Karen Iles

LLB (Law) | Grad Cert Applied Law (Dispute Resolution) | Grad Dip Legal Practice | BA (Women’s Studies) | Graduate Australian Institute Company Directors

Practising Solicitor| Nationally Accredited Mediator | Business Founder of a Certified Indigenous Business and Certified Social Enterprise

Karen Iles is a lawyer, consultant, board director, sexual assault survivor and Dharug Aboriginal woman.

Karen Iles is the Founder and Principal Solicitor of Violet Co Legal & Consulting - a woman-led, Indigenous-led, social enterprise. Violet Co’s purpose is to create radical solutions and just outcomes for women and First Nations people.

In 2023 Karen was awarded Private Practitioner of the Year by Women Lawyers Association of NSW. In 2022 Karen was awarded the inaugural NSW Law Society Pro Bono Service Award (2022) in recognition of her outstanding service to the NSW Legal Profession and the Community. Karen’s advocacy work was recognised in the Australian Human Rights Commission 2022 Annual Oration delivered by Professor Larissa Behrendt.

Karen holds a number of current Non-Executive Director board roles - The National Justice Project, First Australians Capital and Marist180. She was appointed to the Australian Catholic Safeguarding panel in 2022 to review claims of sexual assault within the Catholic Church institutions and is a current appointee to the NSW Law Society Employment Law Committee and advisor to Teach Us Consent (Chanel Contos)

In 2022, Karen was featured in the Guardian Australia, A Current Affair, ABC 7.30, ABC News, ABC Radio and Mamamia.

Karen was born and raised on Darkinjung land and now lives on both Darkinjung and Gadigal Land, Australia. Karen is a Dharug Aboriginal diyin (woman) and has family connections to the Gunanday (Rainbow River) area of Dyarubbin (the River - the Hawkesbury River). Karen has Scottish and English heritage and is hopeful of an Independent Scotland one day!

Recent media (2023)

Women’s Agenda - First Nations women who have blazed a trail & those who are keeping the flame alight (13 July 2023)

9Honey - Workplace's cruel act after Karen reported sexual harassment: 'Nothing happens' (4 July 2023)

Mamamia 'The mass silencing of women.' The real-world impact of allegations made at Parliament house.’ (21 June 2023)

Illawarra Mercury - Police and our justice system have got to pass the pub test and quickly Opinion Piece by Karen Iles (20 May 2023)

Change Makers Podcast - Karen Iles – ChangeMaker Chat (14 March 2023)

2022

Courier Mail - sexual assault and schoolies

ABC Radio (December 2022) - sexual assault law reform in light of Bruce Lehrmann trial outcome

ABC News (November 2022) - workplace sexual harassment

Australian Institute of Company Directors (September 2022) - workplace sexual harassment & assault

ABC (April 2022) - Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre establishment

Recent media (2022) - personal story regarding sexual assault, police accountability and access to counselling services

The Guardian Australia - ‘Unspeakable trauma’: police in Queensland and NSW failed to investigate alleged gang rape of 14-year-old girl, records show (4 Oct 2022) - Guardian investigation into police (mis)handling of Karen’s reports of aggravated child sexual assault

A Current Affair - Woman's fight for justice decades after alleged rape (17 Oct 2022)

ABC Radio National Speaking Out hosted by Professor Larissa Behrendt - The path to Justice: police accountability and systemic reform (16 Oct 2022)

The Chaser Report - An Unacceptable Cop-Out (11 Oct 2022)

Women’s Agenda - Karen Iles’ campaign for law reform to compel police to investigate sexual assault (11 Oct 2022)

MamaMia - For 18 years, I've been trying to get police to investigate my sexual assaults. I'm still waiting. (21 November 2022)

ABC 7.30 (TV and print) - Sexual assault support services struggling to cope with record demand (18 May 2022)

Upcoming engagements

Sydney Opera House, All About Women Festival (12 March 2023) the War on Women panel - get tickets now for in person or livestream

Sydney Opera House, All About Women Festival (12 March 2023) Shame-less panel

Recent speaking engagements (2022 only)

EY Australia & Asia Pacific (16 Days of Activism to eliminate Violence Against Women)

RASARA Rape & Sexual Assault Research & Advocacy (16 Days of Activism to eliminate Violence Against Women)

Unions NSW (16 Days of Activism to eliminate Violence Against Women)

Norman Disney & Young (National Reconciliation Week)

University of Newcastle (National Reconciliation Week)

The Sydney Women’s Club (International Women’s Day)

NSW Parliament for Full Stop Australia

Teach Us Consent - various round table events

BEING mental health annual conference keynote

Booking Karen Iles as a speaker

Karen Iles is registered with the Speaking Out Agency. You can view her speaker’s profile and contact her here.

Topics and ideal audience

Karen speaks on a variety of topics in her professional realm including; women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s issues with the justice system, Workplace discrimination, Workplace sexual harassment and assault, good governance, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, corporate social responsibility, social justice and the value of mediation and alternative dispute resolution in workplace and community contexts.

She focuses on practical steps that businesses, organisations and teams can take to create change for women and First Nations' peoples. She blends legal and consulting trends with personal experience and (de-identified) real life client examples to motivate change.

Karen also speaks publicly, and in the media, about her personal lived experience of sexual assault, police accountability and the justice system to inspire social change and motivate others to overcome adversity.

Karen Iles

LLB | Grad Cert Applied Law (Dispute Resolution) | Grad Dip Legal Practice | BA (Women’s Studies) | GAICD

Board Experience

Current Non-Executive Director Appointments

First Australians Capital

Marist180

National Justice Project

Previous Non-Executive Director Appointments

Consecutive NFP Board Director roles since 2001 some of the highlights have been:

NSW Rape Crisis Centre (now Full Stop Australia) during period of high growth and creation of 1800 RESPECT

Preterm Foundation (Women’s reproductive health clinic) during a time of heightened anti-abortion campaigning

AidWatch (Advocacy organisation) during the years of the Howard government

GetUp

Panel Appointments

Australian Catholic Safeguarding (sexual assault)

Law Society of NSW - Committee Memberships

Employment Law Committee (2023 - current)

In-house Corporate Lawyers Committee (2020, 2017 & 2016)

Diversity and Inclusion Committee (2018 & 2019)

Human Rights Committee (2018)

Legal Technology Committee (2016-2018)

Advisory Committees and other (current)

National Women’s Safety Alliance Policy Advocacy and Advisory Committee

Teach Us Consent (Chanel Contos)

Women’s Legal Service NSW Fundraising Committee

Transforming Justice Australia (restorative justice)

Deadly Hearts Trek (Rheumatic Heart Disease support and collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities)

Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre Establishment Team

Previous relevant committee highlights

NSW Council of Civil Liberties - Councillor (previous)

Business Council of Australia Indigenous Network (previous)

Global Compact of Australia Indigenous Committee (previous)

Certification

Australian Legal Practising Certificate, the Law Society of New South Wales (number 80998)

Nationally Accredited Mediator

Australian Institute of Company Directors

Education

Graduate Certificate Applied Law (Dispute Resolution) College of Law (2020)

Practice Management Course for Principals of a Legal Practice, Law Society of New South Wales (2020)

Company Directors Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors (2017)

Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law (2014)

Bachelor of Laws, University of Technology, Sydney (2005 - 2008)

Bachelor of Arts, Women's Studies, Macquarie University (1998 - 2003)

Awards

NSW Law Society Pro Bono Service Award (2022)

Professional Experience

Violet Co Legal & Consulting: Director and Principal Solicitor (January 2019 - current)

Tetra Tech Coffey International Development: Head of Legal and Management Consulting (part-time consulting contract) (October 2019 - April 2020)

Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers: Director Pro Bono and Responsible Business (2017 - 2018)

Tata Consultancy Services: Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and In-House Counsel, Australia and New Zealand (2014 - 2017)

KPMG Australia: Manager, Corporate Citizenship - Indigenous Programs (2012 - 2014) and Management Consultant (Health and Human Services, Government Advisory Services) (2011 - 2012)

Amnesty International Australia: National Manager Activism and Supporter Engagement (2009 - 2011) and National Mobilisation Coordinator and Campaigner (2007 - 2009)

Aid/Watch: Co-Director, Campaigns (2006 - 2007)

Australian Services Union: Industrial Officer and Organiser (2004 - 2006)

Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (NSW Construction Division): Industrial Officer and Organiser (2000 - 2004)