Caitlin McConnel

LLM (Hons) LLB (Hons) BBus (Fin) GradDipLP

At St Margaret’s 2003-2007

Caitlin is a Senior Associate in the Agribusiness & Food and Environment & Sustainable Development teams at Clayton Utz, working across practice groups nationally in relation to the role agriculture plays in respect of natural capital markets, ESG investment opportunities & risk, and agrivoltaics. Caitlin specialises in agriculture & food legislation, food security policy and frameworks, and climate-related litigation.

Caitlin has a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne specialising in issues pertaining to agriculture, particularly the role climate change, food, and water security plays in the context of national security in Australia. Her research paper considering the Water Act 2000 (Cth) in the context of 'critical human water needs' was published and is now used by the Melbourne Law School as teaching material, and her submissions to the Inquiry into Food Security in Australia were supported by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture in its report, Australian Food Story: Feeding the Nation and Beyond. In March 2020, Caitlin was recognised as one of the top 50 early-career lawyers in Australia as an Australasian Lawyer 2020 Rising Star. 

In conjunction with her role at Clayton Utz, Caitlin is recognised as a young leader and top agribusiness professional in Australia, and is an advocate for youth in agriculture, and mental health & wellness in the legal and agricultural sectors. She is a sixth-generation farmer who oversees the day-to-day management of her family property with her parents (beef cattle, pastured eggs & agrivoltaics) in SEQ, and is also Chair of the Future Farmers Network, the Sub-Region 15 Representative of the Cattle Australia Regional Consultative Committee, and a Member of the National Farmers' Federation Farm Data Code Certification Panel, the National Farmers’ Federation Young Farmers’ Council, the Queensland Law Society Water & Agribusiness Law Committee, and the Agribusiness Australia Queensland State Council.

Caitlin was a boarder at St Margaret's, and an avid rower whose most cherished accomplishments include attending St Margaret's College in Christchurch on rowing exchange, being Captain of Boats in 2007, being a member of the Open 1st VIII for three consecutive years (2005, 2006 & 2007) and Head of the River Champions in 2004 (Year 9 1st Quad, 2005 & 2007 (Open 1st VIII). Following graduation, Caitlin volunteered as a rowing coach at St Margaret's (2008 - 2012), whilst also competing in still water rowing at Commercial Rowing Club (2008), and surfboat rowing at Currumbin SLSC (2010 - 2012). In 2012, Caitlin represented Australia in the Queens Diamond Jubilee River Pageant in London as a member of the Australian surfboat rowing contingent, and as official spokesperson. Caitlin has returned to St Margaret's on a number of occasions to mentor students on various topics including law, and mental health and wellness.

Whilst Caitlin acknowledges that she was sent to St Margaret's to receive an education, she is grateful that she graduated with more than any textbook could provide. St Margaret's taught Caitlin independence, resilience, passion and the importance of actively engaging in your community — particularly the broader St Margaret's community. St Margaret's shaped the woman Caitlin is today, and has provided her with an extraordinary community that she can draw upon for advice and support in the pursuit of her goals.