Managing Associate, Former MARN 1386236
Leah Perkins is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, and a Managing Associate at Carina Ford Lawyers.
Leah joined Carina Ford Lawyers as a lawyer in 2013 and has over 10 years of work and volunteer experience with migrants and refugees. Leah advises across all visa subclasses and regularly appears before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Migration & Refugee Division and General Division) in merits review appeals, and is experienced in representing clients in judicial review matters. In addition to her interest in humanitarian issues, Leah specialises in complex family cases, visa cancellations, identity issues in visa and citizenship applications and child protection matters. Leah also coordinates the firm’s large pro bono practice.
Law reform and advocacy for refugees and vulnerable migration is important to Leah, who is active in various law reform committees including:
Co-chair of the Law Institute of Victoria Refuge Law Reform Committee
Member of the Law Council of Australia Migration Committee
Member of the Law Institute of Victoria Family Violence Working Group
Member of the Law Institute Administrative Law and Human Rights Executive Committee
Former chair Visa Reform Taskforce of Human Trafficking Resource and Assistance Centre
Former chair of the Citizenship Delays working group
Outside work, Leah is a board member of Outer Urban Projects, a performing arts organisation in Melbourne’s North.
In October 2021, Leah was shortlisted as a finalist in the Women in Law Awards 2021 – Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year. This award recognises outstanding women influencing the Australia Legal Profession.
