Seidel’s role will be to advise the School of Law in the development of its law courses and to strengthen the link between La Trobe and the legal profession in Victoria.

He will also support the development of La Trobe’s public interest law program, which, according to Professor Jianfu Chen, head of the School of Law, was launched in 2006 “in response to demand for an opportunity to study at an advanced academic level the intersection of the law and the public interest”.

Seidel’s reputation for bringing his legal expertise to human rights, social justice and indigenous advancement began in 1993 when he embarked on advising the Yorta Yorta people with their native title claim.