The head of Maurice Blackburn’s national abuse law practice and director of Queensland and Northern Territory road injury, work injury and public liability practices, Michelle James, has taken over the top job from outgoing president and law firm partner Shaun Marcus.

Commenting on her new role, James said she remained committed to justice, fairness and protecting the rights of individuals.

“The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has impacted many positive changes for the rights of injured people around Australia.

“As we mark 30 years of the ALA, our commitment to protecting and promoting common law rights is still as important as ever, and there continues to be work for us to do,” James said.

In addition to her role at Maurice Blackburn, James was previously the state president of the ALA’s Queensland branch. She was the first woman to hold this position in the state.

On how both her roles will overlap, James said the right to bring a claim under common law is something “many people don’t know about because they don’t need to know about it, until they do”.

“It’s a terrible outcome to tell someone that has been injured through no fault of their own that they don’t have any rights because a government thought that it was a good idea to take them away,” she said.

James added the values and principles at ALA “are relevant whether we are fighting for justice for someone injured on the road or in a workplace accident, a survivor of abuse, someone in immigration detention, or a person living with disability”.

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The national presidential role has been held by prominent legal professionals like Noor Blumer, Tom Goudkamp OAM, Greg Barns SC, Andrew Stone SC, and Peter Semmler KC.

Naomi Neilson

Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly. 

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