Nell Bennett

I'm a barrister practising in criminal law, with a background in national security research, legal scholarship and university teaching. Before coming to the Victorian Bar, I worked for a decade in academia, focusing on complex threats such as terrorism, political violence and maritime conflict.

I was called to the New South Wales Bar in 2019. My legal work is informed by a longstanding interest in the strategic dimensions of law, particularly where it intersects with questions of force, security and state power.

I continue to contribute to the research field as a Blue Security Fellow with the Blue Security Consortium and La Trobe Asia. I serve as editor of the Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counterterrorism and have taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in law and security studies.

I hold a PhD and Master of Research from Macquarie University, and graduated from the Diploma in Law (Legal Profession Admission Board) with the Stuart Spencer Prize for Academic Excellence, awarded to the most distinguished graduate.

My publications include Euskadi ta Askatasuna: A Case Study on Terrorist Dynamics and the Fight to Survive (Oxford University Press) and two edited volumes: Strategic Minds and Terrorist Challenges in the Indo-Pacific (Routledge, 2025).

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.