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Professor Caroline Hart

Professor Caroline Hart
Name Caroline Hart
Position Adjunct Professor
Section Centre for Heritage and Culture (Operations)
Email
Qualifications BA Qld , LLB Qld , LLM QUT , PhD USQ

Biography

Professor Caroline Hart is the author of the popular book, The Seven Elements of Successful Country Law Firms (The Federation Press and available on Amazon). Caroline (second from left in photo) was a Professor (Law) and the Associate Head of the School of Law and Justice at the University of Southern Queensland until she retired in 2023.

Caroline joined the University in 2005 as part of the team commencing the UniSQ Law Programs, working closely with Mr Mark Tranter, Mr Mark Byrne, Mr Michael Maguire, Mrs Suzanne Schultz and Professor Michael Robertson.

Caroline's research focused on ‘what makes a successful regional and rural (RR) law firm?’ The research drew from the wisdom and experiences of over fifty RR partners and sole practitioners from across Queensland and New South Wales. Caroline was able to bring to this research valuable contributions from being a regular invited guest to global law firm Clyde & Co’s Annual General Counsel Compliance and Risk Forum (the Clyde & Co Forum) held in alternating years in London and New York since 2014.

The Clyde & Co Forum is comprised of global law firms with the purpose of proactively investigating risks for law firms, including artificial intelligence, intergenerational change and compliance with often seismic changes faced by the profession. Caroline’s book, The Seven Elements of Successful Country Law Firms drew from many of the insights shared at these forums.

Caroline was also able to share outcomes shared by the Clyde & Co Forum with Qld and NSW’s regional legal profession through valuable relationships with the law societies of both states. Caroline worked closely with both law societies, with UniSQ Adjunct Professor Stafford Shepherd, Mr Shane Budden and QLS CEO Mr Matt Dunn.

Caroline’s engagement with both law societies included publications, conferences, funded grants and committee contributions. In 2020, Caroline initiated and executed online access to professional legal education across RR Qld locations through a benevolent collaboration between the QLS and UniSQ.

In 2021, QLS commissioned Caroline to conduct research projects to investigate the impacts of technology, intergenerational change and COVID-19 on the Queensland legal profession. Caroline was awarded more than $360,000 in competitive grant monies to conduct the research projects. Caroline worked closely with her UniSQ colleague, Dr Aaron Timoshanko, UniSQ Alumni Mr Angus Murray and QLS CEO, Mr Matt Dunn, on the projects.

In September 2022, Caroline organised and convened The UniSQ Future Ready Conference. More than 90 legal practitioners from across RRR Qld and NSW participated. Special thanks go to Dr Jasmine Thomas (UniSQ Director ICT Governance and Partnerships) and Mr Angus Murray (Partner, Irish Bentley), as well as the QLS Committee Chairs.

Prior to academia, Caroline worked for 15 years in government commencing at the Department of Justice, Crown Law in 1990. She provided legal advice on matters including public-private partnerships and government use of technology. Caroline was also a research officer on several high-profile Queensland commissions of inquiry.

Caroline is nationally and internationally renowned for her research into regional law firms, entrepreneurial legal practice and law firm uses of technology.

Professor Celmara Pocock (Director, UniSQ Centre for Heritage and Culture) and Professor Simon Young (Deputy Director, CHC) invited Caroline to become the Centre’s Adjunct Professor in 2025.

Research Career


  • Law not elsewhere classified ( 180199 )
  • Public Law not elsewhere classified ( 480799 )
  • Public Law ( 480700 )

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE

Author and lead researcher: Queensland Law Society, ‘Future Ready Report: Queensland sole, micro, small and medium law firm capability to meet disruption: COVID-19, Technology and Intergenerational Change’, Final Report March 2023, Professor Caroline Hart, Dr Aaron Timoshanko, Mr Angus Murray et al (145 pages)

Author and lead researcher: Queensland Law Society’s Sole, Micro and Small Legal Practice Management Course Academic Review Conducted by University of Southern Queensland, Professor Caroline Hart, Mr Dan Beck, Mr Danny Clifford, Ms Amanda Kenafake, Ms Kerri Rosati, Mr Steve Tyndall, UniSQ Adjunct Professor and Director QLS Ethics Centre Mr Stafford Shepherd et al (88 pages)

JW Jones, AE Davis, S Chester, C Hart (2017) Reforming lawyer mobility – Protecting Turf or serving clients? (2017) 30 Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, 125 - 193

Caroline L. Hart, The Seven Elements of Successful Country Law Firms, The Federation Press, 2018 (220 pages)

Aaron Timoshanko, Caroline L. Hart et al, ‘An empirical study of lawyers’ capability to adapt to disruption in Queensland, Australia’, (2023) International Journal of Legal Practice, 83 – 110

Caroline L. Hart, Aaron Timoshanko, ‘Ready for a Reboot: Law Schools Need to Reboot and Upgrade the Law Curriculum Now to Better Meet the Impacts of Technology’ (2022) 15 Journal of Australasian Law Academics Association, 31 - 48

Aaron Timoshanko, Caroline L. Hart, ‘Teaching Technology into the Law Curriculum’ (2021) 13/14 Journal of Australasian Law Academics Association, 1 - 15

Caroline L. Hart, 'Better justice? or shambolic justice? Governments' use of information technology for access to law and justice… (2017) International Journal of Rural Law and Policy, 1 – 21

A Kennedy, T Mundy, J Nielsen, C Hart et al, ‘Educating law students for RR legal practice… 24 (2015) Legal Education Review, 6 – 27

Caroline L. Hart, (2014) The prevalence and nature of sustainable RRR legal practice (Thesis (PhD/Research)

Caroline L. Hart, ‘Business structures and sustainable regional legal practice: the use of incorporated legal practices by RRR legal practitioners’ (2012), International Journal of Rural Law and Policy, 1 – 17

Caroline L. Hart, ‘Sustainable regional legal practice: the importance of alliances and the use of innovative information technology… 2011 16 (1) Deakin Law Review, 225 – 263

Caroline L. Hart (2008) ‘The conjurer's new card trick and the illusion of privacy: privacy and transparency issues associated with the proposed Aust Govt HSSA (Identity) Card’, 2008 25(1) University of Tasmania Law Review, 5 – 43

Caroline L. Hart (2007) ‘Micro-chipping away at privacy: privacy implications created by the new Qld driver licence proposal’, 2007 7(2) QUT Law Review, 305 – 324

Caroline L. Hart et al, ‘The real deal: using authentic assessment to promote student engagement in the first and second years in a regional law program’, 2011 21(1) Legal Education Review, 97 – 121

Caroline L. Hart, ‘Entrepreneurship and innovation in regional and rural legal practice’, The Place of Practice, Federation Press (2017)

Caroline L. Hart, Learning Law, ‘Courts and Parliament’, (Cambridge University Press, 2018 and 2020)


PAST PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Committee Member, Practice Management Course Committee, Queensland Law Society (2017 – 2023)

Committee Member, Downs and Southwestern District Law Association (2005 – 2019)

Director National Rural Law & Justice Alliance

Member, Institute of Resilient Regions

Member, Australian Centre for Sustainable Business & Development

Member, Queensland Law Society (1992 – 2023)


  • Institute for Resilient Regions (IRR)
  • Centre for Heritage and Culture (CHC)

Teaching


19 Years

Supervision


  • Law not elsewhere classified ( 180199 )
  • Public Law not elsewhere classified ( 480799 )
  • Public Law ( 480700 )