Nell Bennett

I am a barrister practising predominantly in criminal law, appearing regularly in metropolitan and regional courts across Victoria for both prosecution and defence.

Before coming to the Bar, I worked in academia and research, focusing on national security, political violence, terrorism and maritime affairs. My legal practice continues to be informed by a longstanding interest in the strategic dimensions of law, particularly where criminal justice intersects with questions of state power, security and public order.

I was called to the New South Wales Bar in 2019 before later practising at the Victorian Bar.

Alongside practice, I remain engaged in legal and security scholarship as editor of the Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counterterrorism and have taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in criminology and security studies. In 2024–2025 I was a Blue Security Fellow with the Blue Security Consortium and La Trobe Asia.

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), as well as edited collections including Strategic Minds and Terrorist Challenges in the Indo-Pacific (Routledge, 2025).

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.