Jennifer Robinson (lawyer)

Robinson grew up in Berry, New South Wales, and attended Bomaderry High School. She then attended the Australian National University, where she graduated with a double degree in Law and Asian Studies, specialising in international law, Indonesia and South East Asia. She was awarded the University Medal in Law and was a Distinguished Scholar in Asian Studies.[4]

She was a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, where she attended Balliol College and graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law with Distinction and a Master of Philosophy in International Public Law.[5]

Robinson was called to the Bar in 2016 and joined Geoffrey Robertson QC's Doughty Street Chambers, having known Robertson since her period at Oxford University in the mid-2000s. They outlined the case for an Australian Bill of Rights, as well as a legal opinion on crimes against humanity in Iran.[2]

From 2009, she worked at the London law firm of Finers Stephens Innocent, where she describes her practice as largely media defence, freedom of information and free speech litigation, acting for clients such as The New York Times, CNN, Associated Press and Bloomberg News. She also provided international human rights advice, including on humanitarian issues in post-conflict Iraq, extraordinary rendition and international criminal law. According to Robinson, she has engaged in strategic free speech litigation before the UK Supreme Court, the European Court of Human Rights. She has challenged obscenity convictions in Indonesia.[6]

With Geoffrey Robertson QC, she acted in the first application before the UK Supreme Court, popularly known as the "alphabet soup" case, where they were successful in overturning reporting restrictions in anti-terrorist asset freezing cases in Mohammed Jabar and Others v HM Treasury [2010] UK SC 1.[7] She also acted in the first application, before the UK Supreme Court intervened on behalf of media defence organisations in the Max Mosley case before the European Court of Human Rights.[5]

She worked with Robertson when he was hired by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris in 2009 on establishing the legal case that the Pope and the Vatican were responsible for a crime against humanity, as a result of widespread child sex abuse within the Catholic Church.[8] This case was later submitted to the ICC Prosecutor by the Centre for Constitutional Rights.[9]

According to Robinson, she advised The New York Times during its phone-hacking investigations in London, including its story about the extent of involvement of Andy Coulson, who became the press adviser to the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.[7]

In May 2013, Robinson spoke at TEDx Sydney. Entitled "Courage is Contagious", her speech informed about human rights issues and the political situation in West Papua through the lens of exiled leader Benny Wenda.[10]

More recent cases include acting for the BBC World Service to take action against Iran for the persecution of BBC Persian staff and their families, the first time in BBC history that BBC journalists have appealed to the UN for their protection,[11] and acting with French counsel for a group of NGOs challenging the cross-jurisdictional impact of the right to be forgotten in Google v CNIL before the Conseil d'État and the European Court of Justice.[12]

Robinson began advising WikiLeaks in October 2010, and she remains a member of his legal team under the direction of Baltasar Garzon. She has defended Assange in extradition proceedings in London and advised WikiLeaks through the publication of secret American diplomatic cables and the Chelsea Manning proceedings.[5]

The United States Department of State released correspondence with Robinson and Assange to the press,[13] which Robinson said in breach of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers by violating attorney client protocol. Robinson said that releasing the letter was "inappropriate" and a public retraction was requested. No answer was received.[14]

Robinson has continued to be publicly critical of the US Government's handling of the Chelsea Manning case, as well as the investigation into Assange and WikiLeaks and, in particular, the secrecy surrounding both. She worked with the Center for Constitutional Rights in applying for greater public access to the Manning proceedings[15] and confronted US Attorney-General Eric Holder about his legacy and his plans to prosecute Assange in early 2012.[16]

In 2002, Robinson worked as a volunteer at the Institute for Advocacy and Study of Human Rights (Elsham), a human rights organisation in West Papua, Indonesia until her stay was cut short by the first Bali bombings.

Robinson also acts as a lawyer for the West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda, having helped him gain political asylum in the UK in 2003, and has toured with him to the US, Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. She is also the co-founder of International Lawyers for West Papua.[17]

In 2008 she was one of thirty lawyers named by the UK Attorney General as a National Pro Bono Hero.[18] In 2013 she was named the inaugural Young Alumni of the Year by the Australian National University.[19] Robinson is on the executive committee of the Commonwealth Law Association.[20]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jennifer Robinson (lawyer).

• Jennifer Robinson's Twitter account
• Bertha Foundation
• Jennifer Robinson's Doughty Street Chambers profile