Meet the Smokeball Leadership Team
Working Together to Support Australian Lawyers
We are proud to introduce the key members of the Smokeball team. The Smokeball Leadership Team are experts in legal software development. They have either worked as conveyancers, lawyers, have an extensive history of software development within the industry – or both!
They have first-hand knowledge of the problems Australian legal professionals are facing, and they know how to solve them through innovative technology solutions.
If you’d like to learn more about who they are and their role within the company, read more below. Feel free to get in touch with any of them for an informal chat or if you have any questions. We love hearing from you.
Hunter Steele
Chief Executive Officer
Hunter joined Smokeball in 2008, and five years ago was appointed to Chief Executive Officer, responsible for running both the Sydney and Chicago offices. With over 16 years’ experience in building legal software, Hunter has a proven track record for pushing the boundaries and delivering innovative software solutions.
He holds a Law and Computer Science degree from Bond University.
Jane Oxley
Chief Revenue Officer
Jane is passionate about helping small law firms work towards a more productive, profitable and also less stressful practice. Having worked in the legal field for her entire career, Jane has a strong affinity with small law firms and the crucial role they play in the communities they serve.
Jane also understands how the right technology can help small law firms achieve better outcomes for their clients and their bottom line.
Nick Ognenovski
Country Manager
As the Country Manager for Smokeball Australia, Nick is committed to empowering teams, supporting clients, and driving meaningful impact across the legal community. With more than 25 years in the technology sector, he brings deep commercial and operational experience at the GM and C-suite level, helping organisations of all sizes grow, evolve, and realise their potential. In leading the Australian business, Nick is inspired by the role law firms play in strengthening communities. He is dedicated to helping them work more effectively, remove complexity, and unlock the time and clarity they need to serve their clients with confidence and care. His leadership is grounded in purpose and possibility, focused on creating outcomes that truly elevate the way people work. With a people-first mindset and a belief that technology should make work smarter, kinder, and more human, Nick is passionate about helping firms build stronger, more impactful practices.
Adele Hoyle
Chief Product Officer
Adele has over 15 years’ experience in the legal software industry and is very passionate about solving problems for law firms and building products that clients love.
At Smokeball Adele and her team work seamlessly with the Engineering team to deliver the best and most innovative small law firm products to the international market.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computing Information Technology and has a wide range of experience working in the UK and Australia where she developed a great understanding of the legal industry from her roles in software development, professional services and at LexisNexis where she spent several years heading up an international Product Management team.
Bart Vadala
Chief Technology Officer
As a leader of 60 developers, Bart is responsible for Smokeball’s design and architecture, and inspiring his team get creative and think outside the box. With over 18 years’ experience in building powerful legal software, Bart has played a significant role in transforming the way our clients work, and today he continues to build impactful intuitive software, keeping workflow efficiencies top of mind.
He holds a Bachelor Computer Science (Software Engineering).
Michael Campbell
Chief Financial Officer
As Financial Controller Michael is responsible for Smokeball’s global finance and accounting operations and strategies. With over 20 years of experience in finance and accounting roles in Australia and the UK, he has worked in a diverse range of industries including Utilities, Luxury Retail and Fine Art.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania and is a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants (CPA).
Rachel Holmes
Head of Client Success
Rachel brings a great depth of knowledge to her role, with over 20 years’ experience working in legal offices and over 5 years of experience working as a legal software consultant, where she used her legal expertise to provide training services to law firm clients.
As Operations Manager Rachel is responsible for assisting our clients by offering them the best level of service and support.
Eve Pinamoura
Director of People and Culture
Eve’s mission is to make Smokeball the best place to work. She believes that when people are passionate about what they do, have a clear purpose and work within an encouraging team then great work happens.
Eve is responsible for all things HR, including recruiting and onboarding our new employees, driving team performance and social activities.
Eve has a Bachelor of Business, and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.
Join The Team!
At Smokeball, you'll be working with a committed and talented bunch of people who really enjoy working with each other.