Meet Ally
Ally McAlpine is a passionate human rights litigator who helps frontline communities use the law for environmental justice.
Ally currently leads EJA's clean air and pollution team as a senior specialist lawyer.
She helps regional communities use the law to fight for clean air, swimmable rivers, clear skies and better lives – like in Victoria's Latrobe Valley, where she's helping to get coal mine rehabilitation on the right track (You can listen to Ally's concerns about AGL's plans to flood Loy Yang mine with "bulk water" on ABC Gippsland.)
Before joining EJA, Ally supported Traditional Owners to litigate, advocate and negotiate for land justice at First Nations Legal & Research Services.
She also worked at Maurice Blackburn’s Social Justice Practice, where she advocated for asylum seekers, refugees and international environment groups.
Why did you decide to become a lawyer?
Unlike a lot of lawyers, I did not know as a kid that I wanted to be a lawyer!
I always wanted to work in social justice, but I wasn’t sure how or which path to take. I had done a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree and was floating ideas about how I could build a career in social justice. A friend had started a Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) and loved it – this sparked a trip down a rabbit hole of what I could do as a lawyer in community and movement lawyering, so I applied for the course and here I am!
What do you do at EJA?
I am proud to work with communities affected by pollution from coal-fired power stations. Burning coal can be incredibly detrimental to the health of surrounding communities and the environment. Once coal extraction has stopped, I also work to ensure that the rehabilitation of huge coal mines is done properly, with the safety of the community, waterways, and ecosystems front of mind.
What do you love about your job?
I love being able to work with community on issues that affect them. We work with some truly inspiring people who are often spending all their free time trying to make their community, their country, or environment safe and free from pollution. They are often just regular people who felt called to advocate for their community and end up becoming so incredibly knowledgeable in technical scientific areas.
What drew you to Environmental Justice Australia?
Like so many over the recent years, I have become increasingly concerned about the climate crisis, the health of our environment and how frontline communities are often left out of the conversation.
I wanted to find an organisation that pursued this work on behalf of those people facing injustice, and I love EJA’s focus on community-led lawyering and bringing environmental justice for both nature and people.
Having previously worked in First Nations’ land rights and social justice, I saw the great harmony of my passion for all this work and the environment at EJA.
What advice would you give someone who wants to follow a similar career?
Don’t be dismayed if you are unable to go straight into environmental or social justice work. And if you can’t get a job straight away in this field, don’t be afraid to do work that may not be strictly environmental justice or social justice focused. Both fundamental legal skills and a diversity of experience (and life experiences!) are incredibly important for this work.
Also, lawyers love chatting about their work – and social justice lawyers love speaking to people keen to follow a similar path. Don’t be afraid to reach out and speak to us about it!
What do you love to do outside of work?
Unsurprisingly, I love hanging out in nature.
I love walking on the beach, hiking, or camping. When the weather holds up, I’ll be swimming, surfing or stand-up paddleboarding (terribly) when I can.
And when the weather turns, you can find me chilling on the beach or my balcony watching the storms roll in.
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