Dr. Constance Lee
LLB, LLM (UQ), GDLP (QUT), PhD (UQ)Lecturer - Law
School of Business and Law
160 Ann Street - WS 02, Level 121
Brisbane City QLD 4000
Constance Lee LLB, LLM (UQ) GDLP (QUT) PhD (APA Scholar, UQ)
Constance Lee is a Lecturer in Law at Central Queensland University. Her research examines the philosophical foundations for law, examining issues like human nature and conscience to ground legal obligations in the public sphere for both citizens and governments. She has published on legal theory especially natural law theory, particularly on the work of John Calvin. She has also published research on doctrinal issues across a range of fields of law, including Australian constitutional law, international constitutional law and comparative law.
Constance is editor of and contributor for two books and author of more than six journal articles. Her work has appeared in leading international and Australian journals, including, the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion, Law and Critique, the Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy and the International Journal of Law and Society. She is co-editor for the Research Handbook of Natural Law Theory (Edward Elgar, 2019).
Constance was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2012. She has practiced more than six years in the areas of criminal law and civil ligation and as a pro bono lawyer in matters of domestic violence and underpayment. She has appeared in the magistrate's, district courts in Queensland and in the Supreme and Federal Courts in Brisbane. She is a long-standing member of the Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy. A selection of her publications can be accessed online at: https://cqu1.academia.edu/ConstanceYoungwonLee.
Background
Constance Lee commenced her Bachelor of Laws at the T.C. Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland on a Commonwealth Academic Excellence Scholarship in 2005, upon graduating high school with the highest ranked position in the State of Queensland in 2004. After graduating her LLB, she undertook practical legal training and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2012. She then completed her Master of Laws at the University of Queensland and was awarded the Dean's Commendation for Excellence in 2015. She completed her PhD entitled 'John Calvin's Constitutional Theology' in 2021 after being awarded the UQ Law HDR Research Excellence Award in 2020.
As a solicitor, she primarily engaged in criminal and civil litigation and regularly appeared in magistrates' and district courts throughout Queensland. She also made appearances in the Supreme court of Queensland, the Court of Appeal and Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane. In 2015, she made an application for special leave to the High Court of Australia. She has extensively engaged in pro bono work in the areas of employment (underpayment), family (domestic violence, marital fraud) and criminal law matters. She has a strong track record of community service through social justice forums such as the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS) and Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House (QPILCH).
Universities Studied At
Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland
Master of Laws (Dean's Excellence Award), University of Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy (Australian Postgraduate Award Recipient), University of Queensland
Universities Worked At
Sessional Academic and Research Associate, University of Queensland (2012-2018)
Law Language and Learning Educator, Queensland University of Technology (2018-2019)
Awards
UQ Law HDR Research Excellence Award (2020)
Student Voice Award (2020)
Teaching Excellence Award (2019)
Australian Postgraduate Award (2015)
Teaching Excellence Award - Best Tutor in Compulsory Law Course (2013)
Commonwealth Academic Excellence Scholarship (2005)
Previous teaching
University of Queensland:
LAWS1116 Constitutional Law (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017)
LAWS4111 Jurisprudence (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017)
LAWS5156 International Humanitarian Law (2013)
LAWS5172 Advanced Jurisprudence (2014 and 2016)
LAWS5167 Asian Legal Systems (2017)
Emmanuel College, St Lucia
Law Tutor (2014, 2015)
Professional Experience
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland (2012)
Licensed Legal Practitioner (2013-2018)
SD Lawyers (Solicitor) (2013-2018)
Professional Memberships
Queensland Law Society (since 2012)
Roll of Attorneys and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Queensland (since 2012)
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy (since 2013)
Law - Comparative Law
This research area examines the strengths and weaknesses of different legal systems in relation to specific areas i.e. criminal law through philosophical paradigms.
Law - Constitutional Law
One of my primary research areas involves the doctrinal study of constitutional law in Australia in particular, the central pillars of the parliamentary system such as, the separation of powers, federalism and the rule of law. I also explore the similarities and differences of the Australian constitutional system to other constitutional systems around the world to see how this knowledge may help to better inform and guide reforms on the domestic front.
Law - Legal Theory, Jurisprudence and Legal Interpretation
My current research focuses on the role of philosophical foundations in grounding constitutional law, legal adjudication and interpretation. Through my research, I have contributed to the study of the foundations of law at the theoretical level and in relation to specific fields of legal doctrine. It is important for public transparency that we accurately understand the specific scope of government powers and our obligations to the law. My research in this area strives to better grasp the theological, philosophical and cultural concepts underscoring our legal systems. This research is crucial for understanding the foundations of our regulatory systems, particularly those pertaining to the government and law.
