Patrick was admitted to practice law in 2013 and has practiced predominantly in immigration and human rights law since that time.
Patrick always wanted to use his legal qualifications for people in real need of legal support. Patrick was determined to uphold access to justice for people who could not afford legal representation.
Patrick’s passion for social justice developed when he started volunteering his time at his local community legal centre. He then worked for over 5 years as a volunteer lawyer at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and developed his passion for upholding and defending the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in the Australian community.
Patrick has worked for 10 years with refugees and asylum seekers and has represented hundreds of people who are going through the refugee determination process in Australia. He has extensive experience representing asylum seekers and refugees at all stages of the immigration process including at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court of Australia, and the Department of Home Affairs.
Patrick is the principal lawyer and CEO of the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service where he has secured permanent residency for many refugees and asylum seekers, including people who have lived on temporary visas for more than 10 years.
The Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service is a not-for-profit organisation established to provide free migration-related legal services to refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other humanitarian entrants. The service addresses the access-to-justice gap that manifests for refugees and asylum seekers. Patrick has worked to strengthen the role of the service, expanding its reach, providing access to justice for some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
Patrick has run Tasmania's response to both the crisis in Afghanistan and the war in Ukraine, supporting hundreds of people seeking safety for themselves and their family members. Patrick is passionate about reuniting families separated by war and conflict.
Patrick has a strong understanding of current immigration issues. He is passionate about social justice, human rights and refugee issues that exist in contemporary Australia and abroad today.
Project
The Gallaugher Bequest Churchill Fellowship to develop an effective family reunification legal framework for refugees separated by conflict
Patrick O'Connor
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