Esther Erlings

Esther Erlings is a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie Law School and a member of the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre and Smart Green Cities Research Centre at Macquarie University. Her research focuses on family law, health law, human rights (particularly for children, older adults, and minorities), and tort law within institutional contexts. Key areas include decision-making capacity, substitute decision-making frameworks, and access to justice. Current projects include studies on parent-child mediation, restrictive practices in aged care, and child-friendly urban development.

She contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives such as the 'Blue and Green with Warming Stripes' project on sustainable cities and a South Australian government-funded study on assisted dying training. Her work integrates legal analysis with societal impact, addressing issues like guardianship ethics and children's rights in high-conflict divorces.

Dr Erlings is actively involved in professional associations, serving as Vice-President of the Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand (LSAANZ) and holding memberships in global legal bodies. Prior to Macquarie, she held roles at Flinders University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Her publications span family law, religious rights within the family, and legal frameworks governing healthcare decisions. Notable works include her 2019 book on religious rights in France, England, and Hong Kong, and peer-reviewed articles on topics like homeschooling in Hong Kong and child custody disputes.