DrNicole Siller

Dr Nicole Siller is a Lecturer at Deakin Law School. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Purdue University (2004), a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law (2008), and a PhD in Law from the University of Groningen (2017).

Nicole began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, prosecuting serious criminal cases including attempted murder, firearms offences, assault, drug trafficking, sexual offences, and theft/fraud. Her final role involved the vertical prosecution of all nonfatal shootings in southwest Philadelphia. She was also an active member of an FBI Task Force targeting violent criminal organisations and gangs, contributing to the successful prosecution of complex cases at state and federal levels.

In 2013, Nicole was awarded a fellowship to pursue doctoral research on transnational organised crime at the University of Groningen. Her 2017 doctoral thesis focused on ‘Trafficking in Persons under International Law and Its Incorporation within Enslavement as a Crime against Humanity’. 

From 2017 to 2018, Nicole served as Director of Research at Deakin Law School. In 2018, she redesigned the teaching of criminal law (MLL114) by integrating practical assessments, interactive case studies, and a flipped classroom approach. In 2019, she developed the unit Advanced Legal Practice (MLL442), which offers students opportunities to learn from subject matter experts, observe courtroom proceedings, and enhance advocacy skills. In 2020, Nicole secured funding to expand the Deakin Law Clinic to include a policy advocacy practice area. She also served as Director of Work Integrated Learning for the Faculty of Business and Law from 2019.

In 2025, Nicole took on the role of Clinical Solicitor at the Deakin Law Clinic, where she now runs the clinic’s criminal practice area. The Deakin Law Clinic is a community-facing legal service that offers practical legal assistance and representation to clients while providing students with real-world, supervised legal experience, helping to build professional capabilities and promote access to justice.