Carolyn Sparke KC graduated from Melbourne University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Science. She was admitted to Practice (completing her articles at Minter Ellison) in 1989, and joined the Bar in 1991. She took Silk in 2012.
Carolyn has been a barrister for over 30 years, commencing at the Bar with a broad commercial practice in property law, building cases (when a science degree comes in handy), insolvency and insurance, but for most of that time specialising in equity, trusts and deceased estate cases of all types, as well as superannuation-related issues. She also works in the Administration and guardianship jurisdiction, including looking at the roles and powers of Attorneys under power.
Carolyn is the Victorian Bar's representative on the VCAT Guardianship List users committee. In addition, Carolyn is a Member of the Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners, with an Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes. She has completed a qualification in International Arbitration with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She has long experience as a Mediator.
Her publications include: co-author of Lexis-Nexis loose-leaf service "Wills Probate and Administration Service Victoria"; an article "Removing executors and trustees" for the Oxford University Press Trusts & Trustees Journal, Law Institute Journal publications, and formerly sat on the Editorial Committee for the Trust Quarterly Review. She was an Adjunct lecturer in the Masters Program, College of Law. She is the Chair of the Bar’s CommBar Superannuation Section. Carolyn also teaches as an advocacy instructor: previously in the Melbourne University, Advocacy course; an Advocacy Instructor with the Australian Advocacy Institute, the Australian Bar Association; and an Instructor with the Victorian Bar Readers Course. Carolyn regularly presents at seminars for a variety of professional bodies. She was formerly a sitting member of the Firearms Appeals Committee, an appeals tribunal constituted under the Firearms Act.