Northern Land Council
Jessica Clothier is a Senior Lawyer at Northern Land Council since August 2023, previously serving as a Senior Legal Policy Officer at the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Victoria from November 2019 to August 2023, where involvement in the First Law Officer team at the Office of the General Counsel was prominent. Prior experience includes a role as a Legal Adviser at Doogue + George from April 2018 to November 2019. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Laws (LLB with Honours) from Monash University (2012-2017) and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Leo Cussen Institute (2017).
Northern Land Council
The Northern Land Council was established in 1973 to represent traditional Aboriginal landowners and Aboriginal people in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. The most important responsibilities of the NLC are to consult with traditional landowners and other Aborigines with an interest in the land. This is to make sure the landowners as a group give their informed consent before the Land Council or a Land Trust enters into any agreement, or takes any action affecting their land. It also ensures that affected Aboriginal communities and groups have the chance to express their views and that land use agreements entered into are reasonable. These principles are fundamental to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. The NLC also acts as a representative body for native title claimants in its area under the Native Title Act 1993.