A leader in the law

In 2022 Ormond alumna Distinguished Professor Hilary Charlesworth became the first woman to be appointed to the International Court of Justice.

An internationally respected human rights scholar and expert on international law, Prof Charlesworth is a veteran judge who has worked with non-governmental organisations around the world towards implementing human rights standards.

Prof Charlesworth was an Ormond student during her undergraduate law studies at The University of Melbourne. At Ormond she led the debating team to triumph and was an O-week leader.

Charlesworth later became a law tutor at the College, one of the earliest of her teaching roles. Combining teaching with research became her passion and led to a decorated career as an academic. During her studies she also edited the Melbourne University Law Review and represented the University in an international law moot competition.

After further study at Harvard Law School, Charlesworth has taught at universities around the world, published significant research and most recently led the Centre for International Governance and Justice at the Australian National University.