Hayley Aldrich
Email: haldrich@codea.com.au
Phone: (02) 9291 7162
International Phone: (+61 2) 9291 7162
Location: Sydney
Hayley is a passionate lawyer with experience in litigation and compensation law. She has developed a practice with significant focus on representing and securing access to justice for members of the Stolen Generations, and others who have suffered as a result of sexual, physical and emotional/mental abuse as children. She is one of the most respected experts in this field, in part due to her dedication in developing and running a trauma informed practice.
For Hayley, this work truly makes a difference to people, and goes beyond individual clients receiving compensation. As part of the settlement process, abuse victims receive a personal apology from the defendant institution or department, which means a lot to them.
Hayley’s practice also includes acting for people in a range of personal injury matters, general litigation and international torts. She regularly appears in the District Court of NSW, the Supreme Court of NSW and the Personal Injury Commission.
She has provided advice to clients in the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) appeals, SafeWork NSW Investigations, Victims Compensation applications for the Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme, applications for the National Redress Scheme, Applications in the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), applications in various states Civil and Administrative Tribunals, Coronial proceedings, and to witnesses appearing at the NSW Parliament General Purpose Standing Committee’s Injury into Stolen Generations Reparations, and the witnesses appearing at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses of Child Sexual Abuse.
“Working with abuse victims can be extremely emotional and draining, but, when matters settle, the closure that this work brings for claimants is something that inspires me to keep at it”.
Key Professional Achievements
- Hayley joined Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers in 2014, and was appointed Associate in 2017.
- Hayley was appointed Senior Associate in July 2020, and was appointed to Special Counsel in July 2021.
- Hayley has held a number of positions within the firm, and is currently a member of the Internal Diversity Committee. She was previously the continuing Legal Education Co-Ordinater, the Pro-Bono Co-Ordinator, the Agency Co-Ordinator and a member of the MOSAIC service that the firm provided externally.
- Hayley holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Sydney, which is complemented by her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law.
- She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication combined with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, from the University of Technology, Sydney.
- Hayley was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2012.
- Hayley is passionate about a number of charitable organisations. She previously was a member of the UN Women International Women’s Day Breakfast Organising Committee, and Hayley held the position of Vice-Chair of Young UN Women Australia Sydney.
- From 2018-2020 Hayley held the position of Non Exceutive Director for Stepping Out Program, a non- profit community based organisation with a 30 year history working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
- Prior to her legal career, Hayley worked as an online editor for a boutique magazine and has written many freelance articles for both print and digital publications over the years.
- Hayley was honoured as an Australian Law Awards 2021 finalist in the category of Senior Associate of the Year.
- Hayley is the Winner of both the Senior Associate of the Year – SME Law category and the Excellence Award in the Women in Law Awards 2021.
- Hayley was honoured as an Australian Law Awards 2022 finalist in the category of Special Counsel of the Year.
Media
9 News Interview
Video courtesy of 9 News Illawarra
Lawyers Weekly