Lisa Coates

Lisa Coates is a Lecturer in Law at Charles Sturt University (CSU), affiliated with the Centre for Law and Justice since joining in 2014. She is a principal practicing lawyer who established her own incorporated law firm in 2021 and contributed to Danny King Legal in 2024. Her teaching spans the Bachelor of Criminal Justice (JST201, JST220, JST204) and Bachelor of Laws (LAW216 Property Law), including authoring entire subject content.

Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University (ANU), plus a Masters of Applied Laws (Business Transactions) and a Bachelor of Teaching from CSU. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of the ACT and High Court of Australia in 2001.

Coates' research critically examines cultural and legislative responses to violence, particularly sexual assault laws influenced by #MeToo and one-punch legislation efficacy. She pioneers legal technology applications for regional practice, focusing on blockchain systems to address access-to-justice gaps. Her work bridges academic theory with courtroom experience, emphasizing human rights deficiencies in Australian law.

Publications trend toward two converging themes: evolving criminal justice policy (sexual assault consent standards, coercive control, and violence deterrence) and technological innovation in law. The 2023-2024 blockchain research demonstrates her commitment to modernizing rural legal infrastructure, while earlier work analyzes societal impacts of moral panics and legislative responses.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Mentoring Excellence Award from Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security (2023)
• Teaching Excellence Award (Centre for Law and Justice, 2017)
• Excellence in Community Engagement Award (Centre for Law and Justice, 2017)

She actively contributes as a peer reviewer for Salus Journal and Cambridge University Press, with significant government engagement through law reform submissions. Her 2019 NSW Law Reform Commission submission on sexual assault consent was formally cited in the Commission's parliamentary report. Professional service includes CSU representation on the NSW Regional Women Lawyers and Bathurst Regional Community Safety Committee.

Coates participates in the Law, Justice and Resilience Research Group at CSU, while maintaining active memberships in the Australasian Law Teachers Association, Australian Women Lawyers, NSW Women Lawyers, and NSW Law Society. Her practice as a principal lawyer integrates academic insights into real-world legal challenges across multiple jurisdictions.