Michaela Okninski

Dr. Michaela Okninski is a Lecturer at the Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide, appointed full-time in 2021. She holds a PhD (2022) focusing on consent frameworks in South Australia’s voluntary assisted dying legislation. Her research emphasizes minors’ rights, decision-making capacity, and mental incapacity in wills and estates law. Dr. Okninski is actively involved in policy implementation, serving on SA Health’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce and Education and Training Working Group. She also serves as First Year Coordinator and Academic Integrity Officer at Adelaide Law School.

Her research spans bioethics, healthcare law, and legal safeguards for vulnerable populations. Key areas include undue influence protections, conscientious objection clauses for medical professionals, and cross-jurisdictional comparisons of voluntary assisted dying laws. Awards include the Barbara Kidman Fellowship (2024) and Dean’s Awards for Early Career Research (2022).

• Education: PhD (University of Adelaide, 2022)
• Research Focus: Voluntary Assisted Dying, Medical Law, Mental Incapacity, Bioethics
• Professional Roles: Taskforce Member (SA Health), Academic Integrity Officer

Publications analyze legal frameworks for end-of-life care, conscientious objections in healthcare, and child welfare adjudication. She is eligible to supervise postgraduate research as a co-supervisor.