Amanda-Jane (AJ) George

As a senior lecturer at CQUniversity, I bring over 15 years of experience in legal education, research, and practice. I have a PhD in Law from the University of Queensland, an LLM from the University of London (awarded the Derby-Bryce and Roy Goode Prizes), and an LLB from Bond University (awarded the JF Kearney Gold Medal and Una Prentice Award).

My core competencies include law reform and policy work, gendered violence, and innovation policy. I have participated in various government expert groups, round tables, and inquiries, contributing to the advancement of justice and social change. In 2024, I was appointed to the Expert Advisory Group for the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) inquiry into the criminal justice system’s responses to sexual violence. I am a member of the management committee of the Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence, the Advisory Board of With You We Can, a member of the Queensland Law Society's Domestic and Family Violence Committee and a member of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) SaferAI for Children Coalition.

I have written more than 50 peer-reviewed and impact publications, and my doctoral publication was cited by the Australian High Court. In 2023 I led a multidisciplinary team on a major report on Specialist approaches to managing sexual assault proceedings, which was commissioned by the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration and the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department. The report is informing the current ALRC inquiry. My team's 2024 cross-disciplinary report, Towards a culturally safe and trauma-informed court: a scoping review of populations that experience increased susceptibility to sexual violence, and the 2023 report, are both published in the Judicial Commission of New South Wales Sexual Assault Trials Handbook (judicial bench book).

I am passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of lawyers and scholars. I have developed and taught cutting-edge undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Group of Eight universities and regional universities, covering topics such as Australian corporations law, intellectual property, artificial intelligence, relational contracting, and human-centred and design thinking. I am also a committee member of the Queensland Law Society Technology and Intellectual Property Committee.

My mission is to use my legal knowledge and skills, and lived experience, to create positive impact in the society and the profession. I am always eager to collaborate with other experts, practitioners, and stakeholders to address the complex and emerging challenges and opportunities in the legal field. I am also committed to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and diversity in my work environment.

Current research projects.
I have received external funding from the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration, Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department for my projects. I have also received internal funding from the University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, and Central Queensland University.

Amanda’s current and upcoming research projects include:

- The dynamics of power in reforming the justice response to sexual violence

- The Scottish experience in reforming the justice response to sexual violence

- The effectiveness of s 41 of the Uniform Evidence Act and improper questioning in sexual assault trials

- The impact of stereotyping and stigma in sexual assault trials and its impact on jury deliberations

- Trauma-informed, culturally safe judicial training

- Trauma-informed, culturally safe legal education