fiona mcleod AO SC
B.A, LlB, M.(Pub & Int) Law, GAICD
Fiona McLeod AO SC is a Senior Counsel at the independent Bar in Australia practising in the areas of commercial and public law matters. She appears in jury and judge-alone trials and appeals and is also briefed in common law and criminal matters.
Fiona is recognised for her clear legal advice, advocacy and strategic thinking. She represented the Commonwealth of Australia in major cases including leading the legal team in the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, Queensland Floods Commission and the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sex Abuse. She has acted in other notable matters including leading the legal team representing the Torres Strait climate change case, Pabai v Commonwealth, the successful plaintiffs in Victoria’s Black Saturday Murrindindi bushfire class action, NT Stolen Wages case and the Don Dale class action. She is currently senior counsel assisting the Yoorrook Truth and Justice Commission.
A selection of leading cases is available here.
Fiona is a leader of the national and international legal profession having led the Law Council of Australia, Australian Bar Association, Victorian Bar and Australian Women Lawyers. She is the Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council and an officer of the Bar Issues Committee of the International Bar Association and a member of the Council of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
She has been acknowledged as an 'Outstanding Advocate and Leader of the Profession' (The Advocate Award) and one of Melbourne's most "influential, inspirational, provocative and creative individuals" (The Age). In 2017 she devised and, with the support of a Steering Committee, led the Justice Project, a landmark research project undertaken by the Law Council into access to justice impacts on vulnerable groups in Australia launched in 2018.
Fiona is actively engaged in supporting government and institutional transparency and integrity. She is the Chair of the Accountability Round Table and a former Chair of Transparency International Australia and the Open Government Forum.
She has been a champion for diversity and inclusion and has received numerous awards, including for her contribution to the advancement of women and human rights issues, in particular, human trafficking. She was appointed to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2014 and was awarded the AWL Woman Lawyer of the Year in 2018.
She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours for ‘distinguished service to the law, and to the legal profession, at the national and international level, and to women lawyers’ .
Fiona graduated with Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Public & International Law from the University of Melbourne. She completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Company Directors Course in 2017.