Karen Iles leads her own legal and consulting practice; Violet Co Legal & Consulting.

For her work in sexual assault law reform and representing victim/survivors, Karen has been awarded Private Practitioner of the Year (Women Lawyers Association of NSW) (2023) and winner of the Law Society of NSW Pro Bono Service Award (2022).

Violet Co is a certified social enterprise (Social Traders) and certified Indigenous business (Supply Nation). Karen and her team of solicitors work to support victim/survivors of sexual assault to achieve justice. The practice also specialises in employment law and focuses on strategic programs to promote the rights of women, gender diverse and First Nations people.

Karen is a member of the Expert Advisory Group to the current Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry into Justice System Responses to Sexual Violence.

Karen has recently been appointed to the Catholic Safeguarding Australia panel as an independent legal reviewer. She is a Non-Executive Director and holds a number of appointments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice

• Graduate Certificate Applied Law (Dispute Resolution)

• Bachelor of Arts (Women's Studies)

• Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors

• Nationally Accredited Mediator

Current Non-Executive Director Board Appointments

• Our Watch

• First Australians Capital

• The National Justice Project

• Deadly Hearts Limited

Current Advisory Committee Appointments

• National Women’s Safety Alliance, Policy Committee

• Ethics and Employment Law Committees, Law Society of NSW

• Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre