Legal Features
Barriers to justice: ‘We are still governed by the idea that women lie about sexual assault’
Few victim-survivors report to police, even fewer make it to court. What are the obstacles and where is reform required?
Published in The Guardian (Sydney, Australia) in March 2021.
Disaster plan: How lawyers can act faster and respond better
Demand for free legal advice soared after the bushfires of Australia’s 2019/20 Black Summer. One year on, lawyers are preparing to work in an increasingly volatile climate.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in March 2021.
Why our two new High Court justices didn’t turn heads
Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the US Supreme Court made global headlines. Across the Pacific, the elevation of a new justice to our highest court was an entirely different story.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in February 2021.
Who is making our laws?
The COVID-19 pandemic response has shone a light on modern lawmaking. It’s raising questions about human rights, parliamentary spending, and public policy.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in November 2020.
Is it time to embrace automated decision-making?
Smart wills, intelligent sentencing, and automated due diligence are only the beginning of what artificial intelligence can do to improve legal practice.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in October 2020.
Truth about Australian privacy law
A string of groundbreaking complaints is shining a light on privacy. Australia is being left behind in the information age.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in August 2020.
Bail out: Criminal courts face uphill battle
The criminal justice system almost ground to a halt in recent months. It has caused delays so severe that human rights questions are being raised.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in June 2020.
Riding the wave of change
The legal profession has experienced a lot of ups and downs since the outbreak of COVID-19. It’s a mixture of camaraderie and concern as the justice system is turned on its head.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in May 2020.
Spotlight on religious discrimination
Australian human rights law depends heavily on the protections provided in anti-discrimination legislation. But what happens if that law is turned on its head?
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in April 2020.
Reputation: The careful balance in defamation reform
Australia’s defamation laws were written in 2005, when today’s newspaper was tomorrow’s fish-and-chip wrapper. They went out of date almost immediately, so where do we go from here?
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in March 2020.
Code red: bushfires spark high legal demand
More than 140 bushfires have ravaged the state so far this summer, leaving a trail of heartbreak and destruction. Putting out the flames is only the beginning – especially for insurance lawyers.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in February 2020.
‘Awful human mess’
Just months after the ALRC finished its extensive inquiry into the Australian family law system, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a new inquiry led by a joint select committee. Many lawyers say it will simply add to the cycle of frustration and fatigue.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in November 2019.
Forgotten faces
About 38,000 people are reported missing in Australia every year. Now a new British law is prompting advocates to say it’s time for change.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in October 2019.
Uber could help find Australia’s missing persons
Andrew Dymott was enjoying a family barbecue in an affluent Melbourne suburb when he left for the shops. He was never seen again.
Published on news.com.au in August 2019.
Do lawyers make good politicians?
Many Australian politicians have legal backgrounds. Experts say lawyers are uniquely qualified for political careers - as long as they use their powers for good.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in July 2019.
World-first legal battle hopes to save a culture
A group of Torres Strait Islanders is filing a complaint against the government, claiming lack of action on climate change is washing away their human rights.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in July 2019.
Storm around suppression orders
Suppression orders are intended to keep matters out of the news, but a string of recent events means the orders themselves are making headlines.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in May 2019.
Trial by media: our true crime obsession
Australians love true crime. However, in the age of citizen journalism and global media coverage, experts have serious concerns over fairness.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in April 2019.
Inside our legal aid crisis
Fees have been stagnant for more than 10 years while the number and complexity of cases has increased. It’s no wonder private practitioners have had enough.
Published in the Law Society Journal (Sydney, Australia) in March 2019.