MARY ANNE RYAN

Mary Anne was admitted to practice in 2002 and signed the Bar Roll in 2015.

Prior to going to the Bar Mary Anne worked for 13 years in private practice and regularly appeared as Counsel in the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (now the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia).

Mary Anne is passionately committed to the protection of children and has an extensive practice in complex parenting matters. Although Mary Anne has a special interest in survivors of trauma, mental health and family violence, she is skilled in all areas of the family law jurisdiction and is regularly briefed in a variety of marriage, property and child support matters.

Mary Anne is regularly appointed as an Independent Children’s Lawyer in the family law jurisdiction, as the Separate Representative in the child protection jurisdiction and Special Counsel in the guardianship jurisdiction.

Mary Anne is a member of TASCAT and sits in the Guardianship Stream.

Mary Anne appears in inquiry and tribunal work and was appointed as Counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with a Disability in 2021. She has appeared as Junior Counsel in Hearing 17: “The experience of women and girls with a disability with particular focus on family violence, domestic and sexual violence” and Hearing 29: “The experience of violence against, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with a disability from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.”

Mary Anne was the 2024 recipient of the Tasmania Legal Aid Practitioner Award.

Mary Anne accepts briefs in regional and interstate areas.

Mary Anne loves spending time with her family, friends and her chocolate Labradoodle. She enjoys reading, art, concerts and the theatre. Mary Anne has been privileged to mentor many practitioners less experienced than she and enjoys creating opportunities for learning.