Ms Panayiota Zingirlis1, Ms Anita McGregor2, Dr Amanda White2
1Swinburne University, Australia, 2UNSW, Australia
Biography:
The presenters are three experienced forensic psychologists with complementary expertise across clinical, neuropsychological, and forensic domains. They bring years of experience in assessment, treatment, training, and expert witness work across Australia and internationally. Their backgrounds span complex cognitive and psychological assessments, forensic risk evaluations, and therapeutic interventions across hospital, correctional, and community settings. They have held leadership roles, contributed to academic teaching and research, and delivered training to professionals nationwide. Their combined work reflects a deep commitment to ethical practice, cultural competency, and advancing forensic psychology through education, supervision, and evidence-based clinical and legal contributions.
As social norms evolve and legal reforms reshape forensic contexts, the role of the expert psychologist must also adapt. This presentation examines how shifts in societal expectations and legislative frameworks demand enhanced competencies in forensic psychology, including a renewed emphasis on reflexivity, the capacity to critically reflect on one’s assumptions, scope of practice, and expertise within the justice system. We will explore the implications of these changes for the training and development of psychologists, highlighting the need to align practice with contemporary legal and social expectations. Guidance will be offered to psychologists on reflexively determining their competence to undertake forensic assessments. In parallel, the presentation will support legal professionals in identifying and selecting appropriately qualified psychological experts whose skills match the legal questions at hand. By bridging the “bilingual” space between psychology and law, this session promotes ethical, collaborative, and socially responsive forensic practice in an increasingly complex legal landscape.