Biography

    Michelle is a partner at Gilbert + Tobin for Pro Bono Services and Corporate Responsibility.

    She acts for marginalised and disadvantaged individuals and organisations representing those who cannot otherwise afford legal assistance. The practice acts across a range of legal areas and has a focus on legal issues affecting Indigenous Australians, People with Disabilities and Refugees and conducts more than 300 matters a year.

    Michelle specialises in discrimination and human rights law. She has conducted several public interest and test cases in these areas and made successful communications to the United Nations Human Rights Committee alleging human rights breaches by the Australian Government. 

    She is also responsible for the firm’s CSR program which was formally established in 2007 with a strong focus on working with Indigenous Australia, the development and implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan, an Indigenous Youth Program and enabling employment opportunities for indigenous peoples.

    Michelle is a former director of the Australian Pro Bono Resource Centre and the Public Interest Law Clearing House.

    Prior to joining the firm, Michelle worked in industrial and employment law and litigation for a major law firm. She was the principal solicitor at the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre, undertaking test case and public interest litigation, policy work and community legal education in the area of disability discrimination.

    Michelle has a Masters in Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney.