Catriona Alice Stuart Martin

She/her

Pro Bono Director, Asia Pacific

I'm passionate about supporting pro bono clients to achieve their goals and working in partnership to improve the social and economic wellbeing of our most disadvantaged communities.

Emailcatriona.martin@dlapiper.com

Call+61 2 9286 8293

Sydney

About

Areas of FocusCorporate

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of AustraliaSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

EXPERIENCE

With Unicef East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, led a major submission to the United Nations Independent Expert on Children Deprived of Liberty which considered recommendations for law, policy and practice to safeguard the rights of children and help to reduce the number of children deprived of liberty. The submission covered 15 countries across Asia and the Pacific.
Established the firm’s pro bono relationship with the University of South Pacific and developed a unique legal course which, since 2017, has seen over 550 law students from across the Pacific Islands trained in core practical legal skills. The same course is now being taught to Ministry of Justice officials and at universities in South East Asia.
Established Australia’s first pro bono birth certificate clinic which provides legal assistance to vulnerable people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, who have been unable to register their birth and therefore cannot obtain identification documentation. This clinic now runs across 4 states in Australia.
With the Zambia Judiciary, the Zambia Corrections Department, Undikumbukire Zambia and Ramsey Beck, DLA Piper’s African Pro Bono Director, led a week-long child justice drive in Copperbelt Province, Zambia. The work involved interviewing and documenting the experiences of 118 children detained in adult prisons and advocating for their release.
Led a complex multijurisdictional analysis in 54 jurisdictions of prisoner release schemes that were implemented by governments in response to COVID19. The research considered data on prisoner release numbers, legislative and policy reform which formed the basis for release, structures of prisoner support programs and highlighted best practice for governments to consider when implementing similar release programs.
In partnership with AIG, led a major research project into the statutory compensation schemes for survivors of human trafficking across 20 jurisdictions globally. The first of its kind report, analysed the schemes managed by governments to provide financial compensation to survivors and the barriers that particular provisions may create, as well as highlighted examples of best practice.
Established the Know You Rights training programs for young people from refugee backgrounds as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia which provided critical legal information across key topics and helped young people to advocate for their own rights.
In partnership with TrustLaw and the International Rescue Committee, established the first Know Your Rights training program for refugees in camps along the Thai Myanmar border. The program focused on employment rights to help avoid exploitation on release from the camp.

Education

Bond University, QLD, Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), 2008

Bond University, QLD, Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Finance, 2008

Insight Overview

Catriona regularly presents at conferences and teaches at universities on topics relating to child rights and young people in the criminal justice system, commercial law firms and pro bono work, and access to justice.

Publications

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Catriona was a Senior Associate in the Disputes Group for an international law firm where she worked on significant, complex class actions and regulatory investigations for financial institutions, large resources companies and medical device manufacturer. Catriona also spent time working in Paris for another international law firm in international commercial arbitration.

Memberships And Affiliations