Meet the interns

The Centre is pleased to have Trilby Donald and Chris Johannes join us as interns this semester.

Trilby Donald

Trilby is a fifth-year combined Laws/International Studies student majoring in Development and Spanish, and has just returned from a year of study at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Trilby has a strong interest in social justice and community development, as demonstrated through her experience in the sector. She has volunteered on wills and copyright trips with the Arts Law Centre, undertaken rural volunteer work in Indigenous communities both in Australia (Amata, SA and Papunya, NT) and abroad in Ecuador and Mexico, and holds an executive role within the Asia Pacific Team of international peace education organisation CISV, which is responsible for coordinating local initiatives and regional conferences for 17 chapter branches within the Asia Pacific. In addition, Trilby has worked in the in-house legal team at the Australia Broadcasting Corporation.

Trilby joined the Centre having volunteered in under-resourced organisations and marginalised communities, and hopes to understand, and contribute to, policy work that supports the facilitation of much-needed pro bono services. She is particularly interested in the role of policy and advocacy in growing the capacity of the Australian legal profession to effect systematic change for those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. She is also interested in foreign policy, cultural approach and service delivery. Trilby looks forward to understanding how innovation can facilitate the growth of pro bono, both in Australia and globally.

Chris Johannes

Chris is a final-year Juris Doctor student at the University of New South Wales. His area of legal interest is public and administrative law. Chris completed his undergraduate degree in International Studies, majoring in Government and International Relations with a focus on human rights and social justice.

Having recently completed an internship with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Chris observed the problems experienced by unrepresented applicants, particularly those who cannot afford legal representation, and at the same time, cannot qualify for legal aid. He sees the value in the work of volunteer lawyers and realises that this justice gap cannot be filled without the selfless lawyers who engage in pro bono work.

Chris would like to contribute to the Centre’s work in improving access to justice. Through understanding the daily operations undertaken by the Centre and by learning the challenges faced by pro bono service providers, Chris hopes that he can use this knowledge in future practice. He is excited to be at the Centre and is looking forward to assisting in any way he can.