Obituary & Service - Jane Elizabeth Treleaven

Jane graduated in Arts and Law from Monash; served Articles with Brian Heydon at Remington & Co in Castlemaine; and was admitted in March 1997; remaining briefly as a Solicitor. At Russell Kennedy, she became a Senior Associate. She was then a Senior Associate at Herbert, Geer & Rundle – a little short of 10 years high level practice as a Solicitor – from which she was supported in her move to the Bar and briefed.

She read with Joseph Tsalanidis and soon established a formidable practice at the Bar.  She was led in the Full Court of the Federal Court by Allan Myers QC and Fiona McLeod SC, and by Stephen O’Bryan SC; and in the High Court by Fiona McLeod SC, who describes her as having been “a brilliant lawyer with a crisp concise style”. She appeared without a Leader in the Supreme Court in a substantial matter that ran ten days.  She was Junior Counsel for the Commonwealth in the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Over and above her practice, she completed a Master of Commercial Law degree at the Melbourne Law School; and she lectured in Civil Procedure at the Leo Cussen Institute.

Jane’s service to the community of the Bar was outstanding. In her first year at the Bar, she joined the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel.  With Fiona McLeod SC, she was a prime mover in establishing the Climate Change & Environmental Law Panel – and was its Deputy Chair.  She was Co-Deputy Chair of the Indigenous Lawyers Committee – one of the small group who drafted the Bar Reconciliation Action Plan 2012-16.  She was First Assistant Convenor of the Women Barristers Association; and Assistant Secretary of the Commercial Bar Association Corporations & Securities Section.

In November 2012 Jane was appointed Assistant Honorary Secretary of the Bar Council. In the New Year, illness compelled her resignation from that and all other Bar Committees and Offices. In July 2014, she did not renew her practising certificate. In July 2015 she transferred to the List of Retired Counsel.

Jane was in India with her husband, Michael Main. She will be buried there. After Michael returns, it is hoped there will be a Gathering to remember Jane.