The thread drawing together Mary Anne's research, teaching, professional and community service activities was a passion for improving access to justice. She is a specialist on the Australian legal aid system and an authority in clinical legal education. She co-authored the only history of the Australian legal aid system, Lawyers in Conflict (2006), Australian Clinical Legal Education (2017) and most recently Ethics and Justice in Mediation (2019). Mary Anne was one of Australia's first community lawyers, was the National Representative for Community Legal Centres, a member of the National Legal Aid Advisory Committee, served 12 years as a part-time member of Social Security Appeals Tribunal, eleven years as a Director of Victoria Legal Aid and for 20 years she was a member of the management committee of West Heidelberg Community Legal Service. She was coordinator of La Trobe's clinical legal education program for over two decades.

In recognition of her outstanding achievements and contributions as a lawyer, to teaching and learning and legal aid research, Mary Anne has received a number of awards.