Brooke Washusen

Brooke Washusen

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Brooke is a PhD candidate at the Adelaide Law School. Her research focusses on modern concepts of family and how succession law can be reformed to better accommodate these structures. She is also a sessional academic at the Law School and has experience teaching Succession, Law Reform and Criminal Law.
 
Brooke is also a Researcher with the South Australian Law Reform Institute (SALRI) where she has worked across a number of projects including Communication Partners (2021), Supported-Decision Making (2024-2025), and the Review of the Real Property Act (2024-2025), where she was the Lead Researcher. She is currently helping to conduct SALRI’s research study into Indigenous Jury Participation. 
 
Prior to her candidature, Brooke practised in the areas of succession and family law, and had a particular interest in family provision claims. 
 
In addition to succession law, Brooke also has research interests in criminal law and family law, including how these laws impact women, children and members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
 
Brooke's PhD candidature is supported by an RTP Scholarship.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Sessional Academic University of Adelaide
    2021 - ongoing Research Assistant South Australian Law Reform Institute

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Achievement Certificate of High Achievement: WEP2 - Law and Practice of Estates - NSW The College of Law Australia Australia -
    2024 Achievement Certificate of High Achievement: FLP1 - Foundations of Family Law Practice - VIC The College of Law Australia Australia -
    2023 Achievement Certificate of High Achievement: WEP1 - Foundations of Wills & Estates Practice The College of Law Australia Australia -
    2021 Award Executive Dean Award for Embedded Indigenous Knowledge University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Recognition Dean's Commendation for the Completion of the LLB with Distinction University of Adelaide Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2020 - 2021 University of Adelaide Australia Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
    2016 - 2020 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Laws
    2016 - 2020 University of Adelaide Australia Diploma in Languages
    2016 - 2019 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Arts

  • Research Interests
    Law, gender and sexuality (incl. feminist legal scholarship) Criminal law Family Law Law reform Equity and Trusts Law

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2025 Plater, D., Washusen, B., & Villios, S. (2025). One Shall Not Kill and Profit from their Crime (Except in “Exceptional Circumstances”): The new South Australian Forfeiture Act 2024. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2025 Washusen, B., Plater, D., Lawrie, K., & Williams, J. (2025). Barriers to Indigenous Participation on Juries: A South Australian Research Study. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2025 Plater, D., & Washusen, B. (2025). 'A Lasting Boon upon the Australian People’? SALRI Reviews the Real Property Act and Torrens System. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2025 Washusen, B. (2025). Money Saver or Money Drainer? The Perils of Home Kit Wills. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2024 Plater, D., & Washusen, B. (2024). The need for new solutions? Establishing a legal framework for supported decision-making. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2024 Plater, D., Babie, P., & Washusen, B. (2024). The Torrens System 166 Years on: SALRI’s Timely Review of the Real Property Act. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).
    2023 Washusen, B. (2023). What will happen when I’m gone? An overview of burial rights. The Bulletin (The Law Society of South Australia).

  • Report for External Bodies
    Year Citation
    2025 Babie, P., Plater, D., Washusen, B., Villios, S., Brunacci, A., Williams, J., . . . Neumann, M. (2025). ‘A Lasting Boon Upon the Australian People’: A Review of the Role and Operation of the Real Property Act 1886 (20). Adelaide: South Australian Law Reform Institute.
    2025 Villios, S., Plater, D., Conroy, E., Giancaspro, M., Nosworthy, B., Spyrou, P., . . . Washusen, B. (2025). The Need for New Solutions? Establishing Legal Frameworks for Supported Decision-Making in South Australia (21). Adelaide: South Australian Law Reform Institute.
    2021 Plater, D., Nicholls, H., Basso, S., Brunacci, A., Holt, J., Jacobs, J., . . . Washusen, B. (2021). Providing a Voice to the Vulnerable: A study of Communication Assistance in South Australia (16). Adelaide: South Australian Law Reform Institute.
Date Funding Body Project Collaborators Amount
2025 Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Legal Barriers to Indigenous Participation on Australian Juries Prof John Williams, A/Prof David Plater, Adj Prof Geoff Muecke and Katelin Lawrie $14,585

Brooke is currently the sole lecturer for LAW 2523 - Succession.

Brooke guest lectures into LAW 3534 - Law Reform, and has previously taught into LAW 2599 - Criminal Law.

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2025 - ongoing Member SA Chapter Executive Pride in Law Australia
    2023 - ongoing Member The Bulletin The Law Society of South Australia Australia
    2021 - ongoing Member John Bray Alumni Network The University of Adelaide Australia
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External Profiles