Emeritus Professor Barbara McDonald holds a BA and LLB from the University of Sydney and an LLM from the University of London. She was appointed Emeritus Professor upon her retirement from the University of Sydney Law School in 2023, where she continues to teach. Throughout her distinguished career, McDonald has served in various capacities, including as a commercial lawyer, consultant, author, editor, and Program Director of the Law School in Europe program. She was a Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission from June 2013 to June 2014, leading the Inquiry into Serious Invasions of Privacy in the Digital Era. Her teaching portfolio encompassed contract law, equity, and tort law, with a particular emphasis on the interplay between statutes and common law principles. McDonald organized a conference at Parliament House during the passage of the Civil Liability Bill, assembling experts to advise policymakers. She has mentored numerous students and young academics, supervising honours theses and fostering international scholarly collaborations.

McDonald's scholarly contributions include editing collections such as one on Sir Anthony Mason's contributions to the law, co-edited with Belinda Chen and Jason Gordon (Federation Press, 2022). Her publications feature the review essay 'Pioneers, Consolidators and Iconoclasts of Tort Law' in the Sydney Law Review (2020), alongside works on proportionate liability and teaching torts amid statutory proliferation. Her writings have guided courts in interpreting legislative reforms in tort law. Recognized as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, she is also a member of the Sydney Environment Institute. McDonald's influence extends to law reform advocacy, critiquing ineffective measures while supporting pragmatic reforms.

Professional Email: barbara.mcdonald@sydney.edu.au