Michele Tucker is our Principal Solicitor and Practice Manager at Deakin Law Clinic.

Michele has over 30 years’ experience in the legal industry, working as a law clerk and in management prior to being admitted to practise law in 2008.  Michele has practised in the areas of Family Law, Child Protection, Family Violence Intervention Orders, Property Law, Civil Litigation and Wills and Estates.

Michele commenced lecturing in the Deakin Law School in 2012 and teaches Clinical Legal Education.  She has previously taugh in law school units of Family Law, Legal Ethics, Contract Law, Law for Commerce, Legal Communication and Ethical Decision Making, Misleading Conduct and Economic Torts and Succession Law.

Michele holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction) and a Post Graduate Certificate of Higher Education (Learning and Teaching) from Deakin University.  She is a member of the Law Council of Australia – Family Law Section, Geelong Law Association and the Law Institute of Victoria.

Rebecca is a Clinical Solicitor and leads our Employment Law Practice and Policy Advocacy Law Practice at Deakin Law Clinic.  Rebecca is passionate about assisting employees to understand and enforce their workplace rights in a broad range of matters including termination of employment, underpayment of wages and entitlements, and disciplinary processes.  Prior to joining Deakin Law Clinic, Rebecca was an Associate at a leading international law firm, working in both Melbourne and London.

In addition to her work at Deakin Law Clinic, Rebecca also manages Deakin Law School’s Work Integrated Learning programs and coaches the School’s Vis Moot team.  Rebecca has research interests in precarious employment and its representation in public discourse. Rebecca was honoured as the winner for the Not for Profit Lawyer of the Year, Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards, 2018.  She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University and obtained her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from The College of Law.  She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Industrial Relations Society of Victoria and the Moot Alumni Association.

Kim is a Clinical Solicitor and leads our Family Law Practice at Deakin Law Clinic. Kim has over 10 years’ experience working in the legal industry, working at Victoria Legal Aid and in private practice before commencing at Deakin in 2019. Kim practices in the areas of Family Law, Family Violence Intervention Orders, Employment Law and Wills and Estates.

Kim teaches Clinical Legal Education and has lectured in the law school in Family Law, Legal Ethics and Tort Law.  She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and is a member of the Geelong Law Association and the Law Institute of Victoria.

Dr Nicole Siller leads the Criminal Law Practice within the Deakin Law Clinic. The Criminal Law Practice area handles a wide variety of criminal law matters, ranging from infringement notices and summary offences to indictable matters in higher courts. Through this work, Nicole supports students to develop practical advocacy skills while delivering meaningful assistance to clients who may otherwise face barriers to accessing justice.

Before joining Deakin, Nicole served as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). In this role, she prosecuted cases involving violence, firearms offences, drug trafficking, sexual offences, and fraud. Her final assignment was a specialised position focused on the vertical prosecution of nonfatal shootings, and she also served on an FBI Task Force investigating violent criminal organisations.

At Deakin, Nicole teaches in the areas of criminal law and practical legal skills. From 2019 to 2021, she was Director of Work Integrated Learning for the Faculty of Business and Law. Since coming to Deakin, Nicole has secured funding to develop and enhance practical learning opportunities for students and greater resourcing for clients. These projects include:

• Facilitating Self-Represented Litigant empowerment and lessening Court burden in the family violence space (March 2025 – present)

 This project aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of support provided to Self-Represented Litigants (SRLs) involved in Family Violence Intervention Order (FVIO) matters. The initiative addresses a significant legal services gap—particularly in County Court of Victoria appeals, where no funded legal support exists—by offering legal assistance, information and guidance to help SRLs navigate the process more confidently and effectively. The project was supported by a Victoria Law Foundation Everyday Legal Grant of over $7,000.

• Deakin & Associates: Integrating simulation-based unit design and instruction in the capstone unit (June 2022 – July 2023)

 This project supported the redevelopment of the LLB capstone unit, MLL427 Advanced Legal Problem Solving and Persuasion, to provide students with authentic, problem-based learning experiences that mirror real-world legal practice through simulation-based instruction. The project team brings together subject matter, educational, and instructional design experts to enhance student engagement and professional readiness. It was awarded $5,000 (AUD) through the DeakinDesign Seeding Grant Scheme.

• Success and Retention through WIL: Increasing Success for Cloud-based Law Students (Jan 2020 – December 2021)

This project aimed to enhance the participation and success of low socio-economic status (LSES) undergraduate law students by offering tailored, hands-on opportunities to develop practical legal skills linked to employability and resilience. It was awarded $40,000 (AUD) through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP).

The initiative led to the development and pilot of the Policy Advocacy practice area within the Deakin Law Clinic.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Purdue University (2004), a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law (2008), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Groningen (2017). She holds a Graduate Certificate of Higher Education from Deakin University. She is licensed to practise law in the United States and holds a practising certificate in Victoria.

Amanda Graham is a Clinical Solicitor at Deakin Law Clinic. Prior to Amanda’s engagement with Deakin Law Clinic she worked as a clinical supervisor for 10 years at Monash Law Clinics. Amanda has a significant interest in the development of future lawyers through clinical legal education, with a focus on their practical skills and the use of technology to enhance their educational experience.

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts (Indigenous Studies), Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws, with a focus on global issues and human rights, from Monash University. She is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Family Law Specialist and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Melissa Gibson is a Clinical Solicitor at Deakin Law Clinic. Melissa has over 10 years’ legal experience working in private practice predominantly in the areas of Family Law and Estate Planning/Litigation. Melissa values the opportunity to mentor law students within a clinical setting, supporting their transition from academic study to legal practice while delivering accessible legal services to the community with clarity and compassion.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Laws from Otago University and a Master of Laws from Monash University.

Loraine Innes is the Deakin Law Clinic Support Officer.

She has previously worked for Legal Aid Victoria, preparing a variety of documentation for solicitors, including briefs to counsel, costing files, and client facing work – triaging potential client matters, and referring to LAV approved firms where required.  Loraine has many years of experience as an administrator in areas such as banking, shipping, professional associations, recruitment, vocational training, higher education, and local government.She holds an Associate Diploma of Business and a Diploma of Community Services Co-ordination.