Barristers Animal Welfare Panel

Shatha recently completed a Juris Doctor in Law at the University of Melbourne. Prior to a career change into law, Shatha completed a Bachelor in Economics and a Masters in Commerce at the University of Sydney and enjoyed an eight year career as a Project Manager for a major financial institution. Shatha is currently a commercial lawyer at a leading law firm. Prior to this role, Shatha was a Judge's Associate in the Federal Court. Shatha's interest in animal welfare is driven by her desire to see the end of factory farming and live animal export. Shatha assists the Panel through her project management skills and her legal skills.

Katrina Sharman is an experienced commercial, corporate and non profit lawyer.  She is the former Corporate Counsel for Voiceless, the animal protection institute.  Prior to assuming that role in 2004, she worked as a Senior Associate at Minter Ellison Lawyers.  Sharman is a former Chair of the NSW Young Lawyers Animal Rights Committee and a former member of the Animal Research Review Panel (NSW) and the National Health & Medical Research Council, Animal Welfare Committee.  Sharman has spoken about animal law issues at numerous conferences.  She delivered a keynote lecture at the 18th Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon and also spoke at the 'Future of Animal Law Conference' (Harvard Law School, 2007).  Sharman has contributed to numerous publications including 'Animal Law in Australasia' (The Federation Press, 2009) and 'Animal Law in Australia and New Zealand' (Thomson Reuters, 2010).  In 2009, Sharman was included in Australasian Legal Business Magazine's showcase of top 20 in-house Lawyers.  She has also previously been shortlisted as Australian Corporate Lawyers Association In-house Lawyer Young Achiever of the Year.

Photo: Sabrina Spirt

Dr. Siobhan O’Sullivan

Dr. Siobhan O’Sullivan is a Research Fellow at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. At the University of Melbourne Siobhan specialises in the delivery of welfare services, especially employment assistance. However, Siobhan has a long-standing interest in animal protection. In 2000 she conducted honours research into the link between the modern institution of private property, and poor animal welfare standards. In 2007 she completed her PhD at the University of Sydney. Her doctoral research explored the functionality of animal welfare statutes. Siobhan has since published widely on animal protection issues, including journal articles in Environmental Politics and Environmental Values. She has also contributed to numerous books on animal issues including the Encyclopaedia of Human-Animal Relations, What Philosophy can tell you about your Dog and Animal Law in Australasia. Siobhan is a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.

Jed Goodfellow

Jed Goodfellow is the Legal Officer for RSPCA South Australia where he is responsible for managing prosecutions under the Animal Welfare Act 1985 (SA) and contributing to the development of animal protection law and policy. Prior to this Jed worked for commercial law firm Clayton Utz and served as an animal cruelty inspector for RSPCA Qld. Jed is interested in exploring collaborative and innovative ways of progressing the interests of animals under the law, particularly with respect to those laws governing the commercial exploitation of animals. Jed brings to the Secretariat a strong working knowledge of animal protection law and the issues associated with its enforcement.

Lakshinee Kodituwakku

Lakshinee graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2009 having completed a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Commerce degree. She recently began full-time working life in the Australian Public Service. Lakshinee's interest in animal welfare developed at university after meeting several passionate and inspiring student activists. Lakshinee hopes that she can use her legal skills to make a positive contribution towards enhancing the lives of animals.

Jackson Walkden-Brown

Jackson Walkden-Brown was admitted to practice as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2003. He took up a position as a part-time teaching fellow at the Faculty of Law at Bond University in 2004, whilst practicing at the Brisbane office of Minter Ellison Solicitors. Now a Senior Teaching Fellow, Jackson’s principal areas of research and teaching include Animal Law, Administrative Law and Entertainment Law. Having been raised on a farm and surrounded by animals for most of his life, Jackson has had a long-standing interest in animal welfare issues. He has taught Animal Law at Bond University every year since 2008, and at Southern Cross University in 2010.

Anastasia Smietanka - Victorian Coordinator

Anastasia has been an animal welfare advocate since she became vegetarian at age 3. She is currently studying a combined Law and Media degree at the University of Melbourne with a double major in French studies. Having been involved in various animal welfare groups, she sees her involvement in BAWP as an innovative opportunity to petition for animal welfare through the current legal system.

Dakshinee Kodituwakku

Dakshinee is currently undertaking her traineeship year at a commercial law firm, after having completed a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce double-degree at the University of Melbourne. Dakshinee hopes to contribute her fledging legal skills to the Panel to assist in improving animal living conditions. She is particularly interested in promoting law reform to better protect animal welfare, as well as the role that the law can play in shaping community attitudes towards and perceptions of animals. She finds inspiring the work of all animal advocates, regardless of whether advocacy occurs in a legal, welfare or animal rescue context.

Suzannah D'Juliet - Queensland Coordinator

Suzannah is an Australian lawyer currently working as a Judge's Associate in the Federal Court in Victoria. Suzannah has completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business. Suzannah's interest in the Panel is inspired by her determination to see Australia's animal welfare standards improved; she provides the Panel with assistance in legal and policy research and drafting.

Melissa Knoll

Melissa Knoll will graduate from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice, and has just returned from the US after completing a legal internship with Compassion Over Killing in Washington DC. Melissa has worked as a legal researcher for Voiceless, the Animal Protection Institute, has researched for the Animal Legal and Historical Web Center with Michigan University Collage of Law, and is currently a legal researcher for the RSPCA in South Australia. Melissa is also a founding member of the Animal Law Committee with the South Australian Law Society, and was the organiser of the Animal Law Australian Legal Education Forum for the 2010 Australia Law Students Association Conference. Melissa has also had an article published in the South Australian Law Bulletin on the topic of animal law, and seeks to bring an end to the institutionalised suffering of Australian farm animals and to continue to highlight the next great social justice movement, Animal Protection.

Lana Went

Lana is a Technical Business Analyst with 11 years analyst and project management experience within finance and government, and is now based in London.  Lana holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and has undertaken various studies in Law and Information Technology.  Lana uses her project management and I.T. skills to assist organisations aiming to improve animal welfare and protection standards, and is the designer and developer of the BAWP website.

Jaz Cornish

Jaz completed her law degree at the University of Melbourne and works primarily in the area of Family Law. Jaz views her involvement in the Panel as a positive and productive way to heighten the community's awareness of animal welfare.

Caley Otter

Caley is currently employed as a Research Assistant and Project Coordinator at Humane Research Australia. Caley is a recent Honours graduate from the University of Melbourne, and for her thesis research, she examined how effectively the international community addresses animal welfare standards. Caley’s interest in animal welfare stems from her belief that it is our responsibility to consider the well-being of non-human animals. Caley has been an active volunteer with animal protection organisations including Animals Australia and Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, and is keen to bring her research skills and practical experience to the Panel.

Aaron Timoshanko

Aaron is the Managing Partner of Perfect Pet Finder, an innovative website that promotes responsible and ethical pet adoption. Prior to this, Aaron worked as a commercial solicitor at Kelly & Co. Aaron was admitted to practise in 2009 after completing a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Honours) and Bachelor of International Studies at Flinders University. Aaron also has a Diploma in Business.

Prior to studying law, Aaron principally worked in commercial radio. As a member of the marketing and promotions department of MIX102.3 and Cruise1323, Aaron gained valuable experience in project management and public relations.  

Aaron is a founding member of the South Australian Law Society's Animal Law Committee and is the Chairperson for the Companion Animal Welfare Society Incorporated. Aaron has a particular interest in banning jumps racing, ending live animal export and the elimination of puppy factories.