Steve is an experienced Barrister at the Victorian Bar and a Nationally Accredited Mediator Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. Steve acts in Humans Rights and Social Justice matters and has expertise in facilitating non-confrontational conflict resolution across all aspects of law and justice.

Cassandra is a governance professional with a creative and commercial approach who provides corporate secretarial support to variety of listed and not-for-profit organisations. She is known for her ability to revive internal compliance systems, as well as for her writing and passion for strategic socio-cultural initiatives.

George is the Principal Solicitor of the National Justice Project and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Macquarie University. He is well known for his work in fighting for justice for people experiencing mental health issues, LGBTIQ+, immigrants, prisoners, asylum seekers, youth detainees, and First Nations people.

Dan is an American lawyer who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He  was the military lawyer for Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks.

Duncan has been a lawyer for over 30 years, having previously worked on Aboriginal Land Claims in the Northern Territory and for the Aboriginal Legal Service. He is also an author, journalist, media advisor and social commentator.

Heather is a thought leader and public speaker.

Rob is a lawyer, doctor and advocate with a substantial physical disability. Professionally, he specialises in intellectual property, commercial law and litigation. He combines his extensive legal expertise with his formidable advocacy for equality and inclusion.

Neil is an accountant and financial advisor

Anita is a professor, author, poet, cultural activist and social commentator from the Wiradjuri nation of central NSW. She is an advocate for First Nations literature and literacy through her writing for adults and children and her membership of boards and committees. Her most recent book is Bila Yarrudhangggalangdhuray (River of Dreams).

Nicola is a passionate refugee advocate closely associated with the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW. She is an experienced director with a strong understanding of the not-for-profit sector and demonstrated success working with philanthropists. She has been a director of the Bangarra Dance Theatre, Regional Opportunities Australia and currently sits on the board of the Foundation Board of the Australian Ballet.

Kirsten is a Muruwari/Yuwaalaraay woman, mother and lawyer. She started her career representing parents in child protection matters and has gone on to work extensively in Indigenous policy and human rights. She has served numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission and has contributed to Indigenous human rights advocacy both nationally and internationally. She has also served as a senior policy officer on the Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children in the Northern Territory and supported the Queensland Treaty Working Group in the development of the Path to Treaty report.

George is the Principal Solicitor of the National Justice Project and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Macquarie University. He is well known for his extensive work in fighting for justice for people experiencing mental health issues, the LGBTQI+ community, immigrants, prisoners, asylum seekers, youth detainees, and First Nations people. He also serves on the Board of Deadly Connections, and is a Committee Member of the Climate Justice Programme.

He was voted one of the 25 winners of the 2021 Impact25 Awards, which recognises the work of Australia's most influential, innovative and collaborative change-makers.George is a leading voice on social justice issues in the public sphere. You can read his articles in the ABC and The Guardian.

Naomi  brings more than two decades of professional experience across business, theology, grass-roots community organisations, social justice, and non-profit organisation. She has been a part of the NJP team since December 2018, when she joined the legal team as a volunteer.

She started her law degree at Southern Cross University in 2015 with the sole purpose of working in human rights, which is where she achieved academic excellence and was placed on the School of Law and Justice Dean’s List. She also has a Bachelor of Theology (with Honours) from the Australian College of Theology and a Diploma of Diaconal Studies from the Presbyterian Theological Centre. Her diverse professional background includes roles at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney’s Oncology Ward and Presbyterian Ladies College.

As General Manager, Naomi is focused on leading the NJP team to continue complex legal cases and advocacy initiatives, capacity building and mentoring, and equipping the next generation of human rights and social justice lawyers.

As an Associate Legal Director Emma co-leads the legal team at NJP, overseeing a team of lawyers, paralegals and volunteers, whilst also working on the Executive with management. Emma was a Not-For-Profit Lawyer of the Year Finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards 2021. She holds a Double Degree of Bachelor of Laws with Honours with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from Macquarie University.

Since joining NJP in late 2017, Emma worked on a large cohort of cases for asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru and PNG to provide them with life-saving medical treatment. With the NJP team, Emma provided guidance to other lawyers in the industry, providing the groundswell of cases that led to the #kidsoffnauru campaign, with all children being removed from Nauru by the end of 2018, and the subsequent ‘Medevac Bill’. Her practice also includes acting for Indigenous Australians fighting the police, corrective services and health services for mistreatment, abuse, negligence and discrimination. Current cases include damages claims for refugees who suffered in Australia’s offshore detention centres, a man who was run down by a police car in Perth, a young man assaulted by police in Redfern and representing the families who have lost loved ones to discriminatory and negligent healthcare.

Emma has a background as a criminal defence lawyer with specialist skills in Indigenous and vulnerable client legal matters developed as the Managing Lawyer with the Aboriginal Legal Service in Dubbo, Western NSW and four years in private practice. She has appeared in Courts across multiple jurisdictions advocating for her clients at hearings, sentences and appeals. Her volunteer experience includes working at Nea Kavala, Alexandria and Derveni refugee camps in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2017, providing crucial legal aid services to those seeking asylum in Greece who had travelled through Turkey, from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and the DRC.

Ashleigh co-leads NJP’s legal team and is a member of the executive. She is a proactive mentor, coordinates NJP’s legal observers, has driven mental health support in the workplace and is Chair of NJP’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee.

After working abroad in international law, Ashleigh joined NJP in March 2018. As part of the offshore team she has secured urgent medical care for children and adults in immigration detention in Nauru and PNG. Ashleigh is currently running a case before the UN Human Rights Committee seeking accountability for deaths in custody. Her practice also includes inquests and matters in relation to excessive use of force, discrimination and negligence by police, corrective services officers and healthcare providers, and she advocates for clients in gaol with disabilities and ongoing health issues to receive essential care.

Duncan is truly one of Sydney’s great Renaissance men. He has been a lawyer for over 30 years, and is also a published author, journalist, playwright, media advisor and social commentator.

His legal career started working on Aboriginal land claims in the Northern Territory. He has also spent time in one of Sydney’s top law firms specialising in defamation law, has worked for the Aboriginal Legal Service in Sydney and has worked as an advisor for the Lord Mayor of Sydney. He  is currently a columnist for Fairfax newspapers. With the National Justice Project, he works on a range of cases, focusing on helping families through inquests into deaths in custody.

Sarah has a background in managing litigation risk, providing strategic legal and commercial advice for a variety of multi-national, government and national organisations in Australia and South East Asia.  

Since joining NJP in 2017, she has focused on using strategic litigation to effect systemic change for the human rights of First Nations people and refugees detained in offshore detention requiring urgent medical treatment. 

Daniel is a Special Counsel at the National Justice Project and an Associate Professor at Macquarie Law School. He has held visiting positions at the Refugee Studies Centre at Oxford University, Harvard Law School, Queen Mary Law School, New York Law School and Brooklyn Law School.

His research focuses on Australian, comparative and international refugee law, and explores how technology can be used to promote accountability and access to justice. His book, Refuge Lost: Asylum Law in an Interdependent World (Cambridge University Press, 2018) examines the spread of restrictive asylum seeker policies around the world.

His main practice areas are refugee and immigration law and administrative law. He is the founder and director of the Macquarie University Social Justice Clinic, through which Macquarie law students assist with the caseload of the National Justice Project.

Sophie started working as a Paralegal at the National Justice Project in 2019. She is a proud Ashkenazi/Sephardi Jewish woman and her pronouns are she/her/they/them.

At NJP, Sophie works on a broad range of cases. She has assisted in drafting submissions to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, and to the UK government in relation to their proposed changes to their immigration laws. Sophie has worked on matters across the NJP team and assisted in a number of racial discrimination matters. She currently works as part of Emma Hearne’s team providing legal and administrative support to Emma in her cases. These cases include damages claims for refugees who suffered in Australia’s offshore detention centres, medical negligence in healthcare claims for First Nations Peoples, police misconduct and racial discrimination complaints.

Before coming to the NJP, Sophie started a Juris Doctor (Master of Laws) at Monash University, after graduating from a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) at RMIT University. Sophie was Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Half Hour, a TV news show that aired in late 2018 focused on the Victorian State Election. Since 2019, Sophie has also been completing an internship with Liberty Victoria’s Rights Advocacy Project, working in the Indigenous Justice Team.

Sophie is currently completing a Juris Doctor degree at Macquarie University where she is focused on human rights law. She is passionate about many areas of human rights and specifically anti-racism, disability and access to healthcare.

Bianca graduated from Macquarie University in 2020, having studied a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of International Studies. She also completed a Masters of Law at the University of Sydney in 2021 with a particular focus on human rights and environmental law. She has gained invaluable experience through previously volunteering at Justice Action, the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, and Community Legal Centres NSW. She has worked across a variety of areas including prisoner rights, refugee law and personal injury, and her experience extends to legal research, advocacy, policy development, administrative and legal support.

Bianca started at National Justice Project in September 2019 as part of her practical legal training, and continued to volunteer until June 2020. She then worked as a graduate lawyer, before becoming a Junior Solicitor.

She is passionate about facilitating access to justice, dismantling racist health and justice systems and providing client-centred services. She primarily works on matters falling without our Aboriginal Health Justice Project and on matters seeking accountability for deaths in custody and for the injuries sustained by refugees in immigration detention.

Karina is a Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) woman with a strong interest in social justice and advocating against systemic racism Karina  graduated with a Bachelor of Law with Honours and a Bachelor of Media from Macquarie University in 2017. She also has a background in migration and administrative law and has worked as a public servant and as a writer at National Indigenous Television.

Karina joined the National Justice Project in 2021 as a Solicitor as part of the Ing Foundation scholarship program.

Jason started volunteering at the National Justice Project in March 2020 as part of his practical legal training. He was drawn to the National Justice Project’s important advocacy work after graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Media and Law. During his studies, he formed a strong interest in the influence that the media has on cross-cultural issues within Australia, with a particular focus on the narratives that perpetuate systemic racism within Australia.

Jason currently assists across several teams and is the volunteer manager, he is passionate about fighting against systemic racism and believes education and law reform plays a vital role in the pursuit for social justice.

Trent is a Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) man passionate about equity in society and law. Trent's focus areas are achieving dignity and humanity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in the child welfare systems.

Trent graduated in 2015 from the University of Wollongong with a combined Bachelor of Laws & Indigenous Studies. His recent experience has seen him working at the Federal Circuit Court and Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT), gaining valuable skills across many areas of understanding our community's legal and social challenges.

He joined the National Justice Project in 2022 and has seconded to Deadly Connections Community and Justice Services to manage the Bugmy Justice Project. He is a solicitor with the National Justice Project on a part-time basis.

Sara holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Class I Honours) from The University of Sydney and a Master of Human Rights Law and Policy from UNSW, from where she also completed her Juris Doctor in 2021. Sara trained with the Redfern Legal Centre Police Powers Clinic and the UNSW Human Rights Clinic, and she was the Legal Aid NSW Human Rights Fellow 2021.

Her areas of interest include the intersections of critical race and human rights law, police accountability, the prison industrial complex, and the incarceration/detention of marginalised populations – all grounded in decolonial values.

Juliette previously studied International Studies (Development) at the University of New South Wales, during which she spent a year studying Multiculturalism and Forced Migration at the Berlin University of Technology.

She started at the National Justice Project as a volunteer in September 2019, providing support to the executive team. In 2020, she joined the team part time as a paralegal and, inspired by the incredible work and impact of the NJP, commenced a Juris Doctor Degree at Macquarie University in 2021.

Juliette  is deeply committed to social justice, Human Rights, and challenging systemic injustices.

Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Cardiff University in 2016 and worked in family and child protection law in the UK. She has volunteered in the UK assisting asylum seekers secure government support and also has 2 years of marketing and communications experience in the not-for-profit sector.  

Rebecca joined the National Justice Project in January 2021, supporting the executive team before starting as a paralegal. She is also a community services worker with a background in youth work and disability support.

Rosaleen grew up on Ganubanud country, studied on Wurundjeri country and now lives and works on Gadigal country. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in June 2022. She has always had a strong interest in social justice and focused her studies and volunteering on human rights and advocacy. She is deeply committed to disrupting Australia’s systems that perpetuate violence and discrimination, and holding them accountable.

Rosaleen’s connection with the National Justice Project began by participating in the Monash University Social Justice Clinic in 2020. She continued volunteering with the Projects and Partnership team until June 2022 whilst also volunteering for Fitzroy Legal Service’s Night Service. She then completed Practical Legal Training with the legal team before becoming a Graduate Lawyer.

Descending from the Gayiri and Badtjala peoples, Ariane has always been passionate about achieving equity and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in the child welfare and justice systems.

After graduating from UTS in 2012 with a combined Bachelor of Laws & Communications, Ariane has gained valuable skills from various roles with the Australian Human Rights Commission, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, and most recently the Royal Commission into the Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Ariane uses this experience in her role to help demonstrate the agility and ability of NJP to contribute to meaningful change across a multitude of settings in collaboration with community leaders.

Ariane originally joined the National Justice Project in 2018 to manage the Papua New Guinea Social Justice Project, and is now a full-time member of the National Justice Project team.

Ayse holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Development) and a Master of International Human Rights Law and Policy from UNSW Sydney, with a focus on human rights and social justice for First Nations Peoples, refugees and asylum seekers. She is an experienced social policy researcher and project manager. She previously worked in research ethics and research grants management at UNSW Sydney before leaving to pursue a career in social justice and human rights.

Ayse  joined the National Justice Project in October 2021. She is passionate about working with communities towards achieving social justice, challenging systemic racism and advocating for accountability in the justice system.

Shom is the daughter of migrants from Fiji with a strong interest in law and education. She has spent the last nine years working across the primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors.

Shom completed her Juris Doctor degree at The University of Sydney in 2020, and was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2022. She has also completed a Master of Teaching (Secondary Education) degree at UNSW Sydney.

Her position as Legal Educator at the National Justice Project involves creating a transformative community legal education project, working closely with King & Wood Mallesons and Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research.

Tim Ginty is a communications professional who has worked in the National Justice Project’s Fundraising and Communications team since 2020. Tim’s current role is to highlight the stories and achievements of our clients, staff, and volunteers. 

After graduating from the University of Canberra with a Bachelor in International Studies and Communications, Tim studied Master of World History at the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. His commitment to social justice has led him to work and volunteer in international development, fair trade, and global solidarity organisations.  

Lizzy is a passionate communications specialist who loves putting her knack for writing and digital marketing toward the National Justice Project’s storytelling, fundraising and campaigns.

With a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Communications, Lizzy previously worked in the conscious business sector before undertaking post-graduate studies in Human Rights with Curtain University (on Noongar Country) and joining our team. Passionate about consciousness-raising and community education, outside of work Lizzy has a feminist podcast about sexual consent.

Gail brings over a decade of experience in administration, human resources, and office management, along with 20 years of experience in security and risk management, and has qualifications in business administration and event management. 

She has a demonstrated history of working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector in volunteer management, event coordination, and governance roles, and is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws at University of New England.   

Gail joined the National Justice Project in April 2022 as the Office Manager & Volunteer Coordinator, and is passionate about helping others and supporting those who have experienced discrimination.