Catherine Greentree

Dr. Catherine Greentree is a Lecturer at Macquarie Law School, Macquarie University, specializing in constitutional law, administrative law, and criminal law. She holds a PhD from Macquarie University and degrees in Psychology, Law (Hons), and Social Science, all from Macquarie. She has been affiliated with the university since 2012, initially as a sessional academic, and has contributed to legal education through innovative teaching initiatives. Her research focuses on executive power, constitutional interpretation, and the historical development of legal frameworks in Australia.

Dr. Greentree's educational background includes a PhD in Law from Macquarie Law School, alongside a Psychology degree and postgraduate diploma, and dual Law and Social Science degrees. Her interdisciplinary approach is evident in her academic work and her prior role as Assistant Editor for Empirical Musicology Review.

Her research interests center on the expansion of executive power, historical constitutional approaches to interpretation, and the interplay between constitutional and criminal law. She has published influential works on the Commonwealth executive power and the royal prerogative of mercy, advocating for a deeper historical understanding of legal frameworks. Her scholarship also explores the limits of government authority and the role of mercy in the criminal justice system.

In terms of publications, Dr. Greentree’s recent work emphasizes the intersection of constitutional history and modern legal challenges, particularly regarding executive power and mercy mechanisms. Her articles highlight the need for contemporary legal systems to engage with historical constitutional principles.

Dr. Greentree has been recognized for her contributions to teaching, receiving the 2013 Vice-Chancellor’s Award and Faculty of Arts Teaching Award for enhancing learning through the Foundations Constitutional Law Moot. These accolades reflect her innovative approaches to legal pedagogy.

Her professional experience includes practice as a solicitor in family, commercial, property, and criminal law, as well as a nine-month internship at the New South Wales Law Reform Commission, where she contributed to major reports on sentencing, penalty notices, and youth justice issues.