Lyma Nguyen is the inaugural President of AALA’s NT Branch (2021). In 2020, she received her title as overall winner of the 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians. Born in Indonesia on a refugee camp of Vietnamese ‘boat people’, Lyma considers herself privileged to have received an education in Australia, and rise into the legal profession, starting as a lawyer in the Commonwealth public service; internationally, as victims Counsel for survivors of genocide; and presently, at the Independent Bar.

In 2014, Lyma was the youngest of 45 “Trailblazing Women Australian Lawyers” whose oral history is to be archived in Australia’s National Library. This award recognised her ongoing pro bono practice since 2009 as International Civil Party Counsel at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia where she represented – amongst others – the ethnic Vietnamese minority victims in the tribunal’s historic genocide case. The international impact of her work was recognised through the Prime Minister’s Executive Endeavour Award (2013) and a Churchill Fellowship (2014).

Since 2014, Lyma has been a Director on the Board of Australian Volunteers International, having returned from a placement as International Criminal Law Adviser to Legal Aid of Cambodia (2010-2011). In 2012, Lyma was registered on DFAT’s Australian Civilian Corps as a Law and Justice Civilian Expert. In 2018, Lyma was accredited as Counsel before the International Criminal Court in The Hague (2018).

In her practice at the private bar, Lyma represents criminal cases, at all courts including appellate matters. She also chairs disciplinary inquiries, represent asylum seekers, acts in civil and human rights matters, and sits on international academic advisory boards. Lyma is a Committee Member of the United Nations Association of Australia, NT Division.

To maintain work-life balance, Lyma designs and creates fine jewellery sold locally. She also enjoys music, singing, and engages in activities such as bollywood dancing on an ad hoc basis.