From refugee to the District Court: a conversation with Judge Dženita Balić

On this episode of The Callover, we speak with Judge Dženita Balić of the Queensland District Court about her extraordinary journey from refugee to the bench. After fleeing the Bosnian War and arriving in Australia as a teenager, Judge Balić learned English as her third language, graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 2005, and the next 17 years at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, where she rose to the position of Principal Crown Prosecutor before being appointed as a Magistrate in 2022. In 2024, her Honour was appointed to the District Court of Queensland. We discuss her career in criminal law, the qualities that make a great advocate, and why diversity and inclusion are vital for access to justice. To find Georgia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-athanasellis-21713715a/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.