Between the forums, interactive workshops and informal career and networking events, the conference will pause to hear keynote addresses from important, inspiring and successful legal personalities.

Breaking Down Boundaries is delighted to confirm the attendance of the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, and the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Catherine Branson QC, to address Breaking Down Boundaries 2009.

Robert McClelland

Mr McClelland has a Bachelor of Law from the University of NSW and a Master of Law from the University of Sydney. Before entering Federal Parliament he was a partner in the Sydney law firm Turner Freeman.

Mr. McClelland has served on several parliamentary committees, including as Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties and the Joint Select Committee on the Republic Referendum.

Mr. McClelland was appointed Australia’s 33rd Attorney General in November 2007.

Catherine Branson QC

Catherine Branson QC holds a Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of Adelaide and practiced as a barrister at the Adelaide Bar prior to her appointment to the Federal Court in 1994. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1992.

While a judge on the Federal Court, Justice Branson was the inaugural convenor of the Federal Court’s Equality and the Law Committee, and the inaugural convenor of the Court’s Human Rights Panel for New South Wales.

Last year, she was appointed President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Last year, Breaking Down Boundaries featured keynote addresses from Justice Margaret Beazley AO, a judge on the NSW Court of Appeal, and Greg James QC, retired Supreme Court Judge, as well as Julian Burnside QC and the President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

Further keynote speakers will be announced in the coming weeks, so make sure to check back. Be ready to hear their insights on public interest lawyering and be inspired by their excellent careers!