Joanna Knight scholarship recipients

02/08/2024

Madeleine Causbrook and Alexandra Burkett have been awarded the Joanna Knight Scholarship for 2024.

Madeleine Causbrook

Madeleine was admitted as a solicitor in 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)/Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Sydney (2018) and a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne (2024). She started her legal career at Ashurst Australia, gaining experience in Ashurst’s employment and commercial litigation groups. In recent years, she has worked at several community legal centres in NSW.

Madeleine has worked as a secondee lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, where she contributed to law reform initiatives on protecting reproductive rights and assisted with coordinating Australia’s NGO Coalition Report for the 2020 United Nations Universal Periodic Review. She has also worked as a solicitor at the Women’s Legal Service NSW, advising socio-economically disadvantaged women in family law, domestic violence law and employment law matters. Most recently, she has worked as a solicitor/clinical supervisor in the Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Legal Service at the Kingsford Legal Centre UNSW, advising clients across NSW in employment and discrimination law matters.

On receiving the Award, Madeleine said: “It is an honour to receive this scholarship in Joanna Knight’s name. I look forward to working to continue Joanna’s legacy of increasing access to justice through pro bono work, and efforts to promote diversity at the Bar.” The scholarship will assist Madeleine with start-up costs for the Bar. She is set to start the Bar Practice Course in September 2024, and will be reading at State Chambers.

Alexandra Burkitt

Alex was admitted as a solicitor in 2014, having graduated from the University of Technology with degrees in Arts and Law, and completed a Master of Laws with Honours (specialising in criminal law and international justice) in 2019 at the University of NSW.

She was Tipstaff to Justice Hamill and Justice Latham in the Supreme Court of NSW before practising as a solicitor with the Aboriginal Legal Service for 5 years in Redfern and Northern NSW. Presently, Alex works as a senior solicitor with the Crown Solicitor's Office in the Inquiries and Criminal Law Division, and works across a number of areas, including judicial review matters, apprehended domestic violence order applications and coronial inquests.

Alex is honoured to be a recipient of the Joanna Knight scholarship. She hopes to uphold its principles of encouraging women to choose a career at the Bar and recognising the importance of social justice, which has been a passion for her throughout her career, particularly in the areas of policy and law reform.

Alex passed the Bar Exam in February 2024 and is due to sit the September 2024 Bar Practice Course. She will be reading at Forbes Chambers.

About the scholarships

Barristers Gina Edwards, Ella Dalrymple, Elizabeth Rusiti, Skye Hayward and Tahn O’Rourke and the Knight family have worked with the Australian Communities Foundation and Community Legal Centres NSW to establish the Joanna Knight Scholarship. Jo’s principles will live on through this scholarship that bears her name and the recipients will embody her spirit of public service. This scholarship will provide financial support to increase accessibility to a career in law for women and First Nations law students/solicitors. It will assist those experiencing financial disadvantage to enter the legal profession and come to the Bar. The Joanna Knight Scholarship is a fund of Australian Communities Foundation, which is a public charitable foundation. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

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