Our Team
We are Australia's first community legal service for racial justice.
Our Patrons, Governing Board and Advisors
Tony McAvoy SC
Patron
Tony McAvoy is a Wirdi man from Central Queensland and was Australia's first Indigenous senior counsel. Tony has a large practice in native title, human rights, discrimination law, coronial inquests and criminal law. Tony was previously Acting Part-Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court the Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner.
Sarah Ibrahim
Executive Director
Sarah is the founder of RJC, she is a commercial and human rights lawyer. Sarah runs her own commercial law firm, Central Lawyers. Sarah is an experienced race discrimination litigator.
Reem Mussa
Advisory Committee
Reem is a Strategic Advisor and sessional academic in development and anthropology. Reem graduated with Honours from Melbourne University. Reem has her Master's degree in Migration and Intercultural Relations.
Professor Nicole Watson
Board Director
Professor Nicole Watson is a distinguished academic. Her research plays a vital role in shaping policies that support justice and self-determination. In addition to her academic work, she is the author of The Boundary, a novel that powerfully explores themes of justice and Indigenous experiences in Australia. Through her research, teaching, and writing, Professor Watson continues to advocate for a fairer legal system and mentor the next generation of legal scholars.
Mundanara Bayles
Board Director
Mundanara is connected to the Wonnarua and Bunjalung and the Birri-Gubba and Gungalu. Mundanara has been recognised internationally for her teaching as an Associate Fellow. She is the director of The Land Back Foundation, the Managing Director and co-founder of BlackCard Pty Ltd, and is also the host of the award-winning podcast, 'Black Magic Woman.
Maria Osman
Board Director
Maria Osman has over 40 years of experience in gender equity, diversity and inter-cultural communication as a senior government policy adviser, speaker, trainer and community activist. Ms Osman led the development and implementation of cutting edge strategies policies and programs. She has always combined her senior roles with grassroots advocacy with migrant and refugee women.
Desmond Kennedy SC (Retired)
Chair Advisory Committee
Desmond is a retired Senior Counsel, who practised extensively in racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying. Desmond has written and presented extensively in all these areas. He appeared as SC for Mr Naidu in the matter of Nationwide News Pty Ltd ats Naidu. The case resurrected for practical purposes the tort of 'intentional harm', with Mr Naidu being awarded damages of $2.05M.
Professor Simon Rice (Retired)
Advisory Committee
Simon is a Professor of Law at Sydney University, a Lawyer, Kim Santow Chair of Law and Social Justice, a Consultant, Author and a Discrimination Law Expert. Simon has been a consultant to the NSW Law Reform Commission, a judicial member of the NSW ADT and a legal adviser to the Federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Sharfah Mohamed
Principal Lawyer