Michael Rice

Focus

Michael specialises in sustainable supply chains and tackling the environmental and human rights impacts of European trade and consumption. He works with NGO coalitions and civil society partners to push policy-makers, institutions and businesses to address the negative impacts of trade and finance frameworks. His work focuses on efforts to reduce global deforestation, transform the food system, and establish new accountability rules for global value chains.

Experience

Before joining ClientEarth, Michael worked for a Dutch environmental justice and human rights NGO where he collaborated with a global network of civil society partners on issues related to land, gender and climate justice and their links to Europe. Before that, Michael worked as a legal advisor to judges at the International Criminal Court, managed a pro bono youth-law centre, and specialised as a major projects and Native Title lawyer at the law firm Ashurst in Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia.

Education

Michael graduated with honours from Queensland University of Technology with a double degree in Law and Justice Studies, and received his Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne, specialising in public international law.

Michael is an Australian-qualified lawyer and was admitted to the legal profession in 2009.

The future of this beautiful planet depends on governments rapidly changing their priorities. Politely appealing to reason is not doing the job. Bold action, backed by the power of the law, is needed to mobilise our institutions to the challenge. That’s why I work at ClientEarth.