Chair: Erica Contini, Chair of the LIV’s Children’s & Youth Issues Committee
Erica is a Senior Advocate in Victoria Legal Aid’s Youth Crime Team where she practices across both divisions of the Children’s Court. She is an LIV Accredited Specialist in Children’s Law and has her Master of Law in human rights law.
She has been practising in the Children’s Court of Victoria for the past eight years and previously in the Magistrates’ Court. She is a sessional lecturer at Monash University Law School where she teaches Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Children’s Law in Action, and Australian Legal Reasoning and Methods.
Prior to joining Victoria Legal Aid she worked at the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law. She is a board member of Youth Law and the Chair of the LIV's Children and Youth Issues Committee.
Presenter: The Honourable Magistrate Zemljak
Francis Zemljak has been a Magistrate for over 12 years and sits almost exclusively in the family division of the Children’s Court of Victoria. He has been accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a Specialist in both Family Law and Children’s Law.
Presenter: Tim Glass, Barrister, Victorian Bar
Tim has extensive experience as an advocate in criminal law. He appeared regularly in the Magistrates' Court and Children's Court at all stages of criminal proceedings and has a wide range of knowledge in evidence law, criminal procedure and sentencing practices. He has appeared in matters including intervention order hearings and summary contested hearings relating to sexual offences, drink driving, assaults and family violence.
Presenter: Jeremy Karitzis, Barrister, Victorian Bar
Jeremy has a broad practice, largely in criminal law and has practical insight into, and extensive knowledge of, matters involving complex questions of evidence, criminal procedure and sentencing. He has a keen interest in youth crime and possesses a well-developed understanding of the preparation, conduct and management of interlocutory and contested proceedings.