I was appointed Dean at Macquarie Law School in July 2022, following a period as interim Dean and prior roles as Deputy Law Dean (2019 - 2021) and Director of Education (2015 - 2021).

I joined MLS in 2005 from a professional background working in mediation and Youth Justice Conferencing and have taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Legal Ethics and Alternative Dispute Resolution.  I also provide advice and training to lawyers, mediators and other professionals working with older Australians.

My research focusses on the intersection between Law and Ageing, with a particular focus on the rights of older Australians and the legal decision-making capacity of older people, including those with a diagnosis of dementia.

My PhD examined how lawyers assess the legal decision-making capacity of their clients and included empirical research centred on complaints made to the NSW Office of the Legal Services Commission. My current research is centered on the topics of substitute decision-making, guardianship, powers of attorney, elder abuse  and the regulation of Aged Care.

I have maintained my professional mediation practice and am a member of the National Sports Tribunal, and the NSW Community Justice Centre with more than fifteen years experience in the resolution of workplace, community, professional and family disputes. I am also a member of the NSW Guardian Ad Litem panel, representing people who lack the capacity to instruct a solicitor or to represent themselves in NSW Courts and Tribunals.  

I am a foundational co-convenor of the Australian Research Network on Law and Ageing (ARNLA), a member of EMAN - 'Elder Mediation Australasian Network' and a member of the Australian Gerontological Association and AAG's Elder Abuse Special Interest Group.

Ageing and the Law

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mediation

Capacity

Substitute Decision Making

Legal Ethics

Legal Education

Director of Learning and Teaching Macquarie Law School 2015-2021

Director of JD 2018 - 2020

Laws1100 Law Lawyers and Society

Laws8006 Applied Legal Ethics

Laws8019 Dispute Resolution

LAWS5051 Professional and Community Engagement

Available to supervise research in the following areas and welcomes inquiries from prospective students:

Law and Ageing

Legal Capaity

Substitute Decision-Making

Guardianship

Mediation and ADR

Legal Ethics

Member of the Australian Association of Gerontology

Member of Elder Abuse Special Interest Group AAG

Member Elder Mediation Australasian Network

Member of the Finance, Audit and Compliance Committee, Surf Life Saving NSW, 2014 to 2021

Patrolling member, Newport Surf Life Saving Club 2010 to present