Rachel Spencer

Director of Monash Law Clinics Monash University

Associate Professor Rachel Spencer is the Director of Monash Law Clinics at Clayton and in Melbourne CBD.

Rachel Spencer has enjoyed a varied career in the law. Rachel completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws at Adelaide University in 1985/6. After that, she taught English as a Foreign Language in Paris, France and Shropshire, England.

Upon returning to Australia, she worked for a large insurance company providing tax and superannuation advice. It was during this time that Rachel commenced her Master of Laws which she completed in 1994.

From 1990 to 1996 she worked as a barrister and solicitor for a large commercial law firm in Adelaide, specialising in commercial and civil litigation, whilst nurturing a keen interest in media law and intellectual property. In 1998, she commenced as corporate solicitor for a large radio company, providing advice for thirteen different commercial stations across Australia.

Rachel was appointed Director of Practical Legal Training at the School of Law at Flinders University in 1998. In 2003 she took a short period of leave from Flinders to fill the position of Corporate Counsel for an international wine company.

In 2009 Rachel was appointed to the position of Director of Professional Programs in the School of Law at the University of South Australia where she oversaw the establishment and development of the UniSA Legal Advice Clinic and the clinical legal education program. Rachel is now the Director of Monash Law Clinics in the Faculty of Law at Monash University. Her teaching and research expertise includes legal ethics; civil procedure; law, art and literature; clinical legal education and experiential legal education.  She also conducts research in the areas of life writing, speculative biography and true crime writing.