The 2024 Legal Laneway Breakfast

Jaclyn was appointed as Victoria’s Attorney-General in December 2020, tasked with delivering the Labor Government’s important reform agenda.

Jaclyn completed a Bachelor of Laws at Deakin University and was admitted to legal practice in Victoria in 2006. During her tertiary education, Jaclyn worked as a carer for people with intellectual disabilities. This job exposed her to the barriers to inclusion and restrictions on opportunity that those with a disability experience on a daily basis, and the importance of the Government putting in place the right policy settings to address their challenges.

After finishing university, to further her legal training Jaclyn became an Industrial Officer at the Australian Services Union before moving into government as an adviser to Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls. In 2010, she was appointed as Senior Legal and Justice Adviser to then-Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews.

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In 2014, Jaclyn was elected Member for Northern Victoria, the area of the state she grew up in and where she is now raising her family. She has a passion for social justice and hard work and is focused on delivering a just and equitable justice system for all Victorians. 

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Jaclyn also serves as the Minister for Emergency Services and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

Justice Garde is a Reserve Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, capping a long and distinguished career in the law, starting in 1974. Beyond his career as a barrister and on the bench, Justice Garde has been highly influential in many aspects of our justice system.

He is Victoria’s longest serving President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, having held that post for six years and overseeing key reforms to support better access to justice.

He is currently Chair of the Law Library of Victoria Committee and the Supreme Court Library Committee; was a founding member of the Courts Council of Courts Services Victoria, and of the Judicial Commission of Victoria; as well as many other leadership roles. In addition to his work in the law, Justice Garde was a Major General in the Australian Army, serving till 2004 as Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Reserves) and Head Reserve Policy. He has chaired the Foundation since October 2020.

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As the inaugural VLF Research Director, Nigel led the development of the Research function at VLF including the Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS). 

He has been conducting empirical research for over twenty years and is an expert in the application of social science and modern quantitative methods to explore how the public understand and interact with the law. 

Nigel’s research includes work on the role of law in everyday life; attitudes to justice; public experience of and response to legal issues; the interaction between legal and health problems; and design of legal services and legal aid. He is best known for his work on legal need surveys around the world, including recent guidance supporting global access to justice initiatives under the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 16. Nigel is also Honorary Professor of Law and Social Statistics at University College London.

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Fiona was appointed Victorian Legal Services Commissioner and CEO of the Victorian Legal Services Board in January 2018. She was reappointed to the role for a second five-year term on 8 January 2023.

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Prior to her appointment she was the CEO of Justice Connect, a leading not-for-profit organisation that provides free legal assistance to individuals and organisations by leveraging the pro bono skills of the private legal profession. Fiona has also held a range of senior roles at World Vision Australia, including that of General Counsel. Before joining World Vision, she worked at Clayton Utz, including as Special Counsel. Fiona has an LLB from the University of New South Wales and holds LLMs from both New York University and the University of Melbourne. She has also studied at both Harvard and Stanford Business Schools in the USA.