Kelley Burton

Associate Professor Kelley Burton is the Discipline Lead for Law at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), holding a PhD from the University of Southern Queensland. With expertise in criminal law and legal education, she pioneered UniSC's law program and contributed to national reforms on coercive control, consent definitions, and imaged-based abuse. Her research has influenced law reforms in Australia and internationally, including submissions to the Law Reform Commissions of England and Wales, as well as Western Australia. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she has received the 2017 Australian Award for University Teaching Citation for innovating criminal law resources. Kelley co-developed the annual Australian Legal Education Awards and a national peer review of teaching program for law academics. She authored eight learner-centred criminal law textbooks, including Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia and Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia, with over 23,700 copies sold. Her research spans criminalisation principles, trauma-informed legal education, and assessment frameworks. She previously worked at Queensland University of Technology (2000–2014) and served as a Visiting Professor at Western University (Canada), developing courses on criminal law and privacy. She is a lawyer, mediator, and active in academic leadership roles, including Deputy Chair of the Australasian Law Academics Association.

Education:

• PhD in Law, University of Southern Queensland (2009)
• LLM, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and Honours LLB from Queensland University of Technology
• BBus (Accounting) with Distinction from Queensland University of Technology

Research Interests: Criminal law reform, legal education innovation, trauma-informed practices, authenticity in assessment, and the criminalisation of non-consensual acts. She advises on HDR and Honours projects related to criminal law reform, consent conceptualisation, and student wellbeing.

Publications: Over 100 outputs including peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and textbooks. Recent works focus on trauma-informed education frameworks, double jeopardy exceptions, and legislative analysis on coercive control.

Awards:

• 2017 AAUT Citation ($10,000)
• SFHEA (2019)
• LEAD Network Co-Chair and ALAA Deputy Chair

Grants & Leadership: Led UniSC’s HEA initiatives, served on Academic Board committees, and developed peer review programs. Her work integrates legal theory with practical skills, emphasizing reflective practice and student preparedness.

Labs/Teams: Involved in the LEAD Network, HERDSA Queensland Branch, and the Legal Education Review Editorial Committee.