Youthlaw is excited to announce that Lee Carnie has been appointed as Youthlaw’s next CEO!
Lee is a passionate and experienced leader in Victoria’s community legal and youth sectors, with a background in youth justice, human rights, and social change. They began their career at Youthlaw as our Youth Homelessness and Drug Outreach Lawyer and have remained committed to our vision of a fairer society shaped by young people ever since.
As an experienced human rights lawyer and social justice advocate, Lee has championed youth-led initiatives and led strategic advocacy campaigns, including advocating for a national Human Rights Act and #RewindRobodebt. In their current role at the Federation for Community Legal Centres, Lee has been a key contributor to the Smart Justice for Young People’s campaign strategy and advocacy on the Youth Justice Bill. We feel very lucky to have Lee’s expertise and leadership guiding Youthlaw into its next chapter.
A message from Lee:
“I’m truly honoured and excited to step into the CEO role at Youthlaw.
Right now, young people are facing unprecedented challenges — from the cost of living crisis and systemic age discrimination to rising family violence and youth homelessness. At this critical time, Youthlaw’s mission to empower young people to stand up for their rights, navigate legal challenges, and shape a fairer future has never been more vital.
I’m proud to join a brilliant, values-driven team with a deep commitment to fearless advocacy, human rights, collaboration and youth agency. I look forward to working with our team and partners to build on the strong foundation already in place, advocate for sustainable resourcing and systemic change, and ensure every young person we serve continues to feel heard, respected, and supported.
Thank you for the warm welcome. I can’t wait to get started.”
Lee will officially start at Youthlaw on 18 August 2025.
We hope you will join us in giving Lee a warm welcome back to Youthlaw!