Dr Melissa Perry QC has practised at the bar since 1992 and specialises in public international, constitutional and human rights law, native title (on which she co-authored a major textbook) and federal environmental law. She completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge and was awarded the Yorke Prize for her doctoral thesis.

Melissa’s compassion for animals has seen her help pioneer the growth of animal advocacy in the legal profession and press for reforms in animal protection law, especially in regards to factory farming practices.  Among other contributions, Melissa helped to establish the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel, a unique national body promoting animal advocacy in Australia’s legal culture.   Melissa is also a member of the Administrative Review Council and the Governing Committee of the Rule of Law Institute Australia, a Director and Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and a Governor of WWF Australia.   

Melissa has been a valued member of the Voiceless Council since 2009 and has presented regularly at the Voiceless Animal Law Lecture Series, most recently in 2012 at The University of Sydney.  She also presented at Macquarie University’s Animal Law Symposium in 2012 and at The University of Tasmania’s Animal Law Conference in January 2013.

Watch Melissa's 2012 Animal Law Lecture Series presentation at Sydney University.