Elizabeth (Liz) Spencer is Professor of Law at Charles Darwin University.
Born in New Jersey, she's the last of four children. Her father was in the US Navy and met her Australian mother in Brisbane towards the end of World War II. In this respect she's half Australian.
After finishing high school Liz went on to do a 'gap' year in France where she had some interesting experiences. She then returned to the US and completed a degree in Environmental Studies and Biology from Trinity College and headed out to the west coast to work in an architectural firm. It was there that she decided architecture was not for her and she returned to New York to work before enrolling to do a Master of Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin.
Liz got married and moved to Denver before her husband, who was an engineer in the oil and gas industry, got a transfer to Norway and then The Netherlands. While raising two children Liz decided to study law and she earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona. Then, in a twist of irony, the family moved to Brisbane, her mother's home town.
She started her career in academia at Bond University where she earned a Ph.D in Franchising Law.
Liz has taught contracts, torts, corporations law, business law, international trade law and franchising law. In addition to Bond University her academic career has also included stints with The Australian Catholic University, James Cook University and now Charles Darwin University.
This is Liz's Territory Story.
