ALRC Contributor

Principal Legal Officer

Micheil Paton is Principal Legal Officer at the ALRC. Micheil joined the ALRC in 2018 and has contributed to the following ALRC Inquiries:

• Family Law
• Religious Exemptions in Anti-discrimination Legislation
• The Future of Law Reform
• Financial Services Legislation
• Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws

As Principal Legal Officer, Micheil supports the President and Commissioners by leading the legal team for specific law reform inquiries. Micheil was admitted to practice as an Australian Lawyer in 2005 and commenced his career in private legal practice, focusing on family law and property. Micheil was then Senior Legal Associate to the Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia. He worked for a number of years in Papua New Guinea advising government and civil society on family violence, child protection and human rights. Micheil has also worked for several years in the Northern Territory of Australia in the community sector and with government. He is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, has undertaken short-term academic roles and has contributed to academic publications. Micheil graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Honours), and was later awarded a Master of Studies in International Human Rights Law (Distinction) from the University of Oxford. He is currently undertaking a PhD in law reform and design part-time at the Australian National University.