Lisa van Toor

I am a lecturer in the School of Law and Criminology teaching in a range of units with a focus on social justice, human rights and legal research. I am also a clinical supervisor and pro bono solicitor in the Human Rights Law Clinic, where I provide legal advice and assistance to people with refugee status and people seeking asylum.

My experience in the social justice and community legal sphere, both domestically and internationally, greatly influence my teaching and research. My research focuses on international human rights and refugee law, migration law, critical legal theory, law reform and legal history. My practical experience in these research areas spans across Australia, the European Union, Nauru and Indonesia. 

I have previously held research roles at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Amsterdam Centre for Migration and Refugee Law, the Kalshoven-Gieskes Forum on International Humanitarian Law and the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies. I have also held a judicial role as a Judge’s Associate in the Nauru Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nauru.

I am a PhD Candidate at the UNSW Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law. I hold a Master of Laws (LLM) specialising in Public International Law (cum laude) from Leiden University, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP) with Chancellor’s Commendation from the Australian National University, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) (major in history, major in Asian studies and minor in anthropology) from Murdoch University. I am a Fellow of the Indo-Pacific Research Centre, an Associate Fellow of the Advance Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) and a Fellow of the Piddington Society.

I teach in the Human Rights Law Clinic (LLB387), Legal Protection of International Human Rights Law (LLB337) in the International Human Rights Program in Geneva, Australian Legal System (BJU100), Indigenous Peoples, the Law and Society (LLB203/LEG203) and Legal Writing for Lawyers (LLB120). I give occasional guest lectures in other disciplines, on various intersecting human rights topics within my research areas.