Our School motto, ‘Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum’ meaning, ‘nothing is great unless it is good’ is upheld by many of our exceptional Old Girls.

The Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum (NMNB) project embraces the motto and recognises some of the amazing achievements of past students of the School.

The list includes women from Academia, the Arts, Philanthropy, Medicine, Law, Business, Entrepreneurship and Sport.

Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum Project

In 2006, the 110th Anniversary of the School, St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association (SCOGA) highlighted the achievements of some of our alumnae. SCOGA formed a sub-committee and began searching into the history of many past students and selected 25 to be honoured in the first phase. Together with the School, the first 25 profiles were produced and the Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum Project was launched in November 2010. In 2013, a further 10 women were profiled, another 15 in 2015, and a further 10 in 2021. A total of 60 women have been profiled to date.

To read all our NMNB Project profiles click here.

Anna Robertson (Lally ‘88)

Anna Robertson (Lally ‘88) graduated from Monash University in 1993 where she gained the degrees of Bachelor of Science (Chemistry and Mathematics) and Bachelor of Laws.

After finishing university, Anna embarked on a career as a solicitor, but quickly decided to specialise as a barrister at the Victorian Bar. Following a legal career spanning almost three decades, in June 2021 Anna was appointed as a Judge of the County Court of Victoria.

In her career as a barrister, Anna built a successful practice in civil, commercial, and administrative law litigation in Federal and State courts. Anna defended government agencies, insurers, corporate clients, and statutory and regulatory authorities in difficult, complex, and high-profile matters including some of Victoria’s most important cases: notably, the Kilmore/Kinglake and Marysville / Murrindindi 2009 Black Saturday bushfires class actions, considered to be the biggest class actions in Australia’s history, where many people lost their lives in horrific and chaotic circumstances; the significant administrative law and human rights litigation arising out of the transfer and detention of youth at Barwon Prison following the riots at Parkville Youth Justice Centre; the Aged Care Royal Commission; and the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry and subsequent class actions.

Beyond day-to-day legal practice, Anna has contributed widely to the broader legal community to ensure access to justice for all. She has encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to consider a career in the law and to ensure that the law upholds the principles of equality and inclusiveness. Between 2005 and 2020 Anna served on nine committees at the Bar, including the Equality Before the Law Committee, Pro Bono Committee, Student Engagement Committee, and International Advocacy Training Committee. She is an international advocacy instructor having taught in Australia, Papua New Guinea and remotely in Vanuatu.

In 2014 Anna was elected to the Executive of the Commercial Bar Association and was part of the working group that developed and launched the equitable briefing initiative in 2015; helping to formulate the charter of commitment where signatories from private firms, government and the corporate sector agreed to concrete actions aimed at equality in commercial briefing.

Anna continues to mentor, both formally and informally, numerous readers and many junior lawyers. Anna was recognised in December 2020 by the conferral of the Women Barristers’ Association Mentor of the Year award.

Anna is married to Peter (who she coincidentally met at the St Catherine’s School Dance in 1988) and has two daughters who also attended St Catherine’s – Emma (’20) and Molly (’21). Outside work she enjoys travelling, walking, tennis, the beach, reading, music and theatre, pilates, and time spent with family and friends.