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Margaret Otlowski

Professor, Faculty of Law and Director, Centre for Law and Genetics, University of Tasmania

Margaret graduated in 1985 with First Class Honours in Law. After completing the Legal Practice Course, she did her articles with Page Seager solicitors in Hobart and was admitted to practice as Barrister and Solicitor in 1986. In 1987 she was appointed to a lectureship at UTAS in 1987 culminating in her appointment to a Personal Chair in 2003 and was Dean of the Law Faculty from 2010-2017. From 2017-2019 she served as Pro Vice Chancellor, Culture and Wellbeing. She is currently the Vice Chancellor's Envoy for Europe alongside her role Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Law and Genetics based at the Law Faculty.
Most of Margaret’s research has been in the health law area. In 1992, she completed a PhD which was published in the UK by Oxford University Press (Voluntary Euthanasia and the Common Law). Her principal areas of expertise are in relation to end-of-life issues and aspects of law and genetics, especially genetic discrimination, privacy and regulatory issues. Together with other members of the Center for Law and Genetics team, she has been involved in various research projects funded by the Australian Research Council including a biobanking project and the Centre’s current personalised medicine project. She has also provided advice on health law issues and been engaged as consultant by state and national bodies.
Margaret has maintained strong links with practice through quasi-judicial tribunal work including with the Guardianship and Administration Board and the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. She has served on various state and national boards and committees including as member of two of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s principal committees; the Australian Health Ethics Committee and the Human Genetics Advisory Committee. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and Patron for Tasmanian Women Lawyers. She is currently a Commissioner on the Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission and a member of the Australian Research Integrity Committee.

Experience

  • 2003–present
    Professor of Law, University of Tasmania