Michelle Fernando
Position
Lecturer, Faculty of Law
Qualifications
- BA LLB (Hons)
- Grad Cert of Legal Practice (UTas),
- Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Tasmania and the High Court of Australia,
- Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
- Michelle is currently completing her PhD in family law (UTas).
Professional/academic membership
Member, Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
Past Professional & Teaching Experience
Michelle worked as a lawyer at a Hobart firm for four years, practicing mainly in the area of family law. Michelle advised and represented clients in a wide range of matters. She appeared and conducted hearings in the Family Court of Australia, the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia, and the Supreme Court and Magistrates Court of Tasmania.
Michelle made the transition to academia in 2006. She tutored in contract law and lectured in family law at the University of Tasmania from 2006 to 2010. She also assisted students with advocacy training and coached the National Family Law Moot team, which won the national finals in 2009 and came second in 2007.
Teaching
Michelle is the lecturer and course convenor of Contract Law.
Community Service
- Board member, Anglicare Tasmania (2005-2010)
- Board member, The Friends’ School, Hobart (20008-2010)
- Member, Law Society of Tasmania Public Relations Committee (2006-2010)
Publications
M Fernando, ‘Conversations between Judges and Children: an Argument in Favour of Judicial Conferences in Contested Children’s Matters’ (2009) 23(1) Australian Journal of Family Law 48. (Peer reviewed)
P Fitzgerald and M Fernando, ‘Section 69ZT of the Family Law Act 1975: Has the Less Adversarial Trial process abolished the Rules of Evidence?’ (2009) 20(3) Australian Family Lawyer 25.
M Fernando, ‘Why Don’t Judges Speak with Children in the Family Court?’ (2009) 106 Law Letter (Journal of the Law Society of Tasmania) 15.