Carla Stocks
Carla joined the Centre in October 2023 as the Director of Legal Services.
Carla is a proud Aboriginal woman, descendant of the Stolen Generations of the East Kimberley. She is committed to the Centre’s purpose of using the legal system to improve women’s lives and advance gender equality, advocating for systemic change and implementing the Centre’s vision for women to be safe, strong and in control of their lives.
Carla was admitted as a lawyer 20 years ago after having graduated from the Australia National University with a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts and completing her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. Carla started her legal career as a government lawyer in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department before moving to the NSW South Coast where she worked in two general practice law firms doing wills and estates, criminal law and family law. Carla then moved back to Canberra and practiced exclusively in Family Law in private practice and volunteered at the Centre. Carla then became an Accredited Family Law Specialist after completing a Masters in Applied Family Law through the NSW College of Law. Carla then moved to work as a lawyer in Indigenous Affairs within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and then as a Principal Lawyer in the National Indigenous Australians Agency with carriage of sensitive historic abuse matters and class actions.
Carla completed the Emerging Indigenous Executive Leadership Program with AGSM and a Graduate Certificate in Management at the ANU and moved into a strategic role at the Department of Health. Her strong judgment, analytical skills, leadership, strategic management and deep respect for the work of the Centre will ensure consistent and high quality legal services across the Centre.