Victoria Marles trained as a lawyer and has worked across the private, not-for-profit and public sectors in media/communications and consumer law.

Victoria was CEO of Trust for Nature for 13 years, and currently serves as Chair of the Australian Land Conservation Alliance and is a director of Yarra Valley Water Corporation. Victoria has recently finished terms as the chair of the Consumer Action Law Centre, and chair of the Abbotsford Convent Foundation, Victoria has held the positions of CEO of the Legal Services Board (Victoria), Legal Services Commissioner (Victoria), and Deputy Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and has been a trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust.

Victoria brings relevant expertise in the areas of biodiversity conservation and regulation including the development of environmental markets.

Clint Lingard is a Murri man from far north Queensland, with Ewamian and Kuku-Yalinji ancestry. Clint is a lawyer, solicitor advocate, academic, consultant, artist and writer.

Clint has over 20 years of legal experience across a diverse portfolio of roles, including at the Australian Taxation Office, NSW Legal Aid, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Arts Law.

He also has accounting, academic and consulting experience, and has volunteered for many community organisations including Fitzroy Legal Service.

He has joined EJA as a Board Observer, and Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group member.

Brooke Scobie (she/they) is a queer First Nations single mum, poet, podcaster, business mentor, and artist manager living on Darkinjung land.

Brooke brings a unique perspective and extensive experience to her work. With over 15 years in community services and 5 years in the arts industry, she possesses a deep understanding of diverse communities and creative expression.

Brooke’s talent as a writer and poet has gained national recognition, including achieving 2nd place in the esteemed 2020 Judith Wright Poetry Prize.

Nicola has worked with EJA for over a decade as Director of Advocacy and Research, working to improve environmental laws.

She led EJA’s clean air campaign which saw her engage with grassroots environment groups and local communities around Australia to protect our right to clean air.

She has also led our federal and state advocacy work on issues such as climate and water law, and national biodiversity laws.

Previously, she worked as a senior lawyer in federal and state governments. Nicola is a Fellow of the Centre for Sustainability Leadership and holds a Masters in Environmental Management.

Elizabeth McKinnon is an experienced environmental lawyer with a passion for using litigation to create change.

After a stint in private practice, Elizabeth moved to Environment Defenders Office Victoria as a public interest environmental litigator.

She was previously General Counsel at the Australian Conservation Foundation, where she led ACF in Federal Court litigation to Stop Adani and advising across a range of operational and governance issues.

Elizabeth has been the Chairperson of Environment Victoria and sits on the editorial panel of the Australian Environment Review. She has 14 years of experience using the law as a tool for change in the environment and climate movements.

Hannah White is a senior lawyer in EJA’s climate team.

Before joining EJA, Hannah worked as a senior prosecutor with the federal government, running a broad range of criminal matters including environmental and white-collar crime prosecutions. She has also worked with the Net Zero Lawyer’s Alliance to help legal practitioners provide net zero-aligned advice.

Hannah has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Wollongong and a Master of Laws from New York University. Most recently, Hannah co-developed climate-focused short courses for the Democratising Education for Global Sustainability and Stewardship Programme at the University of Cambridge.

In her spare time, Hannah loves to get outdoors and go hiking and camping with friends.

Ally is a Senior Lawyer working with communities in Victoria and New South Wales affected by the harmful impacts of coal pollution on human health and the environment. She is a passionate human rights litigator who strives to provide a voice for marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

Prior to joining EJA, Ally worked as a Senior Lawyer at First Nations Legal & Research Services, advocating for land justice for Traditional Owners through litigation, negotiation, and advocacy. She also worked in Maurice Blackburn’s Social Justice Practice, where she advocated for asylum seekers, refugees, and international environmental groups. She also has a background in commercial law and insurance law litigation.

Ally holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) and is also learning Tok Pisin in her spare time. She lives and works on Wurundjeri and Bunurong/Boon Wurrung country.

Laura is a lawyer working with communities in the Northern Territory to protect nature and advocate for stronger legal protections for our ecosystems.

Before joining EJA, Laura worked as a civil lawyer at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in the Northern Territory and as a medical negligence lawyer at a plaintiff law firm in Melbourne.

Laura holds a Juris Doctor (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Hons).

Nicola is a lawyer working in the ecosystems team. She was previously a lawyer at the Environmental Defenders Office and was researcher (associate) to Justice Preston, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW.

Nicola has a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University and a Master of Laws (with Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Semisi was born in Tonga, raised in New Zealand and migrated to Australia in 2004. He has worked mainly for First Nations Australians as a Native Title lawyer, as well as an ATSILS criminal defence lawyer – working in WA, NT and QLD. In recent years, Semisi has worked for community legal centres in Melbourne and in private practice. 

Tessa Fluence leads EJA’s communications team.

She has green thumbs and big dreams for a better world. She is passionate about sparking participatory movements to shift the public conversation, re-engage people in our democracy and reconnect communities with each other and our planet.

Before joining EJA, Tessa led change the story campaigning at the Australian Conservation Foundation. She has worked on environmental advocacy campaigns for over a decade, across engagement, communications strategy, narrative research and campaigning.

She has Arts and Law degrees from the University of Melbourne, where she also did a PhD in cultural studies.

Ashley has always held a passion for people and the planet.

He has over 10 years’ experience in the international development sector, primarily in Ghana, Cambodia and Timor-Leste, and has strong grant writing expertise.

Ashley is Tasmania-based and is revitalized in nature, often found in the ocean, atop a mountain, in a cave or at a waterfall, with his two young boys in tow.

Sam believes deeply in the power of words and stories to connect people, imagine a better future, and create change. Luckily, as a digital campaigner, she spends much of her time thinking about exactly that.

Her background is in climate justice activism and community organising, previously the Communications Manager at the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Sam has a Bachelor of Arts.

Beyond her work with EJA, Sam is a writer and keen open water swimmer, regularly throwing herself into the lovable, icy waters of Port Phillip Bay in Naarm/Melbourne.

Jem is EJA’s media and communications coordinator and has more than 15 years’ experience as a journalist and media advisor.

Before joining EJA, Jem worked as a newspaper, radio and online reporter in Victoria and northern NSW. After crossing into public relations, Jem worked for some of Victoria’s most prominent public organisations.

Beyond her work with EJA, Jem likes playing Australian Rules Football, walking her dogs, and camping.

Kathryn assists the Ecosystems and Justice teams in their work. Having recently commenced at EJA, she is excited to be able to combine her paralegal experience with her passion for helping to protect the environment.

She holds Bachelors of Law and Science and a Masters of Environmental Science from Monash University and has worked in the local government environment space and in corporate environmental improvement.

Her interests include writing to politicians and waving banners for climate action and the protection of biodiversity.

Aaron has over 20 years’ experience in I.T desktop, infrastructure and application systems in corporate, education and Arts based organisations. In recent times, becoming conversant in Mac, SaaS and SQL systems, along with security and I.T policy audits.

He has volunteered for organisations such as the Centre for Sustainability Leadership, the South-Side Greens for 2014  council elections, the Victorian Greens in their 2017 campaign and Get-Up for the 2019 Federal election.

He holds a Bachelor of Computing from Monash University and is certified for ITIL v.3.0. and ACS’ inaugural Green I.T course

Outside of work he is a full writer/member of APRA/AMCOS, having toured dive-bars of the world with indie-pop band the Earthmen and hopefully his new experimental rock band Ekranoplans.