Heidi Yates
Heidi joined the Women’s Legal Centre’s small team at Havelock House in July 2007 as the Centre’s Employment, Discrimination and Human Rights Solicitor.
During her time at the Centre, Heidi undertook a broad range of legal work, including domestic violence, discrimination, employment, human rights, victim’s compensation and family law matters. Heidi also undertook substantial law reform work in her time at the Centre. During her 8 years with the Centre Heidi was appointed as Co-Convenor of Women’s Legal Services Australia (the national peak body for Women’s Legal Services), the National Association of Community Legal Centre (NACLC) Human Rights Network and Sexuality and Gender Equity Network
Heidi became the Centre’s Executive Director in 2014. As Executive Director, Heidi moved the Centre to new office premises, tripled the Centre’s membership, oversaw a volunteer program engaging over 50 pro bono lawyers and successfully obtained four years’ of funding for the Centre’s specialist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s program. Heidi also played key role in the local campaign to reverse significant federal cuts to the Centre’s core funding.
In reflecting on her work at the Centre, Heidi recalls the extraordinary challenge and privilege of working with an incredibly committed, supportive team of colleagues who remain her WLC ‘family’.