Carly’s practice involves regulatory and criminal law matters. She is particularly interested in commissions of inquiry and quasi-criminal matters including disciplinary and tribunal proceedings.
Recently, Carly was junior counsel to Paul Smallwood for Faruk Orman in proceedings that resulted in the Court of Appeal setting aside a murder conviction and directing that a verdict of acquittal be entered as a result of the misconduct of Nicola Gobbo (“Lawyer X”).
Carly has worked in the Victorian justice system since 2004. She began her career at Galbally Rolfe, appearing as a solicitor advocate in a range of criminal matters, both summary and indictable, including contested hearings, pleas and administrative hearings such as committals and bail applications. She has instructed Senior Counsel in complex trials involving allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, rape and murder. Carly’s advocacy experience was further developed during her time as a solicitor advocate with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Victoria Legal Aid.
Carly also has experience in non-criminal matters, including a representative action lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers and Advisers and the Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre. She has a passion for and commitment to social justice issues and accepts pro bono briefs in this area. She is a former volunteer international legal intern with the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center in New Orleans. There she worked with a defence team that managed to avoid a death sentence for a client accused of quadruple homicide.
Prior to the Bar, Carly developed significant and diverse experience working in a variety of legal, policy and strategic roles, including:
- Developing the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 and consequential amendments during her time at the Department of Justice and Regulation.
- Advising a former Premier on law and order issues, government accountability and responding to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, while working as a member of his private staff.
- Providing strategic and policy advice to the former Chief Judge of the County Court on all aspects of court administration and management.
Carly is a past winner of the Washington College of Law Human Rights Essay Award, for her publication on refugee law – Spoiling Movi’s River: Towards Recognition of Persecutory Environmental Harm within the Meaning of the Refugee Convention’ 24(1) American University Intentional Law Review 31–71, 2008
Carly completed a Masters of Law at the University of Melbourne and a Diploma in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law as the recipient of a scholarship through the Washington College of Law, American University. Carly also has a Bachelor of Arts (major in philosophy) and Bachelor of Laws (with honours) from the University of Melbourne.
Carly holds an Indictable Crime Certificate and is a member of the Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List.
Her mentor is Jarrod Williams.
