Joseph Lelliott

Dr Joseph Lelliott is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Higher Degree Research at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws (Honours), and Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Queensland. An Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Lelliott teaches criminal law, advanced crime and criminology, and international human rights law. He co-authored the textbook Criminal Law in Queensland: Principles, Offences and Defences (Thomson Reuters, 2023, second edition forthcoming 2026).

Lelliott's research examines criminalisation and the scope and impact of punitive measures, with expertise in migrant smuggling and human trafficking, particularly involving children, the focus of his PhD thesis. He co-edited UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: A Commentary (Oxford University Press, 2023), contributing chapters on victim protection, repatriation, smuggling by sea, and prevention. Other key publications include 'Threats of fire in the context of domestic and family violence' (Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 2023), 'Smuggled and trafficked unaccompanied minors: towards a coherent, protection-based approach in international law' (International Journal of Refugee Law, 2017), and UNODC reports such as 'The criminalization of trafficking in persons and corruption in the ASEAN region' (2025) and 'Combatting pollution crime' (2025). He frequently consults for the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime on smuggling and trafficking issues, authoring contributions to their legislative guides and reports. Lelliott assists the Queensland Supreme and District Courts’ Criminal Directions Bench Book committee and has delivered expert presentations, including on trafficking-corruption nexuses.

Professional Email: j.lelliott1@uq.edu.au