Welcome to LSA

The Legal Studies Association provides assistance to its Members to support them in their teaching and learning of Legal Studies. Membership gives you many benefits. Our highly acclaimed professional development opportunities are only available to Members. These events are designed by experienced teachers, to meet the needs of teachers and their students, and provide a mix of pedagogy and practical advice, aligned closely to the syllabus. These events also provide invaluable networking opportunities and the LSA Committee are always on-hand to provide additional information and support.

Why Join?

LSA Constitution

Our mission is to provide professional development for teachers, to enable them to engage and inspire their students, and support them to achieve their potential in Legal Studies.

Committee Bio

President

Jennifer Venhuizen

Jennifer has been teaching Legal Studies since 2008. Prior to joining the teaching profession, Jennifer worked in law firms and the workers’ compensation industry. Jennifer is Head of Humanities at William Clarke College, Kellyville. Jennifer enjoys all parts of the syllabus and this year she taught the options of Workplace and Family. Jennifer gains great satisfaction from hearing that former students have pursued careers in the legal profession.

Deputy President

Natalie Tan

Natalie has been teaching Legal Studies since 2019, and joined the LSA Committee in 2023. Having completed her undergraduate studies in International Relations, she has a keen interest in topics related to international law, particularly World Order. Natalie enjoys the highly contemporary nature of the Legal Studies course, and the insights it invites students to develop in relation to the complexities of delivering justice. She is a member of the HSIE Faculty at Burwood Girls High School.

Natalie is a part of the editorial team for the LSA's journal, The Legal Briefs
Deputy President

Teresa O’Dwyer

Teresa is the Head of Social Science at St Luke’s Grammar School in Dee Why on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The teaching of Legal Studies is her passion. She has been teaching the subject since 2004 and marking the HSC since 2006. Teresa joined the LSA Committee in 2014. She has been involved in designing and delivering pedagogy, giving student revision lectures, and contributing to the LSA exams and Legal Briefs and helping to curate the LSA Facebook page.
Secretary

Keith Thomas

Keith Thomas has been a teacher of Legal Studies in four public high schools. He marked the HSC for 21 years, including 12 years as a Senior Marker.

He is a Classroom Teacher at Cumberland High School.
Treasurer

Lisa Smith

Lisa came to teaching ten years ago from a business background. She has taught Legal Studies in Sydney schools for most of that time, including marking the HSC examination on multiple occasions. Lisa has a passion for serving our teachers and students outside of the Sydney region and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the post-COVID era. She is currently at Canberra Grammar School teaching NSW HSC and IB programs in law, politics and business.
Committee Member

Brian Elliott

Brian was one of the founding Deputy Presidents of the LSA and was President from 2001 to 2009. He has been an HSC Marker, Senior Marker and the Chief Examiner for Legal Studies. Brian is proud to have worked with the Association to organise high quality conferences, workshops and student lectures, and to have had a leadership role in revising the syllabus. Working with many fine educators through the LSA has been a highlight of his professional career. Brian is a Life Member of the LSA and received the Professional Teachers Council NSW Outstanding Service Award in 2008 and Exceptional Service Award in 2018. Brian is the Treasurer of the Professional Teachers Association NSW.
Committee Member

Nick Fernandez

Nick joined the LSA Committee in 2020. He has taught Legal Studies since 2012, prior to which he worked in private practice as a lawyer in Sydney. He has also worked as a casual academic teaching young people at both the University of Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. Nick is a member of the HSIE Staff at Cherrybrook Technology High School. He has a particular interest in teaching the Workplace, World Order and Indigenous Peoples options.
Committee Member

Lauren Goodsell

Head teacher History and Legal Studies at Bonnyrigg High School, teaching Legal Studies since 2011.

Experienced Senior Marker for HSC Legal Studies - Senior Marker for Crime, Consumers and Shelter.

NSW DoE Curriculum Advisor for Legal Studies, leading statewide professional learning in evidence-based practices, focusing on lifting achievement in Legal Studies.

2022 Gandel Holocaust Education Scholarship recipient. Lauren developed a sequence of study investigating law reform around hate speech in Australia which she presented in Melbourne.

Lauren is passionate about Legal Studies, equity in education and teaching in Southwest Sydney.
Committee Member

Hannah Hudson

Hannah joined the Legal Studies Association Committee in 2024 and has been teaching Legal Studies since 2021. Her passion for the subject ignited during her HSC studies, inspired by her own Legal Studies teacher, which led her to pursue a career in education. While Hannah initially gained experience teaching other HSIE subjects, her deep interest in the legal system and its practical applications has been a driving force in her teaching approach. She is particularly passionate about fostering academic literacy in her students through Legal Studies content and contemporary issues. Hannah is a dedicated member of the Social Science Department at Central Coast Grammar School, where she is a permanent faculty member.
Committee Member

Natasha Isbel

Natasha has been an LSA Committee member since 2014 and began teaching Legal Studies in 2012 as a second career. She likes to share her passion for contemporary legal issues and building the literacy capacity of both students and teachers.

Natasha currently teaches at Wenona in North Sydney and teaches the Family and Workplace options.

Natasha is a Life Member of the LSA.
Committee Member

Priscilla Issa

Priscilla came to teaching seven years ago from a legal background and has taught Legal Studies in independent, systemic, and department schools for most of that time. She has been a proud Committee Member of the Legal Studies Association since 2022. Priscilla is passionate about teaching Legal Studies because it encourages critical thinking and engages students with contemporary issues. With a strong foundation in and fascination with the law, she is committed to helping students become informed global citizens who advocate for justice in their communities and beyond. Priscilla is also a keen history educator and music teacher, and has worked with the University of New South Wales. She currently serves as Pastoral Care Coordinator and Public Speaking/Debating Coordinator at Bethany College, Hurstville.
Committee Member

Evette Jaajaa

Evette Jaajaa is an experienced Social Sciences educator with over 14 years in teaching and leadership. As Head Teacher of Social Science at Cumberland High School, she is known for creating engaging, inclusive classrooms and fostering strong connections with students and staff.

Evette has extensive HSC experience as a Legal Studies marker, Pilot marker, and Judge marker, with particular strengths in Human Rights, Consumer Law, and Family and Community topics. She teaches a wide range of senior subjects, including Legal Studies, Business Studies, Business Services, and Geography, and is equally passionate about junior Geography and Commerce.

In 2025, she joined the Legal Studies Association, further demonstrating her commitment to excellence in Legal Studies education and professional collaboration.
Committee Member

Roslyn Murton
Committee Member

Luke Philpotts
Committee Member

Pamela Rahmi

Pamela is a passionate Legal Studies teacher. She has completed a combined law degree at Sydney University and practised criminal law. In 2011, she completed a Masters of Teaching to become a teacher. She brings her extensive experience as a solicitor into the classroom at St George Girls High School. She has run Mock Trial for a number of years and is a HSC marker. She joined the LSA in 2024 and looks forward to collaborating with other Legal Studies teachers.

Pamela is a part of the editorial team for the LSA's journal, The Legal Briefs.
Committee Member

Genya Sugowdz

Genya has taught Legal Studies since 2013 and joined the LSA Committee in 2024. After studying law at university, she decided that teaching high school students about legal issues and understanding their rights is where her passions lie. Genya is also a keen history teacher and has worked as a casual academic at the University of Sydney. In 2017, Genya was a Gandel scholar producing a unit of work on the prosecution of war crimes in Australia for use by teachers globally. Genya has worked in a number of educational settings, including working as a Legal Studies Curriculum Advisor for the NSW Department of Education as part of the HSC Strategy Program. She has also worked as an HSC marker on multiple occasions. Genya is Head Teacher Teaching and Learning at Inner Sydney High School.

Genya is a part of the editorial team for the LSA's journal, The Legal Briefs
Committee Member

Rachel Taylor