

Michael Cope has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), and a Bachelor of Arts. He is admitted as a Solicitor to the Supreme Court of Queensland, and to the High Court of Australia.

Michael has an interest in the area of administrative law having worked for the Commonwealth Department of Health & Family Services gaining extensive experience in government contracts and tendering, grants and administrative law.  He has also worked in a medium sized Brisbane firm working in many areas including criminal law, administrative law, sports law, personal injuries claims and general litigation including debt recovery and commercial disputes.  Michael joined McKays Solicitors in November 1997.

Michael has an active interest in freedom of information and human rights law.  This has seen him an active member of the executive of the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties for many years. He served as a QCCL Vice President for several terms and was elected President in 2005. 

Vice President - Terry O’Gorman

Terry O’Gorman is the current Principal of the law firm Robertson O’Gorman and has been a principal since 1982. Prior to that he worked for the Aboriginal Legal Service from 1977 to 1980, and for the Legal Aid Commission (Queensland) in 1981.

He studied Arts/Law at the University of Queensland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Politics) in 1972 and a Bachelor of Law in 1976. He specialises in criminal defence law and is an Executive Member of the Australian Criminal Law Association.

Terry O’Gorman has been actively involved in civil liberties issues since the 1970s.  He has held the positions of both President and Vice President of the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, the former 1979 - 1984 and 1990 - 1994, and the latter 1984-1990 and 1994-present. He has been President of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties since 1996.

In June 1991 Terry O’Gorman was awarded the Order of Australia in General Division (AM) for Services to the Legal Profession

Vice President - Peter Applegarth SC

Peter Applegarth has been a member of the QCCL Executive for many years.  He is a barrister in private practice.  He is a graduate in Arts and Law (First Class Honours) from the University of Queensland, and was awarded the Bachelor of Civil Laws form the University of Oxford.  He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2000.

He has served as a member of the Board of Legal Aid Queensland, and as a part time member of the Queensland Law Reform Commission

His civil liberties interests include freedom of communication, privacy, anti-terrorism legislation and the campaign to introduce a Human Rights and Responsibilities Act in Queensland.  He convenes the Human Rights Research Group.