Associate Professor Pauline Bomball

Associate Professor
PhD (ANU); Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours and University Medal) (ANU); Bachelor of Economics (ANU); Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP) (ANU)
+61 2 6125 1649
Room 7.2.27

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Research Theme

Biography

See also: https://lwp.law.harvard.edu/people/pauline-bomball

Dr Pauline Bomball is an Associate Professor of Law at the Australian National University.  She was recently a Fellow of the Harvard Law School Labor and Worklife Program.  Dr Bomball holds a PhD in Law, a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University. She graduated from her law degree with First Class Honours, a University Medal in Law and 14 other academic prizes, including the Supreme Court Judges' Prize for graduating in first place in the ANU law class of 2010. While at law school, she was a student editor of the Federal Law Review.  Following graduation, Dr Bomball served as an Associate (a judicial law clerk) to the Honourable Justice Virginia Bell AC of the High Court of Australia (Australia's highest court).   

Dr Bomball has research interests in employment law, labour law, and law and technology.  Her work has been published in top-ranked academic journals including the Melbourne University Law Review, the Sydney Law Review and the University of New South Wales Law Journal.  Her work has been cited by the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia (Full Court) and the Victorian Court of Appeal.  

Dr Bomball was awarded a 2018 ANU Vice-Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, 2017 ANU College of Law Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, 2014 ANU University Commendation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Team Award), 2013 ANU College of Law Award for Teaching Excellence (Team Award), 2013 ANU University Commendation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Early Career Teaching), and 2012 ANU College of Law Award for Teaching Excellence (Early Career Teaching). 

Dr Bomball is admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory. 

 

Appointments

Appointments/Service/Leadership

  • Fellow, Harvard Law School Labor and Worklife Program (September 2018 - May 2019) https://lwp.law.harvard.edu/people/pauline-bomball
  • Member (by invitation), International Advisory Group, Clean Slate for Worker Power Project (a project of the Harvard Law School Labor and Worklife Program) (November 2018 - August 2019)
  • Guest contributor (by invitation), OnLabor (September 2018; May 2021)
  • Editorial Board, Australian Journal of Labour Law (March 2018 - July 2019; June 2020 - September 2022)
  • Case Notes Editor, Australian Journal of Labour Law (March 2018 - July 2019; June 2020 - September 2022)
  • Academic Editor, Federal Law Review (March 2012 - January 2016)
  • Chair, ANU College of Law Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee (March 2022 - ongoing)
  • Leader, ANU Private Law Research Group (August 2016 - June 2019; March 2021 - ongoing)
  • Member, ANU Gender Equity Plan Taskforce (May 2022 - ongoing)
  • Member, ANU Intercollegiate Forum on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (September 2022 - ongoing)
  • Member, ANU Scholarships Strategy Working Group (May 2022 - ongoing)
  • Member, ANU College of Law Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee (March 2022 - ongoing)
  • Director of Student Wellbeing, ANU College of Law (Sole Director in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (until June 2019); Co-Director in 2013, 2015 and 2016)
  • Faculty Advisor, Law Reform and Social Justice, ANU College of Law (2014)
  • Member, Research Committee, ANU College of Law (2014, 2016 - 2018)
  • Member, Honours Thesis Review Committee, ANU College of Law (2016 - 2018)
  • Member, Australian Labour Law Association (2012 - ongoing)

Academic Appointments (ANU Law School in the ANU College of Law)

  • Associate Professor, ANU Law School: January 2022 - ongoing
  • Senior Lecturer, ANU Law School: 2019 - 2021
  • Lecturer, ANU Law School: 2015 - 2018
  • Associate Lecturer, ANU Law School: 2012 - 2014

Recent news

08
Apr
2019
Catherine Bladen in front of a law library bookcase
2018 ANU Prize recipient Catherine Bladen talks about winning
20
Dec
2016
Naomi Wootton
As she sees out her final days as a research assistant at the National Judicial College of Australia (NJCA), ANU College of Law graduate and University Medal recipient Naomi Wootton has reflected on how much she enjoyed studying law.

Past events

13
Oct
2022
Private Vices and Public Virtues: Market Misconduct and the Legitimacy
6.00PM to 7.00PM Webinar
  • Professor Lindsay Farmer

This seminar is hosted by the ANU Private Law Research Group.

02
Sep
2022
Shareholder protection in close corporations
10.00AM to 11.15AM Virtual Book Talk
  • Assistant Professor Alan Koh
  • Professor Pamela Hanrahan
  • Professor Martin Gelter

The Private Law Research Group at the ANU College of Law is hosting a discussion of the book 'Shareholder Protection in Close Corporations' (CUP, 2022) by Alan Koh.

23
Nov
2021
Professor John Howe
6.00PM to 7.00PM Webinar
  • Professor John Howe

In 2021, Professor John Howe (Director of Melbourne School of Government, Director of the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law) will be delivering this lecture, which will address how the Australian courts are not doing enough to send a message to businesses and the wider public that non-compliance with minimum employment standards is unacceptable.

Refereed journal articles

Pauline Bomball, ‘Contractual Autonomy, Public Policy and the Protective Domain of Labour Law’ (2021) 44(2) Melbourne University Law Review 502

Pauline Bomball, ‘Vicarious Liability, Entrepreneurship and the Concept of Employment at Common Law’ (2021) 43(1) Sydney Law Review 83

Pauline Bomball, 'The "Entrepreneurship Approach" to Determining Employment Status: A Normative and Practical Critique' (2021) 44(4) University of New South Wales Law Journal 1336

Pauline Bomball, ‘Statutory Norms and Common Law Concepts in the Characterisation of Contracts for the Performance of Work’ (2019) 42(2) Melbourne University Law Review 370

Pauline Bomball, 'Intention, Pretence and the Contract of Employment' (2019) 35(3) Journal of Contract Law 243

Pauline Bomball, ‘The Attribution of Responsibility in Trilateral Work Relationships: A Contractual Analysis’ (2016) 29(3) Australian Journal of Labour Law 305

Pauline Bomball, ‘Subsequent Conduct, Construction and Characterisation in Employment Contract Law’ (2015) 32(2) Journal of Contract Law 149

Pauline Thai, ‘Constructive Dismissal: A Re-Examination’ (2014) 27(2) Australian Journal of Labour Law 137

Pauline Thai, ‘Necessity, Coherence and Mutual Trust and Confidence: Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Barker’ (2014) 27(4) Commercial Law Quarterly 11 (refereed case note)

Pauline Thai, ‘Unfair Dismissal Protection for Labour Hire Workers? Implementing the Doctrine of Joint Employment in Australia’ (2012) 25(2) Australian Journal of Labour Law 152

Other

Pauline Bomball, 'Sectoral Bargaining is Coming to New Zealand' (2021) OnLabor

Pauline Bomball, 'Employment Status and the Gig Economy: A View from Australia' (2018) OnLabor

PhD supervision

Associate Supervisor on Supervisory Panel for Rosemary Listing (PhD Candidate, ANU College of Law)

Associate Supervisor on Supervisory Panel for Gareth Downing (PhD Candidate, ANU College of Law)

Previous courses

Year Course code Course name
2021 LAWS4228
Class #7288
Labour Law

Past courses

2022 Courses: Labour Law; Work and the Gig Economy; Foundations of Australian Law; Tort Law

Past Courses: Labour Law; Foundations of Australian Law; Lawyers, Justice and Ethics; Tort Law; Contract Law

Teaching Awards

  • 2018 ANU Vice-Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
  • 2017 ANU College of Law Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
  • 2014 ANU University Commendation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Team Award)
  • 2013 ANU College of Law Award for Teaching Excellence (Team Award)
  • 2013 ANU University Commendation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Early Career Teaching)
  • 2012 ANU College of Law Award for Teaching Excellence (Early Career Teaching)

Updated:  10 August 2015/Responsible Officer:  College General Manager, ANU College of Law/Page Contact:  Law Marketing Team