|

Add a bookmark to get started

Bookmarks info

Catriona Alice Stuart Martin

She/herSocia
Pro Bono Director, Asia Pacific

I'm passionate about supporting pro bono clients to achieve their goals and working in partnership to improve the social and economic wellbeing of our most disadvantaged communities.

Sydney
About

Cate describes her role as “one of the best jobs in the world” – it’s a reminder of the power of law as a tool for positive change.

A trusted lawyer with over a decade of experience, Cate tirelessly represents disadvantaged individuals, community law centres, NGOs, UN agencies, development organisations, and governments in low-income countries in the Asia Pacific region.

As the regional leader of the largest pro bono team of any law firm, Cate’s guidance ensures the firm’s pro bono work is impactful and makes a measured difference in the communities and lives they touch. She also helps inhouse lawyers to engage with their local communities through pro bono work. 

Cate’s commitment to her work, her team, and the individuals they support is not just a professional choice but a reflection of her core values — fairness, empowerment, and sustainable impact. 

She empowers marginalised communities, assists judges, trains lawyers, and advises governments on human rights issues. It is all part of her dedication and commitment to standing up for what’s right and improving access to justice for the voiceless.

Known for her empathy and exceptional listening skills, Cate empowers people to make a difference to their lives and their world.

Areas of FocusCorporativo
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of AustraliaSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • With Unicef East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, led a major submission to the United Nations Independent Expert on Children Deprived of Liberty which considered recommendations for law, policy and practice to safeguard the rights of children and help to reduce the number of children deprived of liberty. The submission covered 15 countries across Asia and the Pacific.
  • Established the firm’s pro bono relationship with the University of South Pacific and developed a unique legal course which, since 2017, has seen over 550 law students from across the Pacific Islands trained in core practical legal skills. The same course is now being taught to Ministry of Justice officials and at universities in South East Asia.
  • Established Australia’s first pro bono birth certificate clinic which provides legal assistance to vulnerable people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, who have been unable to register their birth and therefore cannot obtain identification documentation. This clinic now runs across 4 states in Australia.
  • With the Zambia Judiciary, the Zambia Corrections Department, Undikumbukire Zambia and Ramsey Beck, DLA Piper’s African Pro Bono Director, led a week-long child justice drive in Copperbelt Province, Zambia. The work involved interviewing and documenting the experiences of 118 children detained in adult prisons and advocating for their release.
  • Led a complex multijurisdictional analysis in 54 jurisdictions of prisoner release schemes that were implemented by governments in response to COVID19. The research considered data on prisoner release numbers, legislative and policy reform which formed the basis for release, structures of prisoner support programs and highlighted best practice for governments to consider when implementing similar release programs.
  • In partnership with AIG, led a major research project into the statutory compensation schemes for survivors of human trafficking across 20 jurisdictions globally. The first of its kind report, analysed the schemes managed by governments to provide financial compensation to survivors and the barriers that particular provisions may create, as well as highlighted examples of best practice.
  • Established the Know You Rights training programs for young people from refugee backgrounds as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia which provided critical legal information across key topics and helped young people to advocate for their own rights.
  • In partnership with TrustLaw and the International Rescue Committee, established the first Know Your Rights training program for refugees in camps along the Thai Myanmar border. The program focused on employment rights to help avoid exploitation on release from the camp.
Education
  • Bond University, QLD,  Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), 2008
  • Bond University, QLD, Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Finance, 2008

Pro Bono

Probono12

Insight Overview

Catriona regularly presents at conferences and teaches at universities on topics relating to child rights and young people in the criminal justice system, commercial law firms and pro bono work, and access to justice.

Publications

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Catriona was a Senior Associate in the Disputes Group for an international law firm where she worked on significant, complex class actions and regulatory investigations for financial institutions, large resources companies and medical device manufacturer. Catriona also spent time working in Paris for another international law firm in international commercial arbitration.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Association of Pro Bono Counsel
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Law Asia
  • Australian Child Rights Taskforce
  • Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (Child Rights Subcommittee)

My latest insights

News

DLA Piper, Pfizer and Refugee Legal mark one year of supporting Afghanistan refugees

28 de agosto de 2022 .4 minute read

News

DLA Piper collaborates with International Centre for Democratic Partnerships (ICDP) to...

18 de agosto de 2022 .3 minute read

News

DLA Piper delivers its Pacific Island teaching programme in collaboration with Westpac

21 de junio de 2022 .3 minute read

Connect

Phone

+61 2 9286 8293
(Work, Sydney)
CallvCardLinkedInPrint
Avisos legalesPolítica de cookiesPolítica de privacidad Mapa del sitio

DLA Piper es una firma de abogados global que opera a través de varias entidades legales distintas e independientes. Para obtener más información sobre esas entidades y sobre la estructura de DLA Piper, consulte la página Avisos legales de este sitio web. Todos los derechos reservados. Publicidad de abogados. © 2023 DLA Piper