Steven Castan: The advocate’s voice
50 Years / 50 Voices: Learning law and changing lives is a commemorative volume marking the 50th anniversary of the ongoing Monash Law Clinical Program, a pioneering initiative in clinical legal education undertaken by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. 50 alumni of the Monash Law Clinical Program shared their story with 50 current students of the same program. This is an excerpt from the book.
Where vulnerable voices often go unheard, Steven Castan stands as a fierce advocate for those society has failed. As a board director of the National Justice Project, Castan’s initiatives have sought to dismantle the systems that allow Indigenous people to die in custody, trap asylum seekers in legal limbo and silence the powerless when they need justice most.
This wasn’t merely a career choice; it’s a legacy written in his DNA. Growing up as the son of acclaimed Jewish barrister Ron Castan AM QC, Castan witnessed firsthand how the law could reshape injustice. His father played a leading role in the Mabo case, which culminated in the 1992 High Court judgment that overturned terra nullius.
In Mabo, Castan saw more than a case: he saw the possibility of using law as a tool for transformation. His Jewish heritage, with its entrenched value of giving back to society, only strengthened this conviction.
‘If we’re benefiting from [this country], we should probably give back,’ Castan says. Today, giving back takes many forms: fighting for families grieving the loss of loved ones in custody, building technology to make justice more accessible and training the next generation of advocates who will carry this torch forward.
In 1993, the world was shifting on its axis. The Berlin Wall had fallen, the Soviet Union had collapsed and in Australia the Mabo decision had just rewritten the nation’s understanding of land rights. For Castan, then a final-year law student at Monash Law, these changes formed the backdrop to his own transformation at Springvale Legal Service.
Gone were the lecture halls and theoretical debates. Here, clutching the clinic’s ‘little green book’ – a manual containing practical wisdom for many client issues – Castan found himself face-to-face with Melbourne’s hidden struggles. Vulnerable people with nowhere to turn, struggling with interpreters and bureaucracy. His help meant the whole world to them.
The most profound moment came with a family destroyed by sexual abuse, seeking justice after the system had failed them. As Castan wrestled with interpreters, legal procedures and, ultimately, the crushing reality that nothing more could be done, he learned perhaps the most important lesson of his career. Sometimes, being heard mattered more than winning. Sometimes, bearing witness to injustice was its own form of justice.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
‘This opens your eyes to the kind of people, real people, in Melbourne,’ Castan reflects.
The law student suddenly understood that justice wasn’t equally distributed. It depended on your postcode, your language and your understanding of systems designed to exclude. The clinic didn’t just teach him how to practise law; it showed him why it mattered.
‘[It was] making me feel that I was making a difference to people,’ Castan says. Castan’s journey with the National Justice Project reads like a masterclass in turning passion into impact.
The systemic issues are deeply confronting: the ongoing crisis of Indigenous deaths in custody, and the harsh, often inhumane treatment of asylum seekers in detention.
But Castan refuses to let these individuals become mere numbers. Through painstaking coronial inquests, Castan and his team have transformed grief into reform. Their advocacy has led to systemic changes in custodial practices. He has sought strong healthcare protocols in prisons, changes that have and will save lives.
They’ve held governments, police departments and healthcare systems accountable for failures in protecting those most vulnerable.
Among his many achievements is Hear Me Out, an AI-powered platform that represents the future of access to justice. In Australia, there are 240 different bodies where complaints can be lodged, a maze that defeats even the well-educated and confident. For vulnerable people, it might as well be a wall. Hear Me Out tears down that wall, using technology to guide people through their options, help draft complaints and connect them with legal support when needed.
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
‘For me, that’s an important development in law. It’s not taking away the work of lawyers – you still need a lawyer, you still need a person – but it’s making use of technology to improve access to justice,’ Castan says.
Even his earlier career as an entertainment lawyer reflected this same drive, helping musicians, directors and artists level the playing field against industry giants. Whether fighting for a filmmaker or an asylum seeker in detention, Castan’s cause remains constant: justice shouldn’t be a luxury item.
The young lawyer who once struggled with interpreters at Springvale has learned hard truths about systemic change. Justice doesn’t always mean victory. What sustains him through these defeats? Partly, it’s the small victories: a policy amended, a family who finds closure, a young lawyer discovering their purpose. One of his former clinic students now supervises her own clinic in Sydney, choosing social justice law after seeing what’s possible.
‘I think it’s always a highlight if you’ve managed to get a good result for some of the clients,’ Castan says.
To the students now walking through clinic doors, Castan’s message is clear: to challenge the orthodox lawyer. He implores future lawyers to see more than just the law. There are people who are ultimately affected by any legal process, and therefore, it is important to be empathic and ethical to everyone.
Consider other aspects of life as well, he says: the law is vast and varied, and even unexpected jobs are available for those who seek something different. Finally, take care of yourself and make time for hobbies and loved ones. Law is sometimes all-encompassing, so a balance is always essential, not just in life, but also to be effective as a lawyer.
‘Don’t obsessively become a lawyer to your own detriment. Take the time to get up in the morning and do some walking exercise. Go out on the weekend, do stuff, have a hobby, a sport or an interest. Even if it’s reading books!’
Read more about 50 years of Monash Law Clinics and buy 50 Years / 50 Voices here
Get involved with Monash Law Clinics
Monash Law Clinics combine legal education with real-world impact, supporting access to justice while equipping students with practical, ethical and professional skills.
If you are a student interested in undertaking a clinical unit as part of your studies, explore the available clinical placements and elective options.
Whether you’re an alum, practitioner or organisation keen to support the clinics through hosting placements, partnerships, volunteering or funding, there’s a way to be involved. To learn more, contact Emily Collard, Industry & Alumni Engagement Manager, at emily.collard@monash.edu.