Kate Eastman AM SC

Admitted to the Bar 1998

Appointed Senior Counsel 2012

Experience

Kate has over 30 years’ experience in dispute resolution and advocacy in a wide range of employment disputes, all aspects of sexual harassment, discrimination and vilification law (employment, services, education, transport and media), public law, education and health law. She is a recognised expert in human rights law (international and Australia).

She appears in the High Court, Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, Fair Work Commission, Industrial Relations Commission and State/Territory tribunals in trials and appeals in matters arising under the Fair Work Act and all Federal/State/Territory discrimination laws. She is instructed by individuals, Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and agencies, for multi-national and Australian ASX 200 corporations, partnerships and small business in a range of matters including internal compliance audits, internal grievance and disciplinary procedures, mediation, advisory work and litigation.

Kate regularly appears in mediation and conciliation of all complex and multi-party disputes. She acts as an independent investigator and mediator.

Kate was Senior Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability between 2019 and 2023.

Kate is also an experienced teacher. She is a Senior Fellow of the Faculty of Law, Monash University where she has taught a range of post-graduate international and Australian human rights laws courses. She has also taught short courses on human rights in Myanmar and Uganda.

Kate appears as a panellist on The Drum on ABC from time to time.

In 2021, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the law, to human rights and to professional organisations.