Janet Albrechtsen

Janet Albrechtsen is an opinion columnist with The Australian. She has worked as a solicitor in commercial law, and attained a Doctorate of Juridical Studies from the University of Sydney. She has written for numerous other publications including the Australian Financial Review, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sunday Age, and The Wall Street Journal.

@jkalbrechtsen

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ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum. Picture: Canberra Times

Time to shine a little light on ‘dark recesses’ of the court

There are further dark recesses to the Lehrmann-Higgins debacle, and Justice McCallum’s courtroom appears to be one of them.

Janet Albrechtsen

InquirerInquirer

26/7/23: Emma Covacevich, the first ever female Chief Executive Partner at Clayton Utz - one of the biggest law firms in Australia. John Feder/The Australian.

Female leaders’ daft words are not doing anyone any favours

For all the hoo-haa about their importance, too many high-profile women are letting the side – and society – down with woolly public utterances.

Janet Albrechtsen

CommentaryCommentary

Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior has docked in Cairns, where it is due to set sail on its Pacific Climate Justice tour on June 26. Pacific Climate Justice Tour project leader Steph Hodgins-May, Pabai Pabai from Boigu Island and Paul Kabai from Sabai Island receive a traditional Welcome to Country smoking ceremony from Gimuy Walubara Yidinji elder Hendrick Fourmile on the ship's deck ahead of the commencement of the Pacific Climate Justice tour. Picture: Brendan Radke

Guilt politics can’t force true respect

When non-Indigenous people are ‘welcomed’ to country, it suggests we are being welcomed to a country that is not ours, to a country that belongs to others.

Janet Albrechtsen

EXCLUSIVENation

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Stephen Whybrow in his chambers at Key Chambers law firm in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

‘Cruel’: prosecutors’ no to spare rape accuser plea

Prosecutors put a university student on trial for rape despite being repeatedly warned it would only end up humiliating and further damaging the young woman who made the allegation.

Janet Albrechtsen and Stephen Rice

EXCLUSIVEMedia

Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has appeared as a guest speaker at the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival, interviewing her lawyer and author of 'System Failure' Michael Bradley about his book on the need for legal reform of sexual assault cases in Australia. Picture: Brendan Radke

Crikey lawyer deletes post on ‘act of abuse’

Prominent lawyer and Crikey contributor Michael Bradley has deleted a tweet accusing defence lawyers of ‘an act of abuse’ for seeking a sexual assault complainant’s phone records.

Janet Albrechtsen and Stephen Rice

EXCLUSIVENation

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MAY 22: Detective Superintendent Scott Moller(Right) and lawyers arrive at the Walter Sofronoff Inquiry in Canberra . Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

ACT cop careers destroyed by DPP false claims

Police who investigated Brittany Higgins’ rape claims have lost their jobs or gone on sick leave never to return in the wake of baseless accusations by ACT chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold.

Janet Albrechtsen and Stephen Rice

commentaryNation

Portrait of Honourable Justice Walter Sofronoff after his swearing in as President of the Court of Appeal today in Brisbane. Pictures: Jack Tran

‘Fair go for Drumgold’ case springs a giant leak

Shane Drumgold says the leak of the Sofronoff Report denied him procedural fairness. So let’s interrogate that argument to see if it holds water.

Janet Albrechtsen

EXCLUSIVENation

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. AUGUST 3, 2023: Senator Linda Reynolds during Question Time in the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Reynolds blasts ‘social crusader’ DPP

Former defence minister Linda Reynolds has criticised outgoing ACT chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold for his treatment of her in the witness box during the rape trial of Bruce Lehrmann.

Janet Albrechtsen and Stephen Rice

CommentaryCommentary

ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold arrives at the ACT Supreme Court in Canberra, Friday, October 7, 2022. Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann is accused of raping a colleague Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Drumgold deluded about the import of his misconduct

Shane Drumgold admits he made mistakes but explains them as part of our adversarial criminal justice system. What tosh. This lack of self-awareness is dangerous in a DPP.

Janet Albrechtsen

CommentaryInquirer

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA NewsWire Photos OCTOBER 06, 2022:Crown Prosecutor Shane Drumgold and his junior counsel Skye Jerome left the court on day three of the trial.Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann appeared in court for day three of the trial.Bruce Lehrmann, the man accused of the sexual assault of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins at the Magistrates Court in Canberra.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Why would a man at the peak of the legal world behave so badly?

I am prepared to believe Shane Drumgold thought he was serving a higher good. But this is not solely an ACT issue. We need a national Sofronoff-style inquiry.

Janet Albrechtsen

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/janet-albrechtsen/page/19