Kate Waterford is a distinguished Partner at Maliganis Edwards Johnson, where she leads the firm's medical negligence and broader personal injury practice. Her expertise encompasses areas such as public liability, birth trauma, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases. A highly regarded figure in medical negligence litigation, Kate has been recognised as a pre-eminent lawyer in this domain by the Doyle's Guide. A native of Canberra, Kate is deeply engaged with her local community through her dedicated volunteer work. She holds various board positions across the healthcare and non-profit sectors, highlighting her commitment to community service and governance. Her academic background as a university lecturer and senior legal adviser provides a solid foundation for her current role. In addition to her legal work, she contributes scholarly expertise as the current author and editor of the 'Medicine' title in Halsbury's Laws of Australia, a key resource in health law. Since joining Maliganis Edwards Johnson in 2022, Kate has continued to excel, drawing on her extensive background in litigation that spans roles from a Law Clerk to Senior Associate and Special Counsel. Her career includes significant experience at Kemp Strang, where she was involved in commercial litigation covering insolvency, bankruptcy, and regulatory compliance, among others. Kate's commitment to legal education is evident through her role as a regular guest lecturer at ANU Medical School, where she educates future medical professionals on critical health law topics. Her governance roles are extensive, including positions with the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Amnesty International, and the Fred Hollows Foundation, demonstrating her expertise in governance and corporate responsibility. Her educational qualifications are impressive, holding an LLB with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney, a Master of Laws from the Australian National University, and a Master of Commerce in Accounting. She has further honed her governance skills through various courses at the Australian Institute of Company Directors and other leadership programs. Fluent in Spanish and several other languages, Kate embodies a rare blend of legal acumen, community involvement, and academic contributions, making her a formidable advocate for those impacted by personal injuries and medical negligence.
Councillor
ACT Law Society
Dec 2025 - Present • 10 months
Member, Finance & Audit Committee
Amnesty International
Aug 2023 - Present • 3 years 2 months
Managing Partner
Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Jul 2023 - Present • 3 years 3 months
Member, Governance, People & Culture Committee
The Fred Hollows Foundation
Jun 2022 - Present • 4 years 4 months
Regular Guest Lecturer
ANU Health and Medicine
Apr 2022 - Present • 4 years 6 months
Partner
Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Feb 2022 - Present • 4 years 8 months
Chair, Quality & Safety Committee
Corryong Health
Jun 2021 - Jun 2023 • 2 years
Non-executive director
Corryong Health
Apr 2021 - Jun 2023 • 2 years 2 months
Board Chair | Non-Executive Director
AusCam Freedom Project
Feb 2021 - Jun 2023 • 2 years 4 months
Law Committee member
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Feb 2021 - Present • 5 years 8 months
Editor/Author, 'Medicine' and 'Civil & Political Rights' in 'Halsbury's Laws of Australia'
LexisNexis
Jan 2021 - Present • 5 years 9 months
AICD ACT Divisional Councillor
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Oct 2020 - Present • 6 years
Chair, Nominations & Assessments Committee
Amnesty International Australia
Sep 2020 - Aug 2023 • 2 years 11 months
Board Chair | Non-Executive Director
Birth Trauma Australia
Jan 2020 - Jun 2023 • 3 years 5 months
National Board director, Physiotherapy Board of Australia
AHPRA (Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)
Oct 2018 - Dec 2024 • 6 years 2 months
Graduate Member (GAICD)
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Oct 2017 - Present • 9 years
Special Counsel
Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Jul 2017 - Jan 2022 • 4 years 6 months
Board Vice Chair | Non-Executive Director
Amnesty International Australia
Jun 2014 - Oct 2019 • 5 years 4 months
Senior Associate
Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Jan 2013 - Jun 2017 • 4 years 5 months
Associate Professor, Business Law / Financial Management
Centurion University of Technology and Management
Jan 2010 - Dec 2012 • 2 years 11 months
Litigation
Kemp Strang
Jan 2005 - Dec 2010 • 5 years 11 months
Law Clerk
Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Jan 2002 - Dec 2004 • 2 years 11 months
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
University of Sydney
Certificate in Clinical Governance for Patient Safety and Quality Care
Australasian Institute of Clinical Governance (AICG)
Boardroom Mastery Course
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Director Pipeline Program (6-month intensive)
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Company Directors Course (GAICD)
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Advanced Leadership Program
Women & Leadership Australia (WLA)
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
The College of Law Australia
Master of Laws (LLM)
The Australian National University
Master of Commerce (MComm)
UNSW
Master of Laws (Applied Law) (LLM)
The College of Law Australia
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
University of Sydney
Last checked: 13 Mar 2026 • Checked with ACT Law Society
