Ms Gleeson started her career in private practice before joining Legal Aid in 1998 – and has since made a “significant personal and professional contribution to the betterment of law and justice in the community,” according to the Law Society. 

Outside her day-to-day work as a recently appointed registrar in the Children’s Court, Ms Gleeson provides services to The Shed, a male suicide prevention service in Mt Druitt, conducts a health justice partnership clinic attached to Blacktown Hospital, is chair of crisis accommodation service DV West and is a member of the Aboriginal Family Law Pathways committee.

President of the Law Society of NSW, Juliana Warner, said the President’s Medal is a “fitting acknowledgement” of the registrar’s extensive contribution to family law across the country.  

“Mary’s passion and commitment to early intervention services in the family law setting has created significant improvements in access to justice for so many Indigenous children and families over the past three decades. Her innovative and pragmatic approach to legal assistance is underpinned by her deep understanding of the sometimes-complex non-legal needs of her clients,” she said. 

“And her solution-focused approach means that she often goes above and beyond what might ordinarily be required of a family law solicitor.

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“Additionally, her work with The Shed and as duty solicitor at the Federal Circuit Court’s Indigenous Families list, has provided access to the family law system for Indigenous children who would otherwise have been at risk of removal from their families through the care and protection system.”