Jennifer Kanis
Jennifer Kanis (born 16 April 1970) is a lawyer and a former politician.
Jennifer Kanis | |
|---|---|
Kanis in 2012 | |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Melbourne | |
| In office 21 July 2012 – 29 November 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Bronwyn Pike |
| Succeeded by | Ellen Sandell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 April 1970 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse | Davydd Griffiths |
| Children | None |
| Residence | Flemington |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne La Trobe University |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Kanis was born in Melbourne to migrant parents—a Greek father and Italian mother. She studied an Arts degree at the University of Melbourne, and also gained postgraduate qualifications in education. She worked as an English and literature teacher, and then enrolled to study industrial law at La Trobe University.
After graduation, she took a job with Holding Redlich—the law firm founded by former Victorian Labor leader Clyde Holding—and became a senior associate of the firm.
In 2008, she was elected to Melbourne City Council.
She was the Labor Party member for Melbourne in the Victorian Legislative Assembly between 2012 and 2014.
Since 2017, Kanis has been working at law firm Maurice Blackburn, leading the firm's pro bono legal work. Her team fights for the rights of everyday people across issues that include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, asylum seeker rights, challenges to corporate and government power, gender equality, LGBTIQ equality, protecting communities and environments and workers’ rights.