Award-winning Immigration Lawyers
The team behind Mary Hanna Lawyers is now SSI Legal.
SSI Legal is a social enterprise. Your legal fees support programs that help people and communities rebuild their lives.
Employer Services
Need help to plan or secure your workforce?
Whether you need help for just one person or an entire team, we cut through the complexity of the Australian migration process and guide you every step of the way. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ll give you clear direction and practical support. Backed by proven expertise and ethical credibility, we handle the legal details so you can move forward with confidence and focus on building your workforce.
Individual and Family Services
Need a trusted lawyer to guide your migration journey?
We know that migrating to Australia is more than just a legal process – it’s about your life, your family, and your future. Visa options and migration rules can be complex, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Our experienced migration lawyers provide clear guidance, fixed pricing, practical solutions, and genuine care at every step. We take the time to understand your situation, protect your interests, and help you make informed decisions.
Individual and Family Services
Need a trusted lawyer to guide your migration journey?
We know that migrating to Australia is more than just a legal process – it’s about your life, your family, and your future. Visa options and migration rules can be complex, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Our experienced migration lawyers provide clear guidance, fixed pricing, practical solutions, and genuine care at every step. We take the time to understand your situation, protect your interests, and help you make informed decisions.
Why SSI Legal?
SSI Legal is part of Settlement Services International (SSI) and delivers cost-effective and timely migration legal services supported by the credibility, integrity, and cultural expertise of Australia’s largest settlement organisation.
As a certified social enterprise, our mission goes beyond just legal outcomes. Every case we handle is about making a real and lasting impact. Whether it is helping people access quality legal representation or supporting businesses achieve their workforce migration goals, we are working toward a fairer and more inclusive Australia.
SSI Legal offers expert migration legal services delivered with professionalism, cultural understanding, and a genuine commitment to doing what’s right for our clients. By partnering with us, your business and organisations can stay competitive in the constantly evolving immigration landscape, helping you attract and retain top talent. Enhance your employees’ experience by providing them with a trusted partner to guide them through their immigration journey and make Australia a lasting home.
We support individuals and families with all Australian immigration law matters – from straightforward visas or citizenship applications to complex cases involving refusals, cancellations and tribunal or court appeals. Although based in Melbourne (Victoria. Australia), our lawyers have represented clients from all around Australia and overseas
Speak to one of our lawyers to find out how we can help you.
Clear and Competitive Pricing
We offer transparent, upfront pricing with no hidden fees. All costs are detailed in a formal fee agreement so you know exactly what to expect from the outset.
Direct Access to a Migration Lawyer
From day one, you’ll deal directly with a qualified lawyer who will manage your case from start to finish — providing expert guidance every step of the way.
Honest and Clear Advice You Can Trust
Our lawyers explain migration pathways and legal options in plain language. Being a certified social enterprise, we are committed to achieving the best legal outcomes for you, driving our social impact goal of delivering exemplary ethical migration services.
About
SSI Legal is a social enterprise and part of Settlement Services International (SSI) – Australia’s largest settlement service not-for-profit – and a respected leader in cultural diversity and inclusion. SSI has been at the forefront of migration and settlement for decades, earning the trust of employers, communities, and individuals across the country. Through a long history of working with newcomers to Australia, SSI identified the need for more ethical, trusted legal services to support people and businesses navigating Australia’s ever-changing and complex immigration system.
SSI Legal was founded to meet this need and launched through the acquisition and integration of Mary Hanna Lawyers, a Melbourne-based migration law practice with extensive experience and a highly regarded reputation for delivering quality services in immigration law. The founder of Mary Hanna Lawyers, Mary Hanna, was appointed to the Administrative Review Tribunal in late 2023, transitioning her Practice to SSI from November 2023. We are proud to continue to build on the respected work of Mary Hanna.
Our passionate team of experienced and highly skilled professionals are led by the same values and principles of our wider organisation of putting people first with a focus on ethics, honesty and respect.
Meet the Team
Mary Hanna
Principal Lawyer
Mary Hanna is a highly regarded immigration and administrative law practitioner with more than twenty years of exclusive experience in migration and citizenship law. She is recognised for her leadership in complex migration matters and her strategic, evidence-driven approach to advocacy.
As Founder of Mary Hanna Lawyers from 2013 to 2023, Mary built a respected boutique immigration practice known for its professionalism and integrity. From 2023 to 2025, she served as a General Member of the Administrative Review Tribunal, gaining direct insight into how migration decisions are assessed within legislative frameworks.
Her experience across both advocacy and decision-making informs her authoritative approach to case strategy, risk identification and legal preparation. Mary has contributed to law reform initiatives and professional committees and has been recognised in the Australian Financial Review Best Lawyers List for Immigration Law, including being named Immigration Lawyer of the Year in 2023.
Mary brings clarity, judgement and sector authority to every matter she undertakes.
Stephanie Shallard
Practice Manager and Senior Lawyer
Stephanie is a distinguished senior migration lawyer recognised for her expertise in employer-sponsored visas and complex migration matters. She is sought after for her ability to navigate intricate legal requirements providing strategic and practical advice to both employers and individuals.
Stephanie’s seniority is reflected in her authoritative approach to case management, her capacity to deliver tailored solutions, and her strong track record of successful outcomes. She brings professionalism, clarity, and insight to every matter she undertakes.
Lucy Nash
Senior Lawyer
Lucy is a highly regarded immigration lawyer with a strong focus on complex individual and family migration matters. She is recognised for her expertise in onshore protection and offshore refugee and humanitarian visas, as well as family visas, including the child and orphan relative subclasses.
Lucy regularly represents clients before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, where her reputation for meticulous preparation and persuasive advocacy sets her apart. Balancing legal precision with compassion, she provides trusted guidance and unwavering support at every stage of the immigration journey.
Kate Sowden
Head of SSI Legal
Kate leads SSI Legal with a strong focus on delivering expert, client-centered immigration solutions while also driving the strategic alignment of SSI’s social enterprises, Work+Stay, Diversity Training, and SSI Legal. By bringing these enterprises together, Kate enables employers to access a full suite of services designed to attract, retain, and harness the full benefits of cultural diversity in their workforce.
With extensive experience navigating complex migration processes and leading high-performing teams, Kate has fostered a culture of professionalism, collaboration, and impact across SSI’s social enterprises
