
Dr Shaun McCarthy
Associate Professor and Director Clinical Legal
School of Law and Justice
- Email:shaun.mccarthy@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:0249218813
Righting legal wrongs for the disadvantaged
When the disadvantaged encounter the legal system, their treatment and outcomes are not always fair or just. This is something award-winning Dr Shaun McCarthy is working hard to challenge and change, taking a multi-disciplinary approach.

Dr McCarthy is a lawyer with leverage.
He has an unrestricted practising certificate from the Law Society of NSW. He's Program Convenor of Newcastle School of Law and Justice's Practice Program (Practical Legal Training Program). He's also been admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia.
On top of this, he has many awards of excellence in law and teaching to his name, both in the UK and Australia.
However, while he's a man of great professional success, the heart of his work has more humble, but highly-valuable community-focused ends.
From Legal Aid to alternative approaches
"My previous work as a lawyer with Legal Aid advocating for clients in the courts highlighted the need for diversionary and alternative approaches to seek to prevent these social and legal issues from escalating," says Shaun.
Diversionary approaches involve finding strategies to avoid the formal processing of an offender in the criminal justice system. Alternative means looking for new and better ways to the conventional approach.
Essentially, his work is about developing strategies and solutions to provide access to justice for people who are disadvantaged in dealing with the legal system.
This includes young people who have grown up around violence, the elderly, minority groups, the mentally unwell, and asylum seekers.
Handling high-profile injustices
Shaun conducts high-profile public interest casework in anti-discrimination law and intensive research into asylum protection cases.
He's acted in multiple high-profile public interest cases at the University of Newcastle Legal Centre (UNLC) – a clinical program with law students offering a range of public services, including free legal advice and assistance, representation, law clinics and community education seminars.
Two of the most notable in recent decades include the police shooting of Roni Levi on Bondi Beach and the inquiry into the wrongful detention of Cornelia Rau.
Ron Levi was a French freelance photographer who was killed by police while experiencing an episode of mental disturbance where he was carrying a knife.
Cornelia Rau was a German Australian resident with mental illness who was unlawfully detained for 10 months (2004-2005) as part of the Australian Government's mandatory detention program. The case highlighted the flaws with the unreviewable detention system.
Practical programs for change
Since its 2004 inception, Shaun has been involved in the UNLC flagship clinic 'Law on the Beach' at Newcastle Beach – a free legal advice clinic staffed by Newcastle law students and Legal Centre lawyers.
He's also developed an app titled 'Know the Law' specifically designed for international students about the law in Australia.
A more recent project, Shaun is a member of the University of Newcastle's Name, Narrate and Navigate (NNN) team.
"NNN is a trauma-informed and culturally responsive program for young people aged 12-18 years who are at risk of, or already using, violence," he says.
"It responds to the fact that young people who use violence are often victims/survivors of violence themselves."
The program uses interactive, experiential learning, mindful engagement and photography to help young people to name, narrate and navigate their experience of violence.
In addition, Shaun is involved in the delivery of 'Planning Ahead' seminars to community groups and undertaking research regarding how people respond to such information in dealing with their legal affairs and client capacity.
He's undertaking research into how lawyers deal with elder financial abuse and whether screening tools could assist in combating exploitation. This research has led to a toolkit being produced to help lawyers detect elder abuse.
Shaun is also a lead team member that secured a NSW State Government grant (totalling around $700,000) to establish an Older Persons Legal Clinic at the UNLC.
Plus, he's a consultant on a National Disability Insurance (NDIS) grant supporting people with a swallowing disability.
It's largely about awareness
Raising awareness of these issues locally and nationally is crucial – it's also one of the biggest ways Shaun's research has made a difference.
The work of the NNN, for example, has received large government and industry grants, enabling the work to be rolled out in the Hunter region and beyond.
Multi-disciplinary makes for success
One of the challenges Shaun encounters in his work is the length of time it takes to develop strategies and potential solutions to these legal problems.
It requires persistence. Luckily, that's a quality good lawyers possess.
"Translating this type of research into actual impact that solves these wicked problems demands a multi-disciplinary approach," says Shaun.
"It involves using problem-solving approaches and techniques from diverse disciplines, including social work, social science and law."
But it's these partnerships and collaborations with passionate students and colleagues that motivate him every day.
Righting legal wrongs for the disadvantaged
He has an unrestricted practising certificate from the Law Society of NSW. He's Program Convenor of Newcastle School of Law and Justice's Practice Program (Practical Legal Training Program). He's also been admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia.
Career Summary
Biography
Shaun is the Director of Clinical Legal Research at the University of Newcastle School of Law and Justice. His research interests include clinical legal education and community engagement. Shaun has been involved in multiple high profile public interest cases at the University of Newcastle Legal Centre (UNLC) including the police shooting of Roni Levi on Bondi Beach, inquiry into the convictions of Kathleen Folbigg and the inquiry into the wrongful detention of Cornelia Rau. He has been involved in the UNLC flagship clinic 'Law on the Beach' at Newcastle Beach since its inception in 2004. Shaun has developed an app titled Know the Law specifically designed for international students about the law in Australia.
Shaun's research includes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 10 - Reduced Inequalities - and 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Shaun is a member of the Name, Narrate and Navigate (NNN) team. He is a Co-Investigator and Consultant Expert in Law and Justice in the team. NNN is a trauma-informed and culturally responsive program for young people aged 12-18 years who are at risk of, or already using, violence. It responds to the fact that young people who use violence are often victims/survivors of violence themselves. NNN uses interactive experiential learning, mindful engagement and photography to help young people to name, narrate and navigate their experience of violence.
Shaun was a lead member of the team which secured a NSW State Government grant in 2019 (totalling around $720,000) to establish an Older Persons Legal Clinic at the University of Newcastle Legal Centre. He was a lead member in securing a continuation of the funding for the Older Persons Legal Clinic in 2022. He has co-hosted a Symposium with the Hunter New England Local Health District on Capacity Assessment. Shaun is a Consultant on a National Disability Insurance Scheme grant supporting persons who live with a swallowing disability.
Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia
Unrestricted Practising Certificate from the Law Society of NSW
AWARDS: Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning awarded by the Australian Awards for University Teaching; Fellow awarded by the United Kingdom Advance HE in recognition of attainment against the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and learning in higher education; NSW Premier's Public Sector Award Commendation for Services to Regional and Rural NSW; Newcastle Law School award for Teaching Excellence in Public Interest Advocacy and Social Justice Clinic; University of Newcastle Excellence in Teaching Award Outstanding Clinical Teacher in Law; University of Newcastle Work Integrated Learning Staff Member Award in the Faculty of Business and Law in recognition of outstanding academic achievement, performance and contribution to the University of Newcastle and wider community; University of Newcastle Faculty of Business and Law Excellence in External Engagement Staff Award; University of Newcastle Faculty of Business and Law International Engagement Award; University of Newcastle Faculty of Business and Law Excellence in Collaboration Award for Restorative City Initiative Project; University of Newcastle Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Merit List for Exemplary Student Outcomes for the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice; University of Newcastle Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence and Contribution to Student Learning; University of Newcastle Vice Chancellor's Award for International Engagement, College of Human and Social Futures Excellence Award for Industry Engagement.
Research Expertise
Public Interest Advocacy, Miscarriage of Justice cases, Clinical Legal Education, Client Capacity, Disability Law, Tribunals, Professional Conduct, Human Rights, Social Justice and Access to Justice.
Submission to Productivity Commission Access to Justice Arrangements Report 2014; Submission to Commonwealth Senate regarding asylum seekers in Nauru Regional Processing Centre and Manus Regional Processing Centre; Submission to Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry into Elder Abuse; Submission to the Commonwealth Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee regarding The circumstances in which Australians' personal Medicare information has been compromised and made available illegally on the 'dark web'. Submission to the NSW Department of Justice Community Legal Centre Review. Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission on access to digital assets after death and incapacity. Submission to the Commonwealth Senate Inquiry into Centrelink's Compliance Program (Robodebt) which is cited in its Second Interim Report.
Australian Collaborative Education Network, Excellence in Work Integrated Learning: Sand, Surf, Social Work and Law: inter-professional learning and practice at the University of Newcastle
ORCID 0000-0002-7515-6419
SCOPUS 57023155200
Web of Science AAU 7792 2020
Teaching Expertise
LAWS 4007/LAWS 6011 Professional Conduct - Course Co-Ordinator
LAWS 5037/LAWS 6029 Public Interest Advocacy - Course Co-Ordinator
LAWS 4003/LAWS 6008 Civil Dispute Resolution
LAWS 4054A/LAWS 4054B/LAWS 6014A/LAWS 6014B Legal Practice 1 - Course Co-Ordinator
LAWS 4055A/LAWS 4055B/LAWS 6015A/LAWS 6015B - Legal Practice 2 - Course Co-Ordinator
Practical Legal Training Clinical Legal Education modules
Administrative Expertise and Membership
Acting Head of Newcastle Law School (for periods of time)
Editorial Board, Newcastle Law Review
Program Convenor, Practice Program, Newcastle Law School
Member, Program Management Group, Newcastle Law School
Member, Australasian Professional Legal Education Council (APLEC)
Member, Law Society NSW and Newcastle Law Society
Member, Priority Research Initiative in Evidence Based Law and Practice, Newcastle Law School
Member, Disability Research Network, University of Newcastle
Member, Australasian Law Teachers Association
Member, Australian Collaborative Education Network
Member, Global Alliance for Justice Education
Member, Global Legal Empowerment Network
Peer Reviewer, UNSW Law Journal
Peer Reviewer, Health Information Management Journal
Peer Reviewer, Health Expectations
Peer Reviewer, BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Peer Reviewer, BMC Health Services Research
Peer Reviewer, BMC Public Health
Peer Reviewer, Victoria University Law and Justice Journal
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Arts, Macquarie University
- Bachelor of Laws, Australian National University
Keywords
- Clinical Legal Education
- Disability Law
- Legal Ethics
- Professional Conduct
- Public Interest Advocacy
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 480412 | Medical and health law | 25 |
| 480507 | Youth justice | 50 |
| 480501 | Access to justice | 25 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Associate Professor and Director Clinical Legal | University of Newcastle School of Law and Justice Australia |
Awards
Member
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2021 |
Fellow awarded by the United Kingdom Advance HE in recognition of attainment against the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and learning in higher education Higher Education Academy of the United Kingdom |
Prize
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2017 |
Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning awarded by the Australian Awards for University Teaching Australian Awards for University Teaching |
| 2015 |
University of Newcastle Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence and Contribution to Student Learning The University of Newcastle |
| 2008 |
NSW Premier's Public Sector Award Commendation for Services to Regional and Rural NSW NSW State Government |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Book (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 |
Blakemore T, Rak L, Krogh C, McCarthy S, Stuart G, 'Working with Youth Violence: The Name.Narrate.Navigate Program', 1-325 (2023) [A1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
Chapter (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | McCarthy S, Williams H, 'Developing Student Research Skills in Migration Clinics' (2022) |
Conference (3 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Blakemore T, Steffner J, McCarthy S, Howard A, 'Sand, Surf, Social Work and Law: Inter-professional Learning and Practice', Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide South Australia. (2019)
|
||||
| 2019 |
Li B, McCarthy S, 'Clinical Legal Education in Australia – Newcastle Model' (2019)
|
||||
| 2015 |
Blakemore TJ, Howard A, McCarthy S, Ross N, 'Interprofessional Work Integrated Learning : Exploring Opportunities for Social Innovation in Australian Tertiary Education' (2015)
|
Journal article (21 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Blakemore T, Rayment-McHugh S, Menzies K, Randall E, Rak L, Harris MK, McCarthy S, 'Now.See.Hear!: A Visual Conversation Tool for Trauma-Informed Practice with Justice-Involved Youth', Australian Social Work, 78, 429-441 (2025) [C1]
|
||||||||||
| 2023 |
Given F, Allan M, Mccarthy S, Hemsley B, 'Digital health autonomy for people with communication or swallowing disability and the sustainable development goal 10 of reducing inequalities and goal 3 of good health and well-being', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, 25, 72-76 (2023)
|
||||||||||
| 2022 |
Burke J, McCarthy S, 'Should remote hearings be extended post the Covid-19 pandemic in Hong Kong and what could be the ramifications for practical legal training?', Journal of International and Comparative Law, 9, 155-178 (2022) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2022 |
McCarthy S, Hemsley B, Given F, Williams H, Balandin S, 'Death by Choking or Dysphagia: A Review of Coronial Findings (Australia and Canada): A Picture of Preventable Death, Non-adherence to Written Recommendations, and Lack of Appropriate Supervision', Journal of Law and Medicine, 29, 400-405 (2022) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2021 |
Walsh L, Hemsley B, Allan M, Dahm MR, Balandin S, Georgiou A, Higgins I, McCarthy S, Hill S, 'Assessing the information quality and usability of My Health Record within a health literacy framework: What's changed since 2016?', HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, 50, 13-25 (2021) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Johnston B, McCarthy S, 'Street Law in the 21st Century: Assessing the Impact of the Know the Law Pilot Project', International Journal of Public Legal Education, 3 27-49 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Hemsley B, Meredith J, Bryant L, Wilson NJ, Higgins I, Georgiou A, Hill S, Balandin S, McCarthy S, 'An integrative review of stakeholder views on Advance Care Directives (ACD): Barriers and facilitators to initiation, documentation, storage, and implementation', PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING, 102, 1067-1079 (2019) [C1]
Objective: To examine the views and experiences of patients and their health care providers on developing advance care planning (ACP) and advance care directives (ACD);... [more] Objective: To examine the views and experiences of patients and their health care providers on developing advance care planning (ACP) and advance care directives (ACD); and determine barriers and facilitators to ACD development, storage, and use, including implications for people with communication disability. Method: An integrative review of 93 studies, analysed according to their content themes. Results: Content themes encapsulated the initiation, documentation, and implementation stages of ACP/ACD. Lack of guidance for initiating and supporting ACP/ACD impedes discussions, and both patients and healthcare providers avoid discussions owing to fear of dying and reluctance to think about end-of-life. Conclusions: There are several barriers and facilitators to the initiation of ACP discussions, documentation and implementation of ACD, and little research exploring the views of legal professionals on the development, storage, or use of ACP documents. Further research is needed to explore the timing and responsibility of both legal and health professionals in initiating and supporting ACP discussions. Practice Implications: It is important for healthcare providers to raise ACP discussions regularly so that patients have time to make informed advance care decisions. Storage of the document in an electronic health record might facilitate better access to and implementation of patients' end-of-life care decisions.
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Blakemore T, Agllias K, Howard A, McCarthy S, 'The service system challenges of work with juvenile justice involved young people in the Hunter Region, Australia', Australian Journal of Social Issues, 54, 341-356 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Li B, McCarthy S, Chen W, 'Fostering future lawyers in an era of globalisation: Integrating dispute resolution into overseas clinical legal education externships', Australian Journal of Clinical Education, 4, 1-11 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2018 |
Walsh L, Hill S, Allan M, Balandin S, Georgiou A, Higgins I, Kraal B, McCarthy S, Hemsley B, 'A content analysis of the consumer-facing online information about My Health Record: Implications for increasing knowledge and awareness to facilitate uptake and use', Health Information Management Journal, 47, 106-115 (2018) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2018 |
Blakemore T, Rak L, Agllias K, Mallett X, McCarthy S, 'Crime and context: Understandings of youth perpetrated interpersonal violence among service providers in regional Australia', Journal of Applied Youth Studies, 2, 53-69 (2018) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2018 |
Meredith J, McCarthy S, Hemsley B, 'Legal and Ethical Issues Surrounding the Use of Older Children's Electronic Personal Health Records', Journal of law and medicine, 25, 1042-1055 (2018) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2018 |
Hemsley BA, McCarthy S, Adams N, Georgiou A, Hill S, Balandin S, 'Legal, ethical, and rights issues in the adoption and use of the My
Health Record by people with communication disability in Australia', Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 43, 506-514 (2018) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2017 |
McCarthy SG, Meredith J, Bryant L, Hemsley B, 'Legal and Ethical Issues Surrounding Advance Care Directives in Australia: Implications for the Advance Care Planning Document in the Australian My Health Record', Journal of Law and Medicine, 25, 136-149 (2017) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2017 |
Walsh L, Hemsley BA, Allan M, Adams N, Balandin S, Georgiou A, Higgins I, McCarthy S, Hill S, 'The ehealth literacy demands of Australia’s My Health Record: a heuristic evaluation of usability', Perspectives in health information management / AHIMA, American Health Information Management Association, Fall, 1-23 (2017) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2016 |
McCarthy S, Maguire AM, Elton A, 'Executive Detention: Still no effective review for detainees', Alternative Law Journal, 41, 249-253 (2016) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2016 |
Ries NM, Johnston B, McCarthy S, 'Legal education and the ageing population: Building student knowledge and skills through experiential learning in collaboration with community organisations', Adelaide Law Review, 37, 495-522 (2016) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2016 |
Ries NM, Johnston B, McCarthy S, 'Technology-Enabled Legal Service Delivery for Older Adults: What Can Law Learn from TeleHealth? Findings from an International Review of Literature', Elder Law Review, 10 1-14 (2016) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2015 |
Hemsley B, Georgiou A, Balandin S, Carter R, Hill S, Higgins I, Van Vliet P, McCarthy S, 'The Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) for Adults with Severe Communication Impairments: Findings of Pilot Research', Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 214, 100-106 (2015) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2014 | McCarthy SG, 'The Rise and Rise of Tribunals Engaging Law Students in Tribunal Advocacy', International Journal of Clinical Legal Education, 21 42-68 (2014) [C1] | Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| Show 18 more journal articles | |||||||||||
Other (2 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Blakemore T, McCarthy S, Rak L, 'Submission to the Australian Government Senate Inquiry on Australia's Youth Justice and Incarceration System' (2024)
|
||||
| 2019 |
Anderson J, Ries N, Mansfield E, McCarthy S, 'Identifying and Acting on Elder Abuse: A Toolkit for Legal Practitioners' (2019)
|
Presentation (2 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Blakemore T, Rak L, McCarthy S, Krogh C, Ebbin D, 'Evidence provided to the NSW Legislative Assembly Committee on Law and Safety : Community Safety in Regional and Rural Communities' (2025)
|
||||
| 2022 |
McCarthy S, Blakemore T, 'Invited presentation : BABSEACLE Social Work & Trauma' (2022)
|
Report (4 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Rayment-McHugh S, Randall E, Menzies K, Rak L, McCarthy S, Blakemore T, 'Now.See.Hear! Visual Conversation Tool Practice Guide', 1-30 (2024)
|
||||
| 2021 |
Blakemore T, McCarthy S, Rak L, McGregor J, Stuart G, Krogh C, 'Postcards from practice: Initial learnings from Name.Narrate.Navigate.', 1-42 (2021)
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||
| 2020 | McCarthy S, 'Expert insert on Elements of Criminal Law in Book by Xanthe Mallett titled ‘Reasonable Doubt’ released July 2020.' (2020) | ||||
| Show 1 more report | |||||
Review (2 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | McCarthy SG, 'If Privacy is Increasing for My Health Record data, it should apply to all medical records', 1-1 (2018) | ||
| 2017 | McCarthy SG, 'Why aren't more people using the My Health Record?', 1-1 (2017) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 28 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $5,173,565 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20251 grants / $66,000
New Colombo Plan Funding$66,000
Funding body: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
| Funding body | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Bin Li and Dr Shaun McCarthy |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2026 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1700 - Aust Competitive - Other |
| Category | 1700 |
| UON | N |
20243 grants / $2,288,512
Supporting Adolescent Boys Trial: Newcastle - Name.Narrate.Navigate (NNN).360$2,244,862
Funding body: Department of Social Services
| Funding body | Department of Social Services |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Ms Louise Rak, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Doctor Chris Krogh, Mr Daniel Ebbin, Doctor Sally Hunt, Doctor Jean Carruthers, Doctor Meaghan Katrak Harris |
| Scheme | Families and Communities Supporting Adolescent Boys Trial |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2026 |
| GNo | G2400975 |
| Type Of Funding | C2100 - Aust Commonwealth – Own Purpose |
| Category | 2100 |
| UON | Y |
New Colombo Mobility Program - Clinical Legal Education in China$34,650
Funding body: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
| Funding body | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1700 - Aust Competitive - Other |
| Category | 1700 |
| UON | N |
External Collaboration Grant Scheme$9,000
Funding body: The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | External Collaboration Grant Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20232 grants / $59,497
New Colombo Plan Mobility Project$49,500
Funding body: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
| Funding body | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | N |
A human rights evaluation of the health requirement under Australian migration law$9,997
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Samuel Berhanu Woldemariam (Lead) Amy Maguire (CoInvestigator) Donna McNamara (CoInvestigator) Shaun McCarthy (CoInvestigator) |
| Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2023 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20223 grants / $772,334
The Name.Narrate.Navigate (NNN) Program$599,334
Funding body: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
| Funding body | Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Doctor Chris Krogh, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Ms Louise Rak, Doctor Graeme Stuart |
| Scheme | Safer Communities Fund |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | G2101000 |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | Y |
“Now.See.Hear” A trauma-informed and culturally-safe screening tool for justice-involved youth$125,000
Funding body: NSW Department of Communities and Justice
| Funding body | NSW Department of Communities and Justice |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Doctor Karen Menzies, Ms Louise Rak, Ms Elsie Randall, Dr Susan Rayment-McHugh |
| Scheme | Access to Justice Innovation Fund |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | G2200070 |
| Type Of Funding | C2300 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Own Purpose |
| Category | 2300 |
| UON | Y |
New Colombo Mobility Program - Clinical Legal Education in China$48,000
Funding body: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
| Funding body | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | Asia Outbound Short Term Mobility Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | N |
20212 grants / $590,455
Name. Narrate. Navigate: Practice Pathways Program$545,455
Funding body: Westpac Banking Corporation
| Funding body | Westpac Banking Corporation |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Doctor Chris Krogh, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Ms Louise Rak, Doctor Graeme Stuart |
| Scheme | Impact Grants |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2021 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | G2100846 |
| Type Of Funding | C1700 - Aust Competitive - Other |
| Category | 1700 |
| UON | Y |
New Colombo Mobility Program - Clinical Legal Education in China$45,000
Funding body: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
| Funding body | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2021 |
| Funding Finish | 2021 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
20201 grants / $33,000
New Colombo Plan - Clinical Legal Education in China$33,000
Funding body: Australian Commonwealth Government
| Funding body | Australian Commonwealth Government |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2020 |
| Funding Finish | 2020 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | N |
20191 grants / $33,000
New Colombo Mobility Program$33,000
Funding body: Australian Commonwealth Government
| Funding body | Australian Commonwealth Government |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Bin Li |
| Scheme | New Colombo Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2019 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
20183 grants / $1,048,495
Perpetrator Package - Young Perpetrators activity$872,361
Funding body: Department of Social Services
| Funding body | Department of Social Services |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Doctor Kylie Agllias, Doctor Graeme Stuart, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Doctor Chris Krogh, Ms Louise Rak, Professor Penny Jane Burke, Steve Larkin, Doctor Joel McGregor |
| Scheme | Community Grants Hub |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2018 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | G1800632 |
| Type Of Funding | C2200 - Aust Commonwealth – Other |
| Category | 2200 |
| UON | Y |
Best practice and trends in family counseling and mediation services in NSW: A colloborative case study of Uniting$154,634
Funding body: Uniting (NSW, ACT)
| Funding body | Uniting (NSW, ACT) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Doctor Chris Krogh, Associate Professor Amanda Howard, Doctor Milena Heinsch, Doctor Shaun McCarthy, Doctor Graeme Stuart |
| Scheme | Research Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2018 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | G1800349 |
| Type Of Funding | C3200 – Aust Not-for Profit |
| Category | 3200 |
| UON | Y |
Endeavour Mobility Program$21,500
Funding body: Commonwealth Government
| Funding body | Commonwealth Government |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | Asia Bound Student Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2018 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
20175 grants / $125,272
Pop-Up Clinics and Know the Law app$35,000
Funding body: The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Community Development |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
New Colombo Plan Mobility Project - Clinical Legal Education in China$33,000
Funding body: Commonwealth Government
| Funding body | Commonwealth Government |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Bin Li |
| Scheme | Asia Bound Student Mobility Program |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
Action on Elder Abuse: A pilot project to improve screening and intervention through health-legal collaboration$27,272
Funding body: NSW Department of Family and Community Services
| Funding body | NSW Department of Family and Community Services |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Professor John Anderson, Prof NOLA Ries, Doctor Elise Mansfield, Doctor Shaun McCarthy |
| Scheme | Research Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | G1700701 |
| Type Of Funding | C2300 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Own Purpose |
| Category | 2300 |
| UON | Y |
Juvenile Justice and Education Equity in the Hunter Region$20,000
Funding body: Centre for Excellence in Equity in Higher Education (CEEHE)
| Funding body | Centre for Excellence in Equity in Higher Education (CEEHE) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Tamara Blakemore |
| Scheme | Seed Grant Funding |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning awarded by the Australian Awards for University Teaching$10,000
Funding body: Commonwealth Government
| Funding body | Commonwealth Government |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
20163 grants / $53,000
Pop-up clinics and Know the Law digital resource$30,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle
| Funding body | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | SSAF |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2016 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Evidence Based Law and Practice Priority Research Initiative$20,000
Funding body: Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Nola Ries, John Anderson, Tim Connor, Katherine Lindsay, Nicola Ross, Shaun McCarthy |
| Scheme | Faculty Research Project Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Teaching & Learning Seed Grant: Developing a Technology-Enabled Legal Outreach Service$3,000
Funding body: Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Shaun McCarthy and Nola Ries |
| Scheme | Priority Research Initiatives |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20151 grants / $55,000
Know the Law app and pop-up legal advice clinics$55,000
Funding body: The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | SSAF |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2015 |
| Funding Finish | 2015 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20142 grants / $39,000
Pop Up Clinics for legal advice to students at Callaghan and Ourimbah campuses$35,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle
| Funding body | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | SSAF |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2014 |
| Funding Finish | 2014 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Community Engagement and Research Impact Case Study$4,000
Funding body: Newcastle Innovation
| Funding body | Newcastle Innovation |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Faculty of Business and Law Community Engagement and Research Impact Case Study |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2014 |
| Funding Finish | 2014 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20111 grants / $10,000
Tenancy Resource Project$10,000
Funding body: Samaritans
| Funding body | Samaritans |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Samaritans |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2011 |
| Funding Finish | 2011 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | External |
| Category | EXTE |
| UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PhD | Linking Responsible Government To Regulatory Agency Behaviour in NSW: Efficiency, Effectiveness, Accountability, Independence and Transparency. | PhD (Law), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
| 2020 | PhD | Aboriginal Land Management Practices and the Notion of Custodianship: Identifying Contemporary Legal and Land Management Failures to Mitigate Increasing Natural Hazards, Climate Change and Cultural Disconnection | PhD (Law), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
| Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Honours | Examine the extent to which the Strengthening Community Safety Act 2023 (Qld) will address recidivism and youth offending generally | Law, School of Law and Justice, University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
Research Projects
A Human Rights Evaluation of the Health Requirement under Australian Migration Law 2023 -
Most visa applicants that wish to enter Australia are required to meet the migration health requirement. The requirement supposedly aims to protect the public from the spread of diseases, preserve limited health infrastructures and limit health spending. In this respect, immigration laws perceive the individual migrant’s health condition as a potential threat to the public and to the State. Meanwhile, international human rights law upholds the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the State’s obligation not to discriminate based on the health status of individuals. In the context of children, for example, human rights law requires public actors to make decisions in consideration of the best interest of the child. How would this obligation impact decisions where a child does not meet the migration health requirement due to a pre-existing medical condition or disability? By reviewing the administration of the health requirement and the contemporary discourse on the right to health and non-discrimination, this project seeks to evaluate whether Australian practice accords with human rights obligations.
Grants
A human rights evaluation of the health requirement under Australian migration law
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
Collaborators
| Name | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Doctor Shaun Gerard McCarthy | University of Newcastle |
| Doctor Shaun Gerard McCarthy | University of Newcastle |
| Professor Amy Michelle Maguire | University of Newcastle |
| Professor Amy Michelle Maguire | University of Newcastle |
Edit
News
News • 15 Jan 2021
Pop-up legal clinic returns to support the Newcastle community
After a challenging 2020, the University of Newcastle Legal Centre’s pop-up clinic at Merewether beach is returning to offer free legal advice to individuals struggling with any law-related matters.
News • 17 Jan 2020
Beachside clinic offers free legal advice to the community and bushfire victims
In the midst of the bushfire crisis, the University of Newcastle Legal Centre’s annual Law on the Beach pop-up clinic will soon kick off, offering people free legal advice on any law-related matter, including bushfire insurance claims.
News • 15 Nov 2019
Free legal clinic to support community’s vulnerable older people
Some of the most vulnerable people in our society – older people – are benefiting from a new free community legal service established by Newcastle Law School in Newcastle and Gosford.
News • 20 Mar 2019
First-of-its-kind resource aids legal practitioners in identifying elder abuse
As national conversations around the treatment of the elderly continue, academics from the University of Newcastle are supporting legal practitioners to act as another line of defence to better identify and combat elder abuse.
News • 15 Sep 2017
Academic honoured for making the law accessible to all
A University of Newcastle (UON) academic has been recognised for his quality teaching practice and outstanding contributions to student learning, specifically for his leadership of the successful clinical program at the Newcastle Law School.
News • 20 Jan 2017
Complementary legal service hits the beach for those feeling the heat
A free and unique legal service aimed at assisting those in need, whilst also providing University of Newcastle (UON) students with real-world experience, is set to hit Newcastle Beach this month.
News • 20 Jan 2014
Hit the surf and source legal advice
Young people needing legal advice are encouraged to tap into expertise of the University of Newcastle's Legal Centre when it slips out of the office and hits the sand for its annual Law on the Beach free community legal advice service.
Dr Shaun McCarthy
Position
Associate Professor and Director Clinical Legal
University of Newcastle Legal Centre
School of Law and Justice
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
| shaun.mccarthy@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Phone | 0249218813 |
Office
| Room | X528 |
|---|---|
| Building | NUspace |
| Location | Newcastle City Campus , |

