Confronting Injustice: A Lawyer’s Journey from Law to Justice

In this memoir, Livingston takes readers on an extraordinary journey far beyond the tourist path to confront deep-seated injustices shaped by history, empire, war, and disaster. Through his firsthand experiences, he reveals the struggles of marginalized communities across the world, from the over-incarceration of Indigenous Australians in the Central Desert to the violent grip of ‘rascols’ in Port Moresby’s squatter settlements.

His journey continues through Cambodia’s killing fields, where he fights to hold the Khmer Rouge accountable; to Afghanistan, where he works to rebuild a justice system ravaged by war. In Nepal, he strengthens the courts protection of Dalit women, while in the Marshall Islands, he bears witness to the devastating human cost of US nuclear testing. Despite encountering immense suffering, he finds dignity, resilience, strength, and hope in those fighting for justice.

At the heart of this book lies a fundamental question: What is justice? Drawing on his experience as an Australian lawyer steeped in Western legal traditions, Livingston explores diverse global perspectives on justice, from Islamic and Confucian principles to Hindu and Indigenous traditions. He argues that justice is at its essence all about fairness. But concepts of justice and fairness vary from society to society, sometimes fundamentally. We can learn much from this diversity in improving our understanding of justice.

With deep reflection and personal insight, Livingston shares the lessons he has learned—about trust, fear, mistakes, and the enduring human spirit. Ultimately, he believes that even small steps toward justice leave a lasting impact, shaping the path of history for generations to come.