Clinical Legal Education

Membership of the Clinical Advisory Board is by invitation of the Dean and is drawn from alumni and distinguished members of the legal profession.

The purposes of the board are to:

1. Facilitate the engagement of alumni and distinguished members of the profession in the development of the Monash Clinical Program, providing an opportunity for their input on policy, strategic directions, and connections with the profession;

2. Enhance the profile of the Clinical Program and its connection with the legal profession;

3. Advise specifically on internships, employment exchanges, research partnerships and such;

4. Advise on/ facilitate new funding strategies for the Clinical Program, and the Law Faculty more generally;

5. Provide a high-level transparent governance mechanism for the Clinical Program, capable of liaising with equivalent high-profile professional bodies in other disciplines which might be associated with the Law Faculty Program in the future;

6. Make recommendations to the faculty to use the funds form the Susan Campbell Memorial Fund to provide access to the latest international and national clinicians and clinical research and to develop linkages between the clinical legal education program and the profession on a national and international level.

Clinical Advisory Board members

The current members of the Clinical Advisory Board include:

Professor Jeff Giddings - Chair Clinical Advisory Board & Associate Dean (Experiential Education), Monash Faculty of Law

Dr Renata Alexander - Senior Lecturer, Monash Law Faculty

The Honourable Justice Jennifer Coate - Judge, Family Court of Australia, Commissioner, Commonwealth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

In 2013, Justice Coate was appointed as a Judge of the Family Court of Australia and as one of the six Commissioners of the Commonwealth Royal Comission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Prior to this, Justice Coate held a number of appointments including Judge of the County Court of Victoria, State Coroner of Victoria, the inaugural President of the Children's Court of Victoria and Senior Magistrate, Deputy Chief Magistrate, and Magistrate of the Magistrate's Court of Victoria. During her time as President of the Children's Court of Victoria, Commissioner Coate oversaw the establishment of the Children's Koori Court. Justice Coate has also worked as a part-time Law Reform Commissioner, a solicitor in private practice, a solicitor for the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria and in policy and research for the Victorian Government.

Mr Dominic Cook - Partner, Wisewould Mahony Lawyers

At Wisewould Mahony Lawyers, Dominic leads a team which acts for the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the Transport Accident Commission, conducting public liability recoveries on behalf of these statutory insurers. Dominic holds Bachelors of Laws and Economics degrees from Monash and was admitted to practice in 1991.

Mr Bruce Dyer - Senior Legal Consultant, Ashurst

Bruce Dyer is a senior consultant in the corporate group at Ashurst in Melbourne having been a partner of the firm from 2008 to 2015. Bruce specialises in company law and governance, corporate, government, mergers and acquisitions.

Mr Andrew George - Partner, Doogue, O'Brien George

Andrew George has over 20 years of experience as a criminal lawyer and has been an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 1995. Andrew is a clinical graduate and was the former chairperson of the Buoyancy Drug Foundation and was a member of the committee of management fo the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) for over 10 years, including a period as Secretary. He as also been a volunteer at Springvale Monash Legal Service Inc. and the Brimbank Legal Service. Andrew spent 6 months in Papua New Guinea and assisted in establishing the first community legal service in that country.

Ms Fay Gernet - Practice Manger, Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service

Dr Kristine Hanscombe QC - Queen's Counsel, Victorian Bar

Kristine has a broad administrative law, commercial and equity practice. Her administrative law practice includes judicial review and merits review. IN addition to such litigation, she has advised government as to matters of legislative drafting and related issues. She is experience in professional disciplinary matters and related processes, mostly in relation to the legal profession. She has a substantial appellate practice in both State and Federal jurisdictions. In addition, Kristine has a long standing interest in access to justice issues and is a member of the Bar Pro Bono Committee and the Victorian Executive of the International Commission of Jurists. She is accredited by the Victorian Bar as an Advanced Mediator, and a member of the national panels of expert mediators maintained by the Office of the Mediation Advisor under the Franchising and Oil Industry Codes of Conduct.

Mr Ross Hyams - Convenor, Legal Practice Programs

Ms Sonia Parisi - Director, Integrity and Advisory, Victorian Public Sector Commission

Sonia Parisi is a principal practitioner in the legal assistance sector, with experience in local, state and national government in Australia and the United Kingdom. She is currently the Acting Director of Victoria Legal Aid's Legal Practice Directorate. Sonia completed the clinical education program as an undergraduate.

Dr Kate Seear - Academic Director, Springvale Monash Legal Service Inc.

Ms Kristen Wallwork - Executive Director, Springvale Monash Legal Service Inc.