The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner mourns the death of Dr Hugh McDonald, a distinguished researcher, colleague and champion of access to justice whose work has shaped legal assistance policy and practice across Australia and the globe.

For more than two decades, Hugh dedicated his career to understanding legal need and improving access to justice for people experiencing disadvantage. Widely respected for his expertise in empirical legal research, he made significant contributions through his work as Research Director at Victoria Law Foundation where he led major research initiatives examining legal capability, legal need and what works to improve justice outcomes for the community. Hugh is also recognised for his years of work pioneering legal research at the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, including the landmark Legal Australia-Wide (LAW) Survey.

Hugh was a valued member of the VLSB+C’s Consumer Panel, where he helped deepen our understanding of consumers’ experiences of legal services and informed important research and policy work designed to strengthen consumer protection and improve outcomes for the Victorian community. He was also a close collaborator of our Grants and Funding team, and a longstanding collaborator with our Research Director, Dr Nigel Balmer, and the Legal Services Research Centre team, collaborating significantly on research and evidence-based initiatives that have informed and strengthened our work. 

Hugh was also a friend to many of us.

Fiona McLeay, Victorian Legal Services Board CEO and Commissioner, said:

“Hugh combined intellectual rigour with a deep commitment to fairness and social justice. He was a rare combination of humanity and brilliance”, Ms McLeay said.

“His research helped decision-makers better understand the barriers people face when seeking legal help and provided an evidence base for meaningful reform. He was generous with his knowledge, thoughtful in his approach, and unwavering in his belief that legal systems should work for everyone. Hugh had many friends and long-time professional collaborators at VLSB+C and we will miss him greatly.”

Our thoughts are with Hugh’s family, friends and colleagues at the Victoria Law Foundation and across the legal and research sectors globally. His legacy will continue to influence access to justice research and reform for many years to come. 

Vale, Hugh.