Honouring Champions of Compassion and Justice

In honour of those who helped guide and influence our values and mission.

  • Lusantak (known as Lucy or Lucine) Jokaklian-Torossian was born in Beirut, Lebanon on 26 June 1937. 

    Lucy was one of eight children and the second eldest daughter of Krikor Jokaklian and Maryam Meguerditchian.

    Lucy had a passion for designing and sewing "haute couture" (meaning expensive, fashionable clothes produced by leading fashion houses) dresses for women. In 1956 Lucy attended the Virginia De Benedetti School of Design to learn sewing techniques and clothing design methods according to the Virginia De Benedetti styling methods.

    She was a courageous, compassionate, selfless, tenacious and a philanthropic person.

    Lucy was also a fearless and resilient woman who was ahead of her time for a female of her generation and culture. She spent periods of the Lebanese War providing her youngest brother and other Armenian soldiers with food and water as bombs rained down in the town she resided.

    She further dedicated 20 years of her life in service to the Red Cross, as an Armenian-Lebanese Red Cross Committee Member, and provided free medical assistance to those who could not afford it.

    Additional Information: Lucy had a life long dream of seeing her ancestral land of Armenia. After visiting Armenia for the first time and then saying one last farewell to her family in Lebanon, Lucy returned to Australia and passed away 10 days later on 31st July 2023.

  • Phil Glendenning AM, Emeritus Director, Tribute to Michael Finnane, Edmund Rice Centre

    “Michael Finnane was a leader in every sense of the word – one of Australia’s best judges, a mentor to politicians and social justice advocates, a true friend of East Timor and Sri Lanka through their darkest days, and a staunch ally of the peoples of the Pacific. He was a generous and committed philanthropist, a great friend of the Edmund Rice Centre, and foundation supporter and mentor to ERC’s Pacific Calling Partnership.

    The world has too few moral leaders, but Michael Finnane was one. There was no gap between the values he espoused and the way in which he lived his life.

    A man of faith and practical action, Michael used his life to heal the broken, bring justice to oppressed people in Australia and the wider world, whilst at the same time helping others to believe that real change was possible.

    His powerful life served to bend the long arc of history towards justice.

    Michael had a generosity of spirit and an unerring moral compass that was a source of both wisdom and inspiration to those lucky enough to hear him speak, read his words, or sit at his feet.

    Throughout it all he was accompanied by Jill, his wonderful wife and companion of many, many years. Together they were a mighty team. Michael was a proud father and grandfather and his legacy continues in his loving family, and in all the people whose lives he touched.

    Quite simply, he ranks among the greatest Australians. In my long-held view, there never was a finer man born in this country than Michael Finnane.

    Our love and condolences go to Jill and his children and grandchildren. May this giant of compassion, generosity and spirit, Rest in Peace.

    We, and our nation, are the poorer for his passing, but we are so much the richer for having had him among us.

    Vale Michael. Thank you for your magnificent life.”

    Additional Information: Michael agreed to mentor and prepare Rose for the Bar exam on 20 March 2023 and then passed away 9 days later.

  • Julie Tolek, American Lawyer from Think Pink Law Firm, Tribute to William Keough.

    A wonderful human I knew in Australia died several weeks ago. He was a family lawyer. Perhaps the most genuine lawyer I have ever met.

    I cried when I found out about his passing. I cried hard, harder than when I cried for a former employer who lost his long time battle to cancer. I knew my employer better and for a longer time. I wondered if it was weird that I was more upset about Bill’s passing than my former employer, especially since Bill was someone I met online, whom I had never met in person.

    The thing is, Bill’s passion and love for life, his family, and his work, transcended all forms of media and communication. If you knew Bill in any capacity, you felt it. You felt his soul and his spirit. Always positive. Always there to put things into perspective. Ever passionate about the law, his wife, his son…about life. And about people.

    We often talked about being lawyers for real people, human lawyers, and making those lasting connections with people. He told me how negotiating family law cases at coffee shops was not an uncommon practice for him.

    It is so surreal and, at the same time, beautiful, to see all the memories and words of kindness William’s friends from all over the world have posted on his Facebook page. He was, in the truest sense, a gentleman, a family man…a man driven by doing good in this world.

    Bill, I hope you are having lots of coffees, building ships, and smiling down upon all of us. I am honored and humbled to have been a small part of your journey. I think of you often, my friend. I miss your wisdom. I will do my best to carry it on.

    Additional Information: William (known as Bill) Keough was a family lawyer in Melbourne who wrote the "‘Child Representation in Family Law’ book. Bill was an advocate and a white ribbon ambassador against domestic violence. Bill passed away in 2017.

Honouring the Heart Behind the Law

At Jo’kaklian Lawyers, we believe that law is more than a profession — it is a service to humanity. This tribute honours those who have embodied compassion, courage, and integrity in their pursuit of justice. They remind us that true advocacy does not rest solely on intellect or argument, but on empathy, fairness, and an unwavering belief in the dignity of every person.

A Legacy of Compassion and Integrity

The Champions of Compassion and Justice are individuals whose work reflects the highest ideals of the legal profession — where compassion meets courage, and justice finds its voice through humanity.

These are the people who:

  • Stand beside the vulnerable when it’s hardest to do so.

  • Give time, wisdom, and strength to those seeking fairness.

  • Use their knowledge of the law to protect, heal, and empower.

  • Remind us that ethical practice and human kindness are inseparable.

Our Purpose

This tribute serves as a space to recognise and celebrate those whose impact extends beyond the courtroom.Their work inspires us to practise law not as a transaction, but as a vocation — one that seeks to restore balance, uphold dignity, and shape a more compassionate society.

Through this page, we honour their contribution and renew our collective commitment to justice guided by empathy.