Deng Thiak Adut’s life story and Australian day address

In 1987, six-year old Deng was taken away from his family's banana farm in South Sudan and conscripted into the Army. Between the ages of 10 to 13 he was seriously wounded three times before being smuggled out of the country with the help of his brother. The boys spent time in a United Nations Compound in Kenya where they befriended an Australian couple who sponsored them and brought them to Australia. Deng and his brother arrived in 1998 and settled in Blacktown NSW. Deng worked at a local service station to learn English, enrolled at TAFE and completed his Advanced Diploma in Accounting before deciding to study law. In 2005 he enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws at Western Sydney University and became the first person in his family to graduate with a law degree. He went on to complete a Masters of Law (Criminal Prosecutions) at the University of Wollongong in 2014 and is currently studying a Masters of Criminal Law at the University of New South Wales. A renowned community leader, Deng is especially well known for his work as a criminal lawyer assisting the Sudanese community in Blacktown. He has become a formidable advocate fighting for his clients rights in the areas of criminal, family, employment and international law. Deng has not only worked at three outstanding Sydney law firms but has also demonstrated a remarkable commitment to social justice. He is a Western Sydney University community award recipient and regularly acts as a spokesperson for the Sudanese community, frequently appearing in the media to advocate for their interests. Deng is committed to making a positive difference and in doing so, devotes many hours of his personal time every week to activities such as mentoring, advising and supporting members of his community.

Potrait of Deng Thiek Source: Deng Thiak Adut